The Collector [DVD]

Although the kidnap/hostage situation in William Wyler's psychological thriller "The Collector" (1966) has some superficial similarities to "Silence of the Lambs", it offers a much more complex and subtle dynamic. The two main characters find themselves both in a classic "can't win" situation. Freddie (Terence Stamp) desperately hopes that Miranda (Samantha Egger) will fall in love with him but his love for her is so unrealistic that any deviation from his preconceived notions of their ideal relationship frustrates him. Miranda is trapped figuratively as much as literally; any resistance makes Freddie angry and yet he detects insincerity when she tries to conform to his wishes.So while the screenplay omits the best elements of John Fowles' bestseller it does generate a fair amount of chess match type tension from its doomed dynamic.That the film falls short of cinema greatness is mostly because Wyler is unable to establish an effective point of view. Freddie bookends the story with some voice-over narration but everything between is told from a sterile neutral perspective that makes character identification impossible.Freddie is a childlike young man who has developed an obsession with unsuspecting art student Miranda. He has been observing her from afar for some time, then one day he puts his plan into action and abducts her with his van and imprisons her in the basement room of an isolated estate he has just purchased. Freddie knows that he would normally stand no chance with a privileged and beautiful girl like Miranda (there is a social class subtext to the film). He hopes that when she gets to know him through forced contact that she will fall in love with the person he is beneath the surface. This is not a "Stockholm Syndrome" dependency type of thing but rather Freddie's belief that the only obstacle to their love is getting past the superficial obstacles to them relating to each other in a normal situation.There is also an implication that he wants her more for display purposes than for companionship and this is given considerable compare and contrast treatment with his hobby of butterfly collecting.Freddie is too likable and Stamp has some trouble selling the occasional violent mood swings; whatever his psychosis it is given a very shallow and uneven treatment. Michael Powell's "Peeping Tom" featured a much more disturbed villain and neatly connected the viewer to his POV. And Egger is too sterile for the film to generate much erotic interest even with its frequent bondage scenes. Not being able to strongly identify with either character limits the amount of suspense and the lamely tacked on twist at the very end is out of character and breaks the film's unity.Wyler's excellent acting for the camera direction generates solid performances from Stamp and Egger, and makes for an above average film well worth your viewing time. The Columbia DVD features a good print color-wise but not the cinema original-rather it appears to be a 4:3 version that was cropped vertically to appear as widescreen. The the original trailer is included in the DVD package but there is neither a commentary nor a background feature.

It was a fantastic movie from 1965, and although most of the movie involved the interaction between only two people, a psychopathic Freddie Clegg and his captive, beautiful art student, Miranda Grey, it was exciting as each part of the movie unfolded. The movie begins with Clegg, having won $200,000 finding an old Tudor House with a large root cellar which he turns into something similar to a dungeon. Clegg follows Miranda, who is now his prey, as she walks home and then he kidnaps her. A superb performance by Samantha Eggar as Miranda was both dynamic and compelling as she tries to understand and counter Clegg's psychopathic behavior as his prisoner. Terrence Stamp also gives an excellent performance as jailer Freddie Clegg as he disguises Clegg's true madness until key parts of the movie, however it is Samantha Eggar's superb performance that makes Miranda come alive and grab your heart and cause you care for Miranda's wellbeing. You want to help Miranda, but then you realize that she is alone with a madman and that you are only an observer and there is nothing you can do to help her. The key scene in the movie is where Clegg starts an argument with Miranda on the book "Catcher in the Rye" which is Miranda's favorite book and he calls the book pointless. Miranda defends the book only to find Clegg show excruciating anger as he realizes that Miranda has not fallen in love with him and today is the day that he has promised to free her. You cry for Miranda as Clegg storms out of the cellar, locking door behind him as a crying Miranda lays at the bottom of the door saying "O let me be free". Your expectations of Miranda's wellbeing is now changing and you are not sure if she going to come out this ordeal alive. The movie is full of these sort of twists as you watch Clegg descend into greater madness and become more of a threat to Miranda's survival. There have been suggestions that the "The Collector" should be remade, but that is nonsense. William Wyler 1965 version is so superb that a remake would be nothing but disappointing as it is the definitive version of "The Collector" and likewise Samantha Eggar is the definitive Miranda Grey and Terence Stamp is the definitive Freddie Clegg. Toward the very end of the movie, Samantha Eggar's sensitive performance grabs you by the heart again, as a very ill Miranda try's to convince Clegg take her to a hospital for medical treatment. Miranda says to Clegg, "that she doesn't want to die because there is a painting that she wants to do" and then she describes the painting. At that point in her performance, tears begin to flow in Samantha Eggar's eyes. As I watched the scene unfold, tears also formed in my eyes, as I considered Miranda's situation. It is also in color which utilizes Samantha Eggar's beautiful face, exquisite auburn hair, and wonderful creamy complexion.I recommend that you purchase "The Collector" DVD for your DVD collection as it such a gem of a suspense movie. I have purchased several copies just in case they stop producing this wonderful 1965 version of "The Collector" as it is movie that you will never forget, once you have seen it.

