Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
He Died with His Eyes Open (1985)
Director: Jacques Deray
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
An adaptation of Robin Cook's thriller (written under the pseudonym Derek Raymond). A washed-up concert pianist is found dead beside a railway track, leaving back at his apartment the biggest heap of clues anyone could wish for: a pile of tape recordings in which he rambles on about his obsessive love for one Barbara. When the lady in question turns up (Rampling), she immediately confesses to the bemused cop on the case (Serrault). In true noir style, however, this is only the beginning; there is now poor, ugly Serrault's long haul to establish proof, his fatal attraction to the femme fatale, his bizarre identification with the dead man, and of course his sad choice between feelings and duty. Rampling is fine as the sloe-eyed temptress with the murderous level gaze and a certain taste for incest; and Serrault is rapidly establishing himself as the French Walter Matthau, a marvellous melancholic with perfect timing. It's the sort of thriller at which the French excel; lovely stuff. CPea.Author: CPea
Cast & crew
Director: Jacques Deray
Producer: Norbert Saada
Cast: Michel Serrault, Charlotte Rampling, Xavier Deluc, Elisabeth Depardieu, Jean Leuvrais, Jean-Paul Roussillon full cast
Genre(s): Film Noir
Duration: 106 mins
Most popular on this site

Top Stories
Mickey Rourke: a life in film
To celebrate the release of 'The Wrestler', Time Out takes a look at the highs, lows and many middles of the career of Mickey Rourke
'Milk': preview
Paul Burston, Time Out’s Gay editor, revisits milestones in gay cinema and new flick ‘Milk’, an ‘extraordinary, Oscar-worthy’ biopic of gay US politician Harvey Milk
The softer side of Sam Peckinpah
Ahead of a retrospective of his films at BFI Southbank, Time Out look at the softer side of Sam Peckinpah
Best films of 2008
Time Out’s film critics remember 2008’s silver screen highs, lows and welcome reissues
Sir David Hare: interview
Wally Hammond meets Sir David Hare to talk about his latest screen adaptation, which tackles Bernhard Schlink’s post-Holocaust romance ‘The Reader’
Spring film preview 2009
Take a peek at what the Time Out Film team are looking forward to in the new year with our spring film preview








What do you think?
Post your review now