CONTROVERSIAL 1973 THRILLER WITH 93% ROTTEN TOMATOES SCORE BECOMES UNLIKELY STREAMING HIT
- Don't Look Now ranks eighth on a new streaming movie popularity chart.
- Donald Sutherland's passing has encouraged viewers to revisit the 1973 horror-thriller.
- Don't Look Now was controversial at the time of its release and in the decades afterward due to a particularly graphic sex scene.
Don't Look Now has become an unlikely streaming success. Directed by Nicolas Roeg, Don't Look Now was released in 1973 and tells the story of a married couple, still reeling from the death of their daughter, who encounter a clairvoyant woman carrying an ominous warning. The film, which stars Julie Christie and the late Donald Sutherland, earned positive reviews from critics and currently sports a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Now, Reelgood reveals that Don't Look Now ranks as the eighth most popular movie on streaming in the U.S. for the week of June 20 – 26. The streaming success of the 51-year-old movie, which is available on PlutoTV, follows Sutherland's death on June 20, 2024, at the age of 88. Don't Look Now manages to edge out movies like Brats and Under Paris, but falls behind titles like Godzilla Minus One and Dune: Part Two. Check out the full top 10 list below:
Don't Look Now's Controversy Explained
The Donald Sutherland Movie Features One Divisive Scene
Sutherland starred in a number of memorable movies over the course of his decades-long career, including his more recent turn as President Snow in the Hunger Games franchise, but Don't Look Now remains one of the actor's most iconic works. Despite releasing to positive reviews, however, the thriller wasn't without controversy. The controversy mostly surrounded the inclusion of a particularly graphic sex scene.
The scene in question, which features Sutherland and Christie, was enough to earn the film an X rating in the UK, though it snuck by with an R in North America. The sex scene is now appreciated for its unique editing style, which intercuts the graphic romance scenes with scenes of Sutherland and Christie's characters after the act, getting dressed as they prepare to go out for dinner. In the decades since the movie's release, rumors claimed that the scene featured unsimulated sex, but Sutherland himself and others close to the production have denied these claims.
The controversial sex scene in the film has arguably overshadowed what is otherwise a chilling and inventive horror-thriller. The Don't Look Now ending, for example, remains highly effective all these decades later. Controversy aside, Don't Look Now evidently remains a compelling film with strong performances, unique editing, and an intriguing mystery, and many viewers are revisiting the film following Sutherland's tragic passing.
Is Don't Look Now Donald Sutherland's Best Movie?
It's Difficult To Pick Just One
Considering Sutherland was a fixture of the movie and TV landscape for the better part of six decades, he's been involved in some true classics, many of which have stood the test of time. There's certainly an argument to be made that Don't Look Now is indeed the best movie he's appeared in, with his strongest lead performance. The film may not have been recognized at the Oscars, but it did secure seven BAFTA nominations, winning one. Awards performance aside, Don't Look Now stands out due to its themes and exploration of grief, as well as its shocking imagery.
The fact that naming just one movie as Sutherland's best is such a challenge only speaks to how many great movies he appeared in over the course of his long career.
That being said, there are certainly other movies that are in the conversation when it comes to Sutherland's best. 1970's M*A*S*H* movie, for example, which was directed by Robert Altman, also serves as a strong showcase of Sutherland's acting talent, this time in more of a black comedy. 1971's Klute is another contender, with the Alan J. Pakula movie featuring Sutherland as a detective searching for a missing person. Klute, as a mystery-thriller, sees Sutherland using his charisma to play a more traditional Hollywood leading man.
| Donald Sutherland Movie | Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Score | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|---|---|---|
| The Dirty Dozen (1967) | 82% | 90% |
| M*A*S*H* (1970) | 84% | 83% |
| Klute (1971) | 93% | 80% |
| Don't Look Now (1973) | 93% | 76% |
| Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) | 93% | 82% |
| Ordinary People (1980) | 89% | 88% |
Other picks will vary based on personal preference, but 1978's Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1980's Ordinary People, and 1967's The Dirty Dozen are all strong contenders as well. For younger audiences, an installment in the Hunger Games franchise could be a top Sutherland pick. The fact that naming just one movie as Sutherland's best is such a challenge only speaks to how many great movies he appeared in over the course of his long career.
Should Don't Look Now Be Remade?
Who Could Play Donald Sutherland's Role
Don't Look Now is more than 50 years old, but it still largely holds up today. There are evidently aspects of the film that do date it, such as its pacing and certain stylistic choices, but as a film light on effects and heavy on tension, it remains a thrilling watch. That being said, Don't Look Now is probably not a film that many younger audiences have seen or potentially even heard of, and this could make it a strong candidate for a remake.
If a Don't Look Now remake were to happen, there's already an obvious choice for Sutherland's replacement: his son, Kiefer. The younger Sutherland is, however, almost 60 years old, which perhaps means he's already aged out of the part. No Don't Look Now remake is currently in the works, and the new Reelgood chart suggests that the movie's age hasn't been enough to stop viewers from seeking it out on streaming.
Source: Reelgood
Don't Look Now