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The Night of The Hunter Review

   The Night of the Hunter is a classic for a reason. Kids my age should take note of what makes a classic classic, and why it has stood the test of time. This is unlike most of the films that come out today: Pointless and wallowing in their own mediocrity. Classic is something that others copy, others look to for guidance, one whose story and theme transcends the art form.  This is a film that has done all of the above (If you want to argue this, or debate it I should say, comment below).
  The story is about a boy John and his sister Pearl. The movie opens with their father hiding 10 grand he stole, and telling the kids that no matter what, they would never tell where he hid it.  The kids promise and the dad goes off to prison. There he meets the Reverend Harry Powell, who finds out he has this money.  This now becomes his sole purpose. Find and take the money at any cost. It's a wife, 2 kids and her family. Who can really stop him?
   The story is creepy, and one that you look at in today's society and go, "Whoa, this could really happen." That is what makes it scary.  That along with the performance of a lifetime given by Robert Mitchum as the Reverend Powell.
   This dude's performance is up there as one of the scariest and best villains in movie history, according to film buffs and The American Film Institute. I would agree.  Every time he is in frame, he is chilling.  Scenes that will stick out is when he explains the wording on his knuckles and what they mean, when he yells at the children and his anger erupts. But the most scary is when he knows the children are in the basement, and calls for them and finds them. The shadowy shot composition, the tone in his voice, the terror in the kid's eyes make a scene that is truly memorable. Rarely am I truly impressed by an actor's performance, but this gets a Masterclass salute from me.
  The direction and visuals are on par with great film-noir movies: Lots of shadows, the music, static camera movement, and the amount of suspense in each scene is fantastic. The funny thing however, is that this film is the only feature film Charles Laughton ever directed. Can you imagine making a movie like this in one try and done?  Oh what could have been.
  The other performances are great, especially from the children, but Mitchum steals the show and never gives it back.
  This is a must see for film buffs and lovers of the medium.  It showcases what makes a classic film classic, and shows how far we have fallen in the art of storytelling in film today.
 

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