YouHeart I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Leofwine_draca A good cast and a clever storyline help to make this supernatural spooker a bit better than your average kind of fare. Short on actual supernatural content (a few weird dream sequences are all we get) and long on conversations, this is unfortunately let down by an overly wordy script which makes the film quite hard to watch, as it goes on so long as well.On the plus side, it is a seventies film, which means there are a number of weird psychedelic visuals and some awful and absurd fashions to enjoy. There are a few chills too from the ROSEMARY'S BABY-style plot which shows just how powerful Satanism can be. The acting is all of a high standard, from Jacqueline Bisset as the tough heroine who won't be killed, to the scene-stealing Curt Jurgens as the rich but sinister pianist. However it's Alan Alda who carries the film as the mild-mannered everyday kind of man who gets a soul transformation, he may not be totally believable but he's fun to watch. Barbara Parkins is also good and unlikeable as the fiery Satanist while '70s fave Bradford Dillman is an unfortunate victim of the Satanic cult.While THE MEPHISTO WALTZ has a few scattered good moments (the dog with the human mask, the weird dreams, the twist ending) it never reaches the scale of becoming a full-fledged classic, which is unfortunate. If you're a fan of psychological horror though, then this one might just be for you.

J Pierre This 1971 movie is pretty difficult to define, and thus, difficult to judge. Very quickly, the storyline: a famous pianist (Duncan Ely, played by Curd Jürgens) is about to die. In order to avoid his death, he decides to practice an occult ritual, allowing his spirit to be kept intact in another man's body (played by Alan Alda). Is there another way to say it? This movie is just really well made. Not afraid to combine the codes of many different genres (horror, thriller, mystery...), the director Paul Wendkos managed to build up an amazing atmosphere, beautiful and macabre at the same time.This is why the cinematography, being indubitably the strenght of this film, keeps the viewer captivated. Every shot could be a painting I'd like to see in my house. The nightmares, the fake relationships between characters, the depraved parties organized by Duncan Ely, everything leaves the viewer unsure of the reality of what he sees.But even with such a mysterious atmosphere, the suspense and the rhythm of the storyline get a bit dull at times. And, although most of the actors give a great performance (especially Curd Jürgens), some characters tend to have odd reactions to some dramatic events. But then again, it might have been deliberately chosen by the director...A strange movie, but a must-see for the fans of films like "Don't Look Now" (1973) or Lucio Fulci's "The Psychic" (1977).

loomis78-815-989034 Music journalist Myles Clarkson (Alda) goes to interview the dying master of the piano Duncan Ely (Jurgens). Ely is impressed with Myles and notices he has the hands of a pianist. Myles becomes good friends with both Ely and his pretty daughter Roxanne (Parkins). All of this is making Myles wife Paula (Bissett) very suspicious of Myles' new odd friends. Once Ely passes, Paula begins to see a change in Myles personality. Suddenly, Myles is able to play as well as Ely could and eventually takes up his concert duties. There is an obvious attraction between Myles and Roxanne. Paula does some investigation and discovers that Ely and Roxanne made a deal with the devil so Ely could live on, as Duncan Ely's soul has invaded Myles body. Desperate to get her husband back, Paula turns to darkness and makes her own deal with the devil. Thoroughly strange film from Director Paul Wendkos weaves a slow, but hypnotic spell. Told from the perspective of Paula the wife (A stunning looking Bissett), the audience is forced to look through her eyes into this bizarre world of devil worship. Wendkos does a good job of keeping the audience off balance with dogs wearing masks, crazy parties, and bizarre dreams, and shooting this all with extremely wide angle photography which captures the feeling of dread. Jerry Goldsmith offers up an effective and moody score which predates his Oscar winning score for "The Omen" which you can certainly hear in flashes here. The film has a leisurely pace which may turn off some viewers, and the horror is more weird and strange than shocking or gruesome. There are some decent payoffs for patient viewers and enough creativity to come recommended.

ctomvelu1 Tame occult mystery about soul transference. Shot much like a TV movie, which should come as no surprise when you know that Quinn Martin produced it. Jackie Bisset, a woman of incredible beauty but no discernible acting talent, is married to failed pianist-turned-music journalist Alan Alda. Alda goes to interview keyboard master Curt Jurgens, who is dying of leukemia. Unknown to Alda, Jurgens also is a satanist on the lookout for a new, younger body -=- someone who can also play the piano. Ice queen Barbara Parkins plays Jurgens' daughter, who also is a satanist. The movie could have used some violence (beyond one scene of a dog attacking Bisset) and nudity to spice it up for the guys in the audience. I would call this a chick flick that happens to involve the occult.