On B List of Movie Reviews
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The Boston Strangler (1968)
Rate:
3
Viewed:
9/14
9/14:
Despite the semi all-star cast, nobody can save The Boston Strangler from being a pedestrian stinker.
The blame lies squarely on Richard Fleischer's shoulders for his inept direction. Whose bright idea was it to go
for the gimmicky split-screen technique? It makes things worse. Every time the technique is used, the intended
effect is never reached because there's a long awkward pause while the action is attempting to materialize. However,
I'm able to put up with it in the first hour because the film does well in other aspects. Then, by the time the
Boston Strangler is apprehended, it's all downhill thereafter.
The torture is watching Tony Curtis speak utter nonsense for half an hour which goes nowhere. That kind of stuff
belongs in an improv workshop at some actor studio. Henry Fonda adds no value to the story, and George Kennedy
doesn't do much, either. It would be easier if the cast was replaced with lesser known actors because the all-star
treatment proved to be no difference.
Obviously, the material has been made up because nobody read Gerold Frank's book. Hence, lots of
factual information including the measuring man ploy are missing. Of what I saw, the most ridiculous part, apart
from the multiple personality disorder crap and the whole confession thing, is Hurkos as the omniscient psychic when
he was, in fact, a certified fraud.
All in all, The Boston Strangler is a disappointing picture with a lot of crap.