Figures in a Landscape

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eric b "Figures in a Landscape" is an unusual, intriguing film with cult appeal on a number of levels (another quirky Joseph Losey project, Malcolm McDowell in a role *between* "If..." and "A Clockwork Orange," the star Robert Shaw also writing the screenplay, the arty plot, etc.). The story's structure is daringly minimalist, and bears some theoretical resemblance to Steven Spielberg's landmark "Duel," which came out a year later. Shaw and McDowell are fugitives on the run (escaped P.O.W.'s?) in dry, brush-choked mountains which suggest South America -- except no location is ever mentioned. Shaw is the hardened, worldwise brute and McDowell is the insecure innocent, but the personality gap between them narrows as the hours pass. Multiple other actors appear as troops and villagers, but no one has a legitimate line of dialogue except the two leads. The third important character is an ominous black helicopter, which persistently pops up to chase and taunt the two escapees. The pilots' faces are never shown. There is some gunplay, but the cat-and-mouse game between Shaw, McDowell and the helicopter dominates the action. Delirious talk of Shaw's absent wife eventually adds a splash of backstory, but the ending is bound to leave many viewers frustrated about how few questions are answered. However, this mystery is clearly intentional. Tinnitus sufferers may be soothed by the ambient drone of copter blades, gunfire and/or pouring rain -- for better or worse, the sound mix seems fiendishly determined to avoid silence. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Been trying to track this film down for what seems like an eternity as it is a real rarity. My recollection of this film didn't deceive me (I saw it on TV in the mid eighties) and I was surprised how after more than twenty years how vividly my childhood memories had held on to this nightmarish vision. Robert Shaw turns in one of the strongest film performances of his career and a real early outing for McDowell shows a different side to him. This film is ultimately a representation of men and how circumstance brings out the best and worst of them. The clever thing about this is its vagueness - two men chased by a helicopter is all it ever amounts too with some sparse character dialogue thrown in. What lifts it so high however is the wonderment of the situation these two men find themselves in, the sheer depth of character that has been created without any formal back story and the intense visual progression that is held together by a stirring soundtrack. This is not a typical narrative film, but it has left an etching on my brain and is hugely distinctive - a real inspiration. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Figures in a Landscape

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