CAPE FEAR
A film review by Ken Johnson
Copyright 1992 Ken Johnson
135 min., R, Horror/Suspense, 1991 Director: Martin Scorsese Cast: Robert DeNiro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Martin Balsam, Joe Don Baker, Fred Dalton Thompson
Years ago Nolte was the lawyer for illiterate DeNiro who brutally raped a sixteen-year-old girl. DeNiro went to prison on a lesser charge of battery. Now DeNiro has gotten out of prison and has moved into the town where Nolte lives with his wife Lange and their fifteen-year-old daughter Lewis. DeNiro starts terrorizing Nolte and his family but in such a way that the law can't touch him.
CAPE FEAR, like the film DEAD CALM, is more of a suspense film than a horror film. I found CAPE FEAR to be a very good, suspenseful, film. Part of the impact of this film is seeing it on a large screen. For instance in the film there is a storm scene which will not be nearly as spectacular on a television set. For this reason I highly suggest if you are one of the few people who hasn't seen this film that you go to see it at a theater, if any theaters in your area are still playing it. On a scale of zero to five, I rate CAPE FEAR a four. CAPE FEAR is rated R for graphic violence, explicit language, and adult situations.
CAPE FEAR was in most of the large theaters near the end of 1991 and it had a long theatrical run before leaving most of the theaters in early 1992. Small theaters, like the one I saw it in, are now getting CAPE FEAR, and it will be coming out on video soon.
The photography, using reverse (negative) images in the beginning and at the very end of the film is well done. It added an arty aspect to the film, although in the middle of the film they used the reverse image in a scene and that didn't fit in as well. The opening credits for the film were also well done with the water rippling and the pictures superimposed.
For the most part the script for the film was well done. The one part that I really didn't like about the script was how indestructable Robert DeNiro's character was. I don't think that prison could really have toughened him up enough to just come walking back after some of the things that happen to him in the film. I don't want to mention the things here so that I don't give away parts of the film for those of you who haven't seen CAPE FEAR. Juliette Lewis's character was especially well written, and well acted. I found that she did a very convincing job. Nick Nolte and Jessica Lange did a very spectacular job of the sometimes fighting husband and wife.
CAPE FEAR is based on a 1962 black-and-white drama also called CAPE FEAR by J. Lee Thompson. It starred Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, and Martin Balsam, all of whom have cameos in this film. I haven't seen the earlier version of CAPE FEAR so I can't comment on how closely related they are. Both versions are based on a novel by John D. MacDonald [titled THE EXECUTIONERS -Moderator].
Ken J. blj@mithrandir.cs.unh.edu
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