The Mephisto Waltz

R

1971

1h 55m

Horror

List

63%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

43%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

A frustrated pianist himself, music journalist Myles Clarkson (Alan Alda) is thrilled to interview virtuoso Duncan Ely (Curt Jurgens). Duncan, however, is terminally ill and not much interested in Myles until noticing that Myles' hands are ideally suited for piano. Suddenly, he can't get enough of his new friend, and Myles' wife, Paula (Jacqueline Bisset), becomes suspicious of Duncan's intentions. Her suspicions grow when Duncan dies and Myles mysteriously becomes a virtuoso overnight.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

You get the notion that the people who made the film didn't take magic seriously enough. I don't mean they should believe in it; but they should have made a film that pretended to.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

The Mephisto Waltz is sophisticated enough to be worth a revival from A24 or anyone seeking the road less travelled in terms of horror tropes

Rated: 3/5

Apr 22, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Largely dismissed upon its initial release, the film is enhanced by a suitably dense ambience that helps smother many of the scripts deficiencies.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 10, 2022

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...tedious and predominantly interminable...

Rated: 1/4

Jan 19, 2022

Full Review

Austin Kennedy

Sin Magazine

It will frighten you... with boredom!

Rated: .5/4

May 12, 2012

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Jul 14, 2005

Full Review

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Audience Member

The devil is in the details itself so to speak. Playing piano is an art form but when it comes to the occult that's another thing. Jacqueline Bisset, Alan Alda and Curd Jurgens. Jurgens is an aging satanist Myles Duncan posing as a virtuoso and is planning to transfer his soul into the young body of an aspiring pianist. But Myles is unaware of the man's dark intentions. His wife Paula Is just as terrified as he's getting closer to perfecting his music. Things seem fine after Myles inherits the man's finances and musical antiques; however it starts getting strange when Myles is acting out of character. Paula starts noticing and it feels uneasy. The score is terrifying, director Alan Alda puts a horrific spin on classical art of music, the cast performs well given the hokum nature of this premise, it's also quite nightmarish with its crazy camera angles. As far as the romance it's sweet but has its own sense of twistedness. Definitely lots of Freudian stuff going on with the supernatural.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/09/24

Full Review

ashley h

The Mephisto Waltz is a decent film. It is about an old, dying satanist who arranges to transfer his soul into the body of a young concert pianist. Alan Alda and Jacqueline Bisset give good performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Paul Wendkos did an alright job directing his movie. I liked this motion picture because of the mystery and horror.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

deke p

Spooky, intermittently dreamlike ghostly surreality. Hasn't aged well, cuz its 1971 style. Kinda reincarnated body stealing. Big Cast names of the time. I've always heard of it, and often knew it was on tv, but never watched it til now 7.8.22. very slow by todays standards. But ok for its time. Jaquiline BISSET!

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

dave s

Other than great performances from Jacqueline Bissett and Alan Alda (pre-M*A*S*H), The Mephisto Waltz doesn't really have much of anything to offer. When those around her start behaving oddly, a young woman begins to believe that deals are being made with the devil. Sound familiar? It should – it's a blatant rip-off of Rosemary's Baby. Other than the lack of originality, the primary problems with The Mephisto Waltz are the outdated stylistic excesses – fast zooms, sporadically erratic editing, extreme close-ups, ineffective low angle shots and awkward dream sequences. The movie feels like it's about thirty minutes too long and probably would have been better suited as a Twilight Zone episode rather than a full-length feature.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The devil is in the details itself so to speak. Playing piano is an art form but when it comes to the occult that's another thing. Jacqueline Bisset, Alan Alda and Curd Jurgens. Jurgens is an aging satanist Myles Duncan posing as a virtuoso and is planning to transfer his soul into the young body of an aspiring pianist. But Myles is unaware of the man's dark intentions. His wife Paula is just as terrified as he's getting closer to perfecting his music. Things seem fine after Myles inherits the man's finances and musical antiques; however it starts getting strange when Myles is acting out of character. Paula starts noticing and it feels uneasy. The score is terrifying, director Alan Alda puts a horrific spin on classical art of music, the cast performs well given the hokum nature of this premise, it's also quite nightmarish with its crazy camera angles. As far as the romance it's sweet but has its own sense of twistedness. Definitely lots of Freudian stuff going on with the supernatural.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Hay que ubicarse en esa época. Me parece muy original y audaz . Incesto y satanismo combinados con una excelente banda Sonora. Muy buena

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

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Paul Wendkos

Director

Alan Alda

Myles Clarkson

Jacqueline Bisset

Paula Clarkson

Curd Jürgens

Duncan Mowbray Ely

Barbara Parkins

Roxanne Delancey

Bradford Dillman

Bill Delancey

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Synopsis

A frustrated pianist himself, music journalist Myles Clarkson (Alan Alda) is thrilled to interview virtuoso Duncan Ely (Curt Jurgens). Duncan, however, is terminally ill and not much interested in Myles until noticing that Myles' hands are ideally suited for piano. Suddenly, he can't get enough of his new friend, and Myles' wife, Paula (Jacqueline Bisset), becomes suspicious of Duncan's intentions. Her suspicions grow when Duncan dies and Myles mysteriously becomes a virtuoso overnight.

Director: Paul Wendkos
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 55m

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