The Collector (1965)

Why so much hype?

Admirable film.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The Collector is one of those movies that are hard to translate into a motion picture without stifling its essence and selling itself short. The book, upon which this film is based, is a masterpiece, written by John Fowles. This is where the problem lies, though, how can you capture that internal dialogue, the turmoil churning within each of the two characters simply by filming their facial expressions and body language? You can't, except of course if you throw in some drawn-out voice overs, which'd go to show how desperate the director/screenwriter are for resorting to such desperate measures. The Collector as a movie still does hold us captive to its offbeat nature and set of events, but comes short of too many things essential to the story.

I've been looking forward to watching this one. The premise of the film is intriguing and by the plot outline I could tell this wasn't going to be a film that would just aim for thrills and suspense. Of course, I wouldn't have expected William Wyler to go in that direction either, even if this looked to be more eerie than anything he had done before.'The collector' was no disappointment, in fact it had the impact of a... shovel. The abduction takes place almost straight away, and the rest of the film we observe a young man and a young woman both fighting in various manners for what they believe in and hope for. Pretty much all of this unfolds in an almost otherworldly house and cellar (Gabriels Manor, Edenbridge, UK^) far from the hurly burly of London, from where the girl was kidnapped.The script may seem to take its time, but not one moment felt too much or out of place, playing on various themes such as trust, alienation, sadism, coming of age, love and paranoia, and manages to be utterly disturbing in such a subtle way. It consists of several long acts that eventually seem to take the two back to the beginning, but every time it is, or has to be, a néw beginning. Until... the ending may not be for everyone, though I think it was exactly what it needed - which is not to I say I saw it coming! Darkly humorous...? Or rather mind-numbingly sad...?The performances of Terrence Stamp and Samantha Eggar are of course key here, and they delivered two characters who pulled me deep into this two hour story and made it feel like it was just a half hour or so.A very big 9 out of 10 for now, but I might change my mind... sooner or later.^ On the market right now for almost 2 million pounds, with no particular mention of the age old cellar, though... (outbuildings)

One theory about why people collect things is that in a world where chaos constantly threatens, and where one has little control over fate, collecting is one area where control can be retained. "The Collector" is a story about a man who desperately wants to control one thing in particular – the woman he has become obsessed with.Although "The Collector" seemed pretty shocking in 1965, William Wyler said at the time that he intended to make a modern love story, but it's hardly that. Based on John Fowles' novel, the film may actually have been quite prescient, especially in light of the number of urban abductions and imprisonment of women that have occurred over the intervening decades. However the film's rather old-fashioned, near Gothic style, plus an over-the-top performance from Terence Stamp softened the nastiness of it all. But with that said, it's still pretty creepy.Terrence Stamp's character, Freddie Clegg, is a socially inept bank teller and butterfly collector who has won a fortune on the football pools. He comes across an isolated country home for sale. He is particularly interested in its large cellar, which he thinks might help him fulfil a fantasy that has become an even bigger interest than butterfly collecting. He is obsessed with a girl, Miranda Grey played by Samantha Eggar. With his newfound wealth he buys the country home then snatches Miranda off a street after chloroforming her. He keeps her prisoner in the cellar, and although he treats her more like a pampered houseguest, Freddie has complete power over her. He desperately wants her to fall in love with him, but as is the way with such obsessions, love and hate are closely linked. Miranda tries everything to extract herself from the situation even agreeing to stay for a month without struggle. Eventually she offers herself sexually. This enrages Freddie who has issues with intimacy – especially when Miranda is conscious. The changes in Freddie's feelings spell great danger for Miranda. The film follows the ending of the novel and it's a bleak one. Terrence Stamp's mannered performance is distracting. This included squeezing himself into a suit, which was at least a size too small, no doubt in an attempt to help capture Freddie Clegg's constrained personality. The twisted nature of the character is reinforced by Stamp's twisted posturing – just in case we missed the point. Samantha Eggar on the other hand, is perfect as Miranda Grey. She is the type of unattainable beauty who might easily attract the attention of a stunted personality such as Freddie Clegg – he knows he would never be able to associate with her on an intimate level under normal circumstances. Eggar's reactions are believable as her character undergoes various mood swings during her imprisonment. The audience identifies with her and she never loses their sympathy while Freddie never gains it.Maurice Jarre's score has been criticised as a hindrance in this film. His rich, melodic style certainly wasn't right for everything. The criticism is justified in this case as the music misdirects the mood of the film at crucial moments. Wyler was a meticulous craftsman who made many famous films, but the attention to detail that made many of his films great, made this one heavy instead. Although he coaxed a very good performance from the inexperienced Samantha Eggar, in my opinion, "The Collector" remains more of an oddity than a great movie.

Tense psychological thriller involving a meek bank clerk (Stamp) and amateur lepidopterist, who masterminds an elaborate plan to capture and keep a beautiful young woman (Eggar) under the demented belief she will eventually succumb to Helsinki syndrome and fall in love with him. Alternatively, she may just become another of his ephemeral collections.I still regard this as Stamp's best film as the socially awkward panel-van driving psychopath, and Eggar whose career never quite hit the high note she deserved, has also never been better. The tense bi-play between the two is like a boxing match as each land blows, Eggar's tactical game in a desperate bid for freedom seemingly out-maneuvred at every juncture by Stamp's sometimes rattled determination, wearing down his quarry's resolve.It's hard to say whether the film still packs the punch in the modern era of shock and awe, but it would certainly appeal to anyone who can appreciate an offbeat thriller not made to suit the Hollywood format and sensitivities.