On D List of Movie Reviews
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The Day of the Locust (1975)
Rate:
3
Viewed:
8/15
8/15:
The only worthwhile part of The Day of the Locust is the behind-the-scenes insight into how Hollywood movies are made.
The rest is a waste of my time. I've already seen Sunset Boulevard and
The Bad and the Beautiful. Hence, what new ground is there to uncover? Karen Black plays an idiot whom I don't care
about. William Atherton is no leading man; he's only memorable for playing a throwaway character in two
Die Hard films.
Regardless of the fact that Donald Sutherland has top billing, he makes an awkward cameo and doesn't seem to belong.
Meredith Burgess is better which is enough for him to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a
Supporting Role. In hindsight, his character has nothing to do with the grand scheme of things.
The film title may be misleading for the longest time until the two-hour mark. Finally, the mob
mentality comes alive by overwhelming all the principal characters, yet it feels unconnected to everything beforehand.
All in all, John Schlesinger looks finished.