THRILLER
Episode 13: KISS ME AND DIE
Written by Terence Feely
Story by Brian Clemens
Produced and directed by John Sichel
(tx date February 9, 1974)
US: The Savage Curse
fr: Le bal des monstres
American Robert Stone travels to England to look for his missing brother, Jim, who seems to have fallen for a mysterious woman.
Robert Stone sucht in England nach seinem vermißten Bruder Jim. Im Columbine Inn, einer Dorfgaststätte, nimmt er erste Ermittlungen auf. Bald stößt er auf Dominie Lanceford, eine geheimnisvolle junge Frau, die auf dem Landsitz ihres Vaters Jonathan lebt. Jonathan ist ein glühender Verehrer der Werke Edgar Allan Poes.
Dies ist wahrscheinlich der (post-)modernste Thriller, da er nicht nur implizit, sondern auch explizit auf Vorbilder rekurriert, durch die permanenten Verweise auf das Werk Edgar Allan Poes eine metatextuelle Ebene aufweist.
Rating: ****
Nachfolgend Martin Marshalls Vergleich der NTSC-Version und der PAL-TVM-Version.
'The Savage Curse': NTSC version
Total additional running time: approximately 2 mins
The extra footage is not present in the original UK format or the PAL re-constructions of the TVM version.
Extra/amended scenes in chronological order: (Timings very approximate!)
1: In his room at the Columbine Inn, Robert Stone first takes his knife out ... he goes over to the window and runs his finger along the edge of the blade whilst thinking (20 seconds).
2: As Ben Groom leaves the bar, he lingers a little longer under the gaze of Jack Woolbridge before departing (10 seconds).
3: Extra shot of Ben in garden of Lanceford house, holding shotgun (inter-cut during first meeting between Dominie and Robert) (3 seconds).
4: Before his arrival the second time to 'paint' Dominie, Stone gets out of car which then drives away, then he pauses a moment (10 seconds).
5: At conclusion of discussion between Jonathan and Robert in Lunceford house, an extra shot of Stone's face reacting, with extra music sting. (2 seconds).
6: MAJOR SCENE: In his room at the Inn, Stones plays back tape of his brother ... saying "wants to know more", Stone pauses then walks over the window. Dominie's face appears as a ghostly vision, her voice is heard speaking in his mind. He looks away. Cut to Stone walking down stairs, opening door and leaving the Inn. In the shadows Jack Woolridge steps into sight, gazes upward at angle with 'strange expression' on his face ... continues to Stone driving in car with headlights on. (30 seconds).
7: Slightly re-cut scene in darkness in the grounds of the Lunceford House as Stone surreptitiously approaches ... before Ben says "no one there" (5 seconds).
8: On the way to the village pond, just before discovery of Fred's body, slightly longer sequence as Stone walks from car to pond, extra shots. (5 seconds).
9:LENGTHENED SCENE: Dominie reads Poe from book, in house, as she walks over to a chair, sits ... works on needle work as she sits ... then scene lingers a little as she sits in the chair (15 seconds, then 5 seconds)
10: At party, possible extra shot as first explosion goes off in cellar.... later several extra shots of rats running around and guests milling about in panic (and in costume!) (15-20 seconds ... sequences inter-cut differently, so difficult to actually time)
(Many thanks to Martin for his kind permission to reproduce this information.)
Cast:
George Chakiris (Robert Stone), Jenny Agutter (Dominie Lanceford), Anton Diffring (Jonathan Lanceford), Russell Hunter (Old Fred), John Sharpe (Jack Woodbridge), Stephen Greif (Ben Kroom), Peggy Sinclair (Miss Faversham), John Atkinson (Ben Hawkes), Barry James (Tom Whidden), Raymond Mason (Bill Gurney), Sue Robinson (Jenny), Peter Casillas (Jim Stone), Peter Elliott (The Emgy).
Crew*:
Wardrobe Supervisor Sheelagh Killeen Make-up Supervisor Sheila Mann Film Cameraman Tony Imi Film Editor Tom Rowland Senior Cameraman Bill Brown Sound Director Bob Woodhouse Senior Vision Control (uncredited) VTR Editor John Hawkins Music Coordinator Paul Clay Music Laurie Johnson Lighting Director Jimmy Boyers Designer Michael Eve Floor Manager Bill Goodall Stage Manager Mari Markus Vision Mixer (uncredited) Administrator Ron Brown Production Secretary (uncredited) Production Assistant Paula Burdon Executive Producer (uncredited).
*re-assembled from available on-screen credits
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