Absolution

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Audience Member Between Anthony Page and playwright Anthony Shaffer, we can forgive this movie for feeling like more of a stage play in parts, but man, the end sure is tense and dark and I was kind of shocked by it because what's this doing on a Mill Creek fifty pack. I realize that statement is ridiculous because just about anything can be on a Mill Creek fifty pack. Father Goddard's (Richrad Burton) favorite student at the all boys' school is Benjamin Stanfield while he despises the boy's friend Arthur Dyson and has even less use for the bum they're friends with in the woods, Blakey, who is played by a very young Billy Connolly. The biggest mistake the priest makes is to tell his students that he can't tell the police anything that he is told under the seal of confession, which starts a series of pranks that Stanfield plays on his mentor. Or does he? The film plays fast and loose with how we see things — a Catholic giallo with no women? — and there was a lot of argument between the creatives of how much they wanted to tip their hand and how they wanted to handle the final reveal. Producer Elliott Kastner was made aware of the script by Richard Burton, who had apparently waited several years to play the lead. He even turned down the opportunity to play King Lear on stage to be in this movie. Michael Caine and Christopher Lee had both been considered for the part. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Burton really should've let them watch that semi final. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member If you went to a catholic prep and then onto a traditional public school like I did, then I think there's a lot to contemplate and admire about this film. I think the power shift from Burton's character as the over arching Headmaster to the manipulative boys is handled rather well. So too the question of good and evil. Casting is a little too influenced by The Omen, and the twist and exposition at the end is rushed and mangled a little. However I could see this film being slightly re-written, handled a little differently and doing well at the box office. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Bernard K I went to a Catholic boarding high school, and yes, it was a lot like this. I don't think there was any boarder who couldn't identify with wanting to severely punish some priest! (Down deep, I think they are indeed mostly evil....). Perfect movie! Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/24/20 Full Review Audience Member Loved it. Watched it 5 times. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member I saw this in horrific conditions from the moderately intriguing and extremely entertaining 'Drive-In Movie Classics' pack of 50 films on 12 double-sided DVDs. Ten minutes were cut from the film and it was pan-and-scan--specifically spliced to get it to fit into a two-hour TV-spot with commercials. Still, it was an exceptional work, and I'm extremely curious for two reasons--why it was shelved for 10 years from U.S. release (until Burton was dead for four years), and why it seems to have fallen to public domain. It has a strong script, very good direction, Burton's performance is masterful (in fact, one of the best I have seen from him) and the supporting cast of both unknown youths and Billy Connolly is downright impressive. The film deserves a much better fate...Absolution itself, methinks. ;) Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Absolution

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