The Flying Dutchman

The Flying Dutchman otherwise known as Frozen in fear is a not so thrilling thriller starring Eric Roberts and Rod Steiger.

It tells the story of a mysterious mute painter and his tragic past. Well, I say that but the story is so muddled I'm not sure if it can really be considered as such.

It takes a really special breed of film to a get a 1/10 from me. Such a rating suggests that a film has literally not one single redeeming feature and with this movie that's very accurate.

Dull, outstandingly boring and with a plot that is so cliched and so messy when the credits rolled I reached for the aspirin.

Not "Thrilling" enough to be a thriller, not dramatic enough to be a drama and where the hell they got horror from I cannot figure.

Avoid like watching it will give you herpes.

The Good:

Nothing

The Bad:

Everything

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

All bottles of Absinthe should have a skull on them!

Wow, where to begin... this movie is extraordinarily boring.

The plot is uninspired, nonsensical and never resolves itself in any plausible manner. Add to that a small, inter-related (or perhaps incestuous) cast of characters, a sound mix that underplays dialog; yet overplays the numerous "jump scares;" and, simplistic, cliché settings; and you get FROZEN IN FEAR or THE FLYING DUTCHMAN.

I bought this DVD at Wal*mart as part of a 6-movie pack, for $5.00. If this movie is any indication, I way over-paid.

I wish I could say more; but, I don't want to run the risk of spoiling this movie for you.

This movie at best is ok. This is a different role for my favorite actor Eric Roberts(Sean). It takes place in a little town in Montana. It's a screenplay gone bad. I love some of the stuff that is in the movie but this movie is boring. I love Eric in it but it's not a real good movie. It's about a painter that has a dark past. It has a great cast but not a good plot! Just rent some other Eric Robert movie. It's kind of a thriller with a twisted plot. Just rent it! It also stars Catherine Oxenberg and Rod Steiger. Out of 4 stars I give it 1 1/2 stars. I love ya Eric but PLEASE try again. I do like him in every movie part he has been in. He is a strong presents on screen! Also by the way the real title of this movie is "Frozen in Fear" It's on DVD on VHS Sep. 11 2001. So if you are a Eric Roberts fan it's a must buy for me at least. I have all his films on DVD. He is really that good!

A few years after release but.

The vision behind this was maybe a bit before it's time.

It's always strange when old themes become current.

While predictable, there is a vision and complexity that can be compared to wine.

The Montana scenery and organic local talent - such as Renata Godfrey's performance - make this a film that should have legs with several audiences.

Worse films have become cult favorites based on lesser impressions.

Try to imagine what Rod Steiger and Cat Oxenburg saw in the script. Sure things could have been done different, but sit down and imagine.

Then remember it's just entertainment.

DVDs can be purchased for stupid reasons. Here's one: I saw a documentary about famous producer Robert Evans. In the internet I read that the man was married for eleven days to a woman called Katherine Oxenberg – an intriguing name for people who live in the German speaking world, makes me think instantly of a delicious soup. I did not know the woman (honestly) and thought: hm, let's have a look at her. So, again through the internet, I ordered the none too expensive disc. And now I know her, sort of.

I did not have the patience to watch this movie through to the end, the uninspired, predictable script and the none too good direction are to blame. The locations in Montana are dramatically beautiful, the actors do an OK job and the art on display – an important point in the plot – is kinda interesting. The basic idea for the story combined with the isolated location actually had some potential. It was used badly.

But the most irritating thing about The Flying Dutchman was Mrs. Oxenberg's nose. It just never seemed to settle comfortably in her face and I quickly developed an unhealthy fixation on that apparently man made body part, ever wondering what it would do next. Oh, what a tragedy! It probably looks great on fotos for glamour magazines, but as soon as the carrier is seen moving, it develops a strange, inexplicable and not entirely welcome presence. How bizarre. How sad.