Fans can argue
about which project represents Steven Spielberg’s first feature-length
directorial endeavor, since he made a lengthy amateur film in 1964 and helmed a
pair of 90-minute TV episodes, including the first regular installment of Columbo, in 1971. Yet the excellent
made-for-TV thriller Duel is
generally considered his proper cinematic debut because it’s a stand-alone
project distinguished by Spielberg’s trademark visual imagination. Three years
later, Spielberg graduated to theatrical features with The Sugarland Express (1974), and then came Jaws (1975). Nestled within Spielberg’s filmography, however, are
two mostly forgotten telefilms. They represent his sole output for the years
between Duel and The Sugarland Express, steps along his path from promising newcomer
to certified wunderkind.
The first of these pictures, Something Evil, is unimpressive. A story about demonic possession
with a suspicious resemblance to The
Exorcist, William Peter Blatty’s hit 1971 novel, the picture stars Sandy
Dennis and Darren McGavin as a New York City couple who impulsively move to a
house in the country. Written without much subtlety or verve by Robert Clouse (who
later found success as a director of action films), Something Evil hits nearly every cliché imaginable. The kooky
neighbor warning about evil spirits as he performs weird rituals. The strange
noises emanating from various places late at night. The inexplicable changes in
people’s behavior. The equally inexplicable denial by rational people that something
strange is happening. So while the setup is simple enough and the climax has a
small supernatural kick, most of Something
Evil is boring—not a word one generally associates with Spielberg.
Dennis
isn’t especially interesting to watch, McGavin gets shoved offscreen for long
stretches, and juvenile actor Johnny Whitaker (previously of the TV series Family Affair) is a generic Hollywood
kid. There’s also not enough screen time for enjoyable supporting players Ralph
Bellamy and Jeff Corey. Thus the only real novelty stems from searching for
hints of Spielberg’s prodigious talent. A few scenes in Something Evil are shot well, with dramatic angles and moody
lighting, but the whole thing feels so enervated and rushed that it’s hard to
believe the same man made magic of out Duel
the previous year. Maybe he was tired after rigging all those cool shots of tires
and highways.
Something Evil: FUNKY
Spielber's best pre-Jaws directing was of "LA 2017", an amazingly good episode of the TV series The Name of the Game. It aired in 1971 and runs 74 minutes without commercials. It's well worth reviewing.
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