20th Century Fox
Not part of a collection.
The Mephisto Waltz
...The Sound of Terror
A frustrated pianist himself, music journalist Myles Clarkson is thrilled to interview virtuoso Duncan Ely. 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, becomes suspicious of Duncan's intentions. Her suspicions grow when Duncan dies and Myles mysteriously becomes a virtuoso overnight.
- Original title
- The Mephisto Waltz
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- —
- Revenue
- —
Wuchak
Apr 28, 2022 · via TMDB
_**Alan Alda as a concert pianist with a satanic anointing**_ A music journalist in the Los Angeles area (Alda) meets an aging piano virtuoso (Curt Jurgens), not to mention his beautiful daughter (Barbara Parkins), and automatically becomes like family, but his wife isn't 'hip' with the curious situation (Jacqueline Bisset). "The Mephisto Waltz" (1971) is like "Rosemary's Baby" (1968) with slight nuances and switching the setting from an old New York City apartment building to sunny SoCal. It's on par and arguably better in some ways, especially the less one-dimensional setting, but the comic book approach to the black arts detracts. I can't help but think of Marvel's Ghost Rider, which would debut sixteen months later. Nevertheless, the ending works once you put the pieces of the puzzle together, which elicits a 'wow' reaction if you can get it (the movie makes it ambiguous). The drama is compelling and there's enough to entertain, like the wild New Year's Eve party, reminiscent of "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" (1970) but without the camp. It would influence future flicks like "Summer of Fear" (1978), "Midnight Offerings" (1981) and one that I can't name (so as not to spoil). Bisset is very youthful here, 26 years-old during shooting, while the mesmerizing Parkins was 28. Meanwhile Pamelyn Ferdin as Abby was the go-to girl in the late 60s-mid 70s for TV shows and movies. For instance, you might remember her from "The Beguiled" (1971) and, earlier, the Star Trek episode "And the Children Shall Lead." The film runs 1 hour, 55 minutes, and was shot in Century City, Los Angeles, with some scenes done on the nearby Pacific coast. GRADE: B
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Alan Alda
Myles Clarkson
Jacqueline Bisset
Paula Clarkson
Barbara Parkins
Roxanne Delancey
Bradford Dillman
Bill Delancey
William Windom
Dr. Roger West
Curd Jürgens
Duncan Mowbray
Pamelyn Ferdin
Abby Clarkson
Curt Lowens
—
Gregory Morton
Conductor
Janee Michelle
Agency Chief's Girlfriend
Lilyan Chauvin
Woman Writer
Khigh Dhiegh
Zanc Theun
Alberto Morin
Bennett
Berry Kroeger
Raymont
Antoinette Bower
Member of Ely's Group (uncredited)
Walter Brooke
Party Guest (uncredited)
Marta Kristen
Party Guest (uncredited)
Frank Campanella
Detective (uncredited)
Cosmo Sardo
Party Guest (uncredited)
Harry Carter
Pallbearer (uncredited)
Daniel C. Striepeke
Makeup Supervisor
Charlie Picerni
Stunts
Paul Wendkos
Director
Jerry Goldsmith
Original Music Composer
Ben Maddow
Writer
Rosemary's Baby
Halloween
Evil Dead II
Dawn of the Dead
Saw
The Omen
The Evil Dead
28 Days Later
Constantine
Angel Heart
Scanners
Welcome to the Occult Forest: The Movie
Silent Hill
The Skeleton Key
Saw II
The Ninth Gate
The Gift
Saw III
Next Door
Wrong Turn
Single White Female
One Missed Call
Saw IV
Vampire
Ghost Ship
The First Purge
The Dentist
Obscene Desire
Pig
Black Christmas
Housesitters
Butcher the Bakers
Ring of Darkness
Blood Cousins
I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer
Gothkill
Sinners
The Omen
Angel Heart
The Phantom of the Opera
House on Haunted Hill
The First Omen
Signs
Anything for Jackson
The Black Cat
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
Paranoiac
The Night Walker
Time Lapse
The Ninth Gate
The Devil Rides Out
The Cellar
Burnt Offerings
The City of the Dead
Cobweb
Van Helsing
The Invitation
Race with the Devil
The House That Dripped Blood
Saint Catherine
The Vampire Lovers
The Exorcist III
Stigmata
Trap
The Amazing Mr. X
House of 1000 Corpses
Apartment 7A
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undertone
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The Deliverance
The Asphyx
Dracula's Daughter
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Pyewacket
The Nun
Poker Night
Nocturne
The Unhealer
Rasputin: The Mad Monk
Apr 9, 1971
