Yes, Franju's film was beautifully shot and was dramatically serious for a horror, but there was nothing spectacular to warrant a slew of accolades.
The acting was strong and the cinematography was flawless, but the story did drag a little. Most importantly, the "reality" of the surgical procedures was way off the charts, leaving one with the fervent notion "I don't think so."
It's a good movie, but not a great one.
If you get the Criterion DVD, look for Franju's phenomenal "Blood of the Beasts". It's a short documentary of a Paris slaughterhouse shot in 1949. Once again, the photography is amazing and the subject matter will leave you feeling quite disturbed for certain.
As horrors go, "Eyes Without A Face" is far more intelligent than the B-movie trash churned out at the time, but the end result is something short of anti-climactic.
The acting was strong and the cinematography was flawless, but the story did drag a little. Most importantly, the "reality" of the surgical procedures was way off the charts, leaving one with the fervent notion "I don't think so."
It's a good movie, but not a great one.
If you get the Criterion DVD, look for Franju's phenomenal "Blood of the Beasts". It's a short documentary of a Paris slaughterhouse shot in 1949. Once again, the photography is amazing and the subject matter will leave you feeling quite disturbed for certain.
As horrors go, "Eyes Without A Face" is far more intelligent than the B-movie trash churned out at the time, but the end result is something short of anti-climactic.