Legendary director, William Wyler, (Roman Holiday, Jezebel and The Heiress) directs this psychological thriller starring the iconic Terence Stamp and Sixties siren Samantha Eggar.Terence Stamp portrays shy working class bank clerk and psychopath Freddie Clegg obsessed with beautiful middle class doctor's daughter Miranda. He kidnaps her and holds her hostage.The Collector is an interesting film that offers an insight into the world of the psychopath as seen through Freddie Clegg and the danger of obsession as his relationship with Miranda develops.Based on the novel by John Fowles, The Collector looks at the obsession with class in British society with Freddie representing the working class spectrum of society and Miranda a symbol of middle class privilege and entitlement a world that Freddie can never belong to and truly enter.After all these years The Collector stands the test of time as a cinema classic and iconic film of the Sixties. Terence Stamp is brilliant as the troubled psychopath Freddie Clegg for which he won the 1965 Best Actor award at the Cannes film festival. Samantha Eggar is superb as the object of Freddie's desire the beautiful and privileged Miranda for which she won the 1965 Best Actress award at Cannes.I highly recommend The Collector especially if you wish to see an interesting film that highlights Terence Stamp's impressive body of work as an actor.

One Of The Rare Movies That lives Up To The Classic Novel It Was Based On. John Fowles Novel The Collector filmed as a Movie in 1965 stars The relativly Then Newcomers Terence Stamp and Samantha Eggar. for me its a movie i have seen many Times i really must Have worn out my old VHS copy of The Film over The Decades oddly enough when DVD's first came into play and i Gave up my old VHS movies i Never really added The Collector To my DVD collection it was just one of Those movies That always stayed fresh in my mind. A very intelligent movie yet with a so simple plot we have all add our first crush perhaps on The Girl who lives on The Next street but really To shy To perhaps go up and Talk To her about it Fowle's Novel and The Movie Takes This senario a step further with one mans obssesion leading Him To kidnap The Girl of His dreams. Excellent Terence Stamp is The shy lonely man winning a vast amount on The football pools but His only real interest lies in The Girl He has always admired from afar relativley Then unknown Samantha Eggar innoncently falls prey into The clutches of Stamps secret Desires. if you have never seen The Collector Don't expect To see a cast of Thousands with The odd character exceptions The whole movie is played out between kidnapper and victim. The movie olso had an unusual choice of Director William Wyler a Director mostly associated with westerns like The classic The Big Country. Director Wyler Delivers an absorbing Tale of cat and mouse each Trying To outwit each other between The Two leads as Eggar finally submitting To Stamp's needs all part of her plot To escape His clutches. Again if you have Never seen The Collector i am Not going To Give To much away To you particuarly The Ending This is one of Those movies you really need To see and judge it for yourselves. Newly released on The Blu-ray format The Collector Delivers a very Good print for a movie of it;s age even my old VHS copy Delivered bright brilliant colours and The Blu-ray is No expection The movies Theactrical Trailer is all in The way of extras of course an interview with Stamp and Eggar would have really made it for me. listen out for a beautiful music score by composer Maurice Jarre as you get caught up with The Two leads and its plot particuarly with Samantha Eggar as The Helpless kidnapped victim. Take Note However its a region locked Disc you will need multi region players To view it one for your collection of classic movies Though.

Couldn't play this dvd on my player, unbeknown to me this dvd can only be played in the country of origin.informed the company who said just send it back to America!!!!!no returns label sent.very dissatisfied won't be buying anything again from this company.they should have known it wouldn't be suitable to send this to the UK.not impressed.👎

I saw this rather disturbing movie years ago and always remembered it - it made quite an impression . I'm pleased to say it hasn't dated one bit . Rather Hitchcock in places , its edge of seat stuff .Terence Stamp is brilliant and Samantha Eggar works well .

William wyler is one of the best directors of all time and this is one of his latest movies and must have been a challenge for him because it was very difficult to adapt but the result it's brilliant and launched Samantha eggar career