Thanks to LOVEFiLM, I'm only just getting around to watching some classic movies on DVD and Blu-Ray. The most recent that I watched was Marathon Man, which is infamous for it's torture sequence and Laurence Olivier's infamous "Is it safe?" line. The more cynical in me would have assumed that it was about a dyslexic man who eats a chocolate bar full of peanuts and ends up looking for his local Nazi dentist. Marathon Man is none of these things, of course, and is actually a pretty creepy thriller involving diamonds, Nazi war criminals, the McCarthy hearings, rogue US enforcement agencies, and lots of blood.
The cinematography still stands up to the test of time, as does the sound. The screenplay, direction and acting is flawless. It was good to see Laurence Olivier in this kind of role, and Dustin Hoffman made an effective victim, caught up in all manner of political and criminal proceedings.
Is it safe? The break-in at Babe's apartment and the torture sequence (not at all gory, but what's implied and takes place is far more effective than filling the screen with blood) will not make you feel safe at all.
Let's just hope they never come up with a sequel: Snickers Woman.
