The Other

I'm a thirtysomething who saw this movie as a kid, and it still ranks among the scariest movies that I've ever seen. I've not had luck locating it on video, but, if you find it, check it out. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. This is one scary movie that you're not likely to forget.

Many horror fans, and those who try to write such stories, understand that Stephen King has taken inspiration from the work of others. And there can be little doubt King was greatly influenced by Thomas Tryon's outstanding novels Harvest Home and The Other.

The TV movie version of The Other enjoyed good-ratings and critical acclaim when it was first broadcast on CBS in 1972. Although Stephen King was actively writing horror at the time, I suspect he took subtle cues from The Other. Among other things, little Danny Torrance's psychic manifestation of "the shining" is curiously similar to a phenomena called "playing the game" in Tryon's story.

Thomas Tryon wrote with an elegant style somewhat reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft's. His plots were engaging, his characters interesting and well developed, and his New England settings evoked the gloom and obscure anxiety traditionally associated with that region. So why has his work faded into near-obscurity while King's is heralded as the greatest in the history of horror?

Regrettably, Tryon, who was one of the most highly regarded young actors in Hollywood, started writing rather late in life and died while his creative powers were waning. He also chose to explore genres other than the Gothic (with generally good results.) There is also a more staid, pre-World War II air about his work that might not appeal King's core audience. Nevertheless, Tryon's Gothic efforts translated wonderfully onto the small screen, and he deserves a well-deserved place in the pantheon of American Gothic writers.

Thankfully, American Movie Classics has begun airing The Other again, and a new generation of fans now has the opportunity to enjoy this seminal work of cinematic horror.

What can I say? This is an excellent film! I caught the beginning of "The Other" a few months ago on AMC, and of course, it was coming on late on a Saturday night...I didn't get to finish it, but what I saw intrigued me enough to look for the film. As I began to search the web, I found that the movie was based on an out-of-print book by Thomas Tryon. I picked up the book first, and was mesmerized! I also bought a copy for my mother, a bona-fide horror guru. I began talking up the book amongst my friends, many of whom were surprised that I claimed to be a horror fan and had never seen the film!

The movie has a definite look and feel to it, and Mulligan is to be commended for it. From the opening credits, featuring the incomparable Jerry Goldsmith's score, to the opening scenes in the woods, you know that no good is going to come of this. I won't spoil the film for those (and there's no doubt many) that haven't seen it. If you enjoy a good, solid psychological horror story, you will not be disappointed. If you're looking for blood and gore, don't bother.

There's solid performances from the twins, and of course, from Uta Hagen. My one true complaint comes from the ending...it seemed a little rushed, and deviated from the book too much, in a production that otherwise had followed the book quite faithfully. Tryon did write the screenplay himself, based on his own book, so how much can one complain about it? I just feel that the film would've benefited from another ten minutes, ending exactly like the book, including the surprising (and wide-open for interpretation) last chapter.

I adore discovering a film or book that I've never heard of, and, once discovering it, find that the movie has a lot of fans. This is another such movie. It deserves to be on DVD in the worst kind of way. Fans of thrilling, psychological, suspenseful movies will be well served by "The Other." If you haven't seen it, or read it, you should.

Like a lot of people here, I grew up with this movie. I believe that CBS started showing it in prime time as early as 1973. In any advent, they showed it a lot through the 70's, and I think I saw it every time. A lot of it made a huge impression on me as a kid:"Holland" performing the magic trick for his elderly neighbor, the kid jumping in the barn on the pitchfork (and the next cut is his casket being taken away), the circus freak show..... Most of all, director Robert Mulligan and company make the most benign setting (rural 1930s America) a scary place.

I just watched this again on AMC last night, and it holds up pretty well. Most people should see the twist coming, and the feel is distinctly early 70's California (in geography and look). However, this is miles above all those Exorcist ripoffs and 80's slasher films. See it!

I remember very clearly that parts of the Thomas Tryon novel just about had me wetting myself, it was that scary, and I wondered if the movie version would do it justice. In many ways, it nearly surpasses the book...which is something that rarely ever happens. Some people don't care for the performances by Chris and Martin Udvarnoky as the twins, Niles and Holland, but the fact that they weren't typical "Hollywoodized" child stars enabled them to give more naturalistic performances, thereby making them more believable...and creepy.

And what can you say about one of theater's Grande Dames, Uta Hagen? I think this was the only film I've ever seen her in, and she's spectacular. Well before "bad kids" became a genre cliché, this one beats all the other like-minded thrillers by a mile, even THE OMEN. (Well, maybe not THE BAD SEED, though.)

And as the cherry-on-top, Jerry Goldsmith turned in one of his best scores on this one. And DP Robert Surtees' work is so beautiful in contrast to the sheer horror it has us bear witness to...

Director Mulligan deserved all the praise he got for THE OTHER, and more acclaim than he did get because of the fact that it was considered a "low-class horror movie." When you watch it, though, you may not think so by the chilling ending. See if this doesn't stay with you for weeks afterward, the way it did for me...