When I was a teenager I read several of Alistair MacLean's
thrillers and enjoyed them quite a lot. I don't remember if I was very aware of
the film adaptations of his work that had been done except tangentially
because, at the time, they weren't of much interest to me. I had seen the
fantastic GUNS OF NAVERONE (1962) and the amazing WHERE EAGLES DARE (1968) but
until recently I didn't realize that MacLean adapted his own novel for the
screen for Eagles - a task he repeated three more times over the next decade
turning his books When Eight Bells Toll, Puppet On A Chain and Breakheart Pass
into scripts. I haven't read a MacLean novel in years but I am becoming
interested in doing so now that I have been reminded of his skill in telling
well plotted, suspenseful tales. Last month I watched the excellent but (to my
eyes) chopped down BREAKHEART PASS (1975) and now I
have seen the remarkable film version of WHEN EIGHT BELLS TOLL and color me
stunned.
Without a doubt WHEN EIGHT BELLS TOLL (1971) is one of the
best and most underappreciated spy thrillers of the 1970's. The fact that this
movie is not better known is a damned crime against cinema! I have never read
anyone singling it out for praise or even drawing attention to it as a superior
thriller and that is crazy. This is a great film ripe for discovery and
deserving of consideration for a Blu-Ray release complete with serious extras.
I want to hear Sir Anthony Hopkins' memories of making this film as well as
Nathalie Delon's. Sadly, the wonderful Robert Morley and the great Jack
Hawkings have long since passed away but several bit players are still around
and active in the film industry - get them on the record about this movie! Now!
2 comments:
What's the best way to view this movie?
There is a good Region 2 DVD.
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