Eyes Without a Face

Play trailer

Eyes Without a Face

Released Oct 31, 1962

1h 30m

Horror

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

60 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Dr. Génessier (Pierre Brasseur) is riddled with guilt after an accident that he caused disfigures the face of his daughter, the once beautiful Christiane (Edith Scob), who outsiders believe is dead. Dr. Génessier, along with accomplice and laboratory assistant Louise (Alida Valli), kidnaps young women and brings them to the Génessier mansion. After rendering his victims unconscious, Dr. Génessier removes their faces and attempts to graft them on to Christiane's.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

A horrific tale of guilt and obsession, Eyes Without a Face is just as chilling and poetic today as it was when it was first released.

Read Critics Reviews

Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

Eyes Without a Face is a perfect example of how cinematic poetry can transform a seemingly disreputable movie genre.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 14, 2014

Full Review

Scott Tobias

The Dissolve

Eyes Without A Face is a classic anomaly, out of step with its time (and any other), with mysteries that lingered long enough for critics finally to be intoxicated by them.

Rated: 5/5

Oct 14, 2013

Full Review

Tim Purtell

Entertainment Weekly

One of those rare horror films that induces discomfort by showing practically nothing.

Rated: A-

Oct 6, 2013

Full Review

Bianca Garner

Filmotomy

Shot in crisp black and white, Eyes Without a Face is a gothic fairytale, crossed between a film noir with a good old dash of psychological horror thrown in. More importantly, it’s not like anything that had come before it and it still stands up today.

Oct 3, 2024

Full Review

Penelope Gilliatt

Observer (UK)

The whole film has a ghastly elegance that often suggests Tennessee Williams in one of his more aberrant moods.

Feb 20, 2024

Full Review

Stephanie Archer

Film Inquiry

Tastefully done and exquisitely horrific, Eyes Without a Face delivers exactly the right amount of terror making it easy to see why it is such an enduring horror classic.

Sep 30, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Stephen C

Success in 1.5 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In Candian French with American English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $52,700.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

Full Review

João Gabriel R

história: 8,5 atuação: 8 fotografia: 9 som: 7,5 final: 8 média: 8,2

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/23/25

Full Review

Tim M

Straightforward but quietly unnerving, Eyes Without a Face remains a hugely influential entry into the horror canon.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/28/25

Full Review

William B

Best french film I've ever watched. Must-see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/11/24

Full Review

Julian S

“Eyes Without a Face” unfolds like a dark poem, revealing just enough to let your imagination spiral into terror. It’s hauntingly beautiful.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/28/24

Full Review

Sam G

This film is smart, well-written, and considerably more realistic and vastly less gory than most horror fare. Still, by contemporary standards, it really drags along at a glacially slow pace. Christiane, by far the most sympathetic character, could have brought the insanity to an end at any time by refusing treatment; had her father refused, she could have simply taken her own life rather than let multiple young women be murdered--pointlessly--on her behalf. There aren't really any diabolical figures here, just relatively ordinary people trapped by wretched circumstances. There is not really any menace or any conventionally scary scenes. I suspect most people who are not expecting an arthouse film will be disappointed.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/20/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Georges Franju

Director

Pierre Brasseur

Doctor Génessier

Alida Valli

Louise

Edith Scob

Christiane Genessier

Juliette Mayniel

Edna Grüber

François Guérin

Jacques Vernon

Horrors of the Black Museum

33%

24%

Horrors of the Black Museum

Watchlist

The White Reindeer

100%

61%

The White Reindeer

Watchlist

Long Weekend

89%

67%

Long Weekend

Watchlist

Monkey Shines

53%

41%

Monkey Shines

Watchlist

Diabolique

95%

93%

Diabolique

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Dr. Génessier (Pierre Brasseur) is riddled with guilt after an accident that he caused disfigures the face of his daughter, the once beautiful Christiane (Edith Scob), who outsiders believe is dead. Dr. Génessier, along with accomplice and laboratory assistant Louise (Alida Valli), kidnaps young women and brings them to the Génessier mansion. After rendering his victims unconscious, Dr. Génessier removes their faces and attempts to graft them on to Christiane's.

Director: Georges Franju
Producer: Jules Borkon
Screenwriter: Pierre Boileau, Pierre Gascar, Thomas Narcejac, Jean Redon, Claude Sautet
Distributor: United Artists, Lopert Pictures Corp., Rialto Pictures
Production Co: Lux Film S.p.a., Champs-Élysées Production
Genre: Horror, Drama
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 31, 1962, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 29, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $52.7K
Runtime: 1h 30m

Most Popular at Home Now