Mute Witness by Dave
Writer: Anthony Waller
Director: Anthony Waller
Starring: Marina Zudina, Fay Ripley, Evan Richards, and well, I don't want to ruin it.
Length: 95 min.
Released: 1994
Vodka, Rasputin, Stroganoff, and narrowly averted nuclear holocaust. What do all of these things have in common? Russia of course, the last untamed frontier of western civilization...at least in my mind.
I've always been a little obsessed with Russia. Not sure why, maybe it's the whole cold war thing, maybe it's the "Bizzaro" culture, a seemingly twisted reflection of our own, or maybe it's the little bit of Russian in my blood. Perhaps I'll never know. But alongside the unexplained fascination I have with the place and the people, there resides an equally inexplicable feeling of uneasiness. Not fear mind you, just a strange sense that the keys of doom still reside there. But damn if I wouldn't love to go to there someday! Not to eat Stroganoff, or hook up with sleazy Russian babes, or have my picture taken in Red Square (although I would). No, I'd step off the beaten path and take my chances in some of the darker corners. Maybe polish off a few bottles of Russia's finest Potato Vodka with a "former" KGB agent, engage in some spirited hand to hand combat with a Spetsnaz Operative, or hit the steam baths with some Russian mobsters, Viggo-style. Who knows? Unfortunately I swore off flying after 911, so I suppose I'll have to stick to books and movies for now.
And that brings us to Mute Witness, which comes in at number four on my top ten list of Russian themed movies of all time, just behind Doctor Zhivago, Stalingrad, and Citizen X. It's a tough movie to review without spoilers, but I'll do my best.
Mute Witness is about a girl named Billy who is every man's fantasy - a good looking girl that can't talk. Just kidding ladies. But seriously it's about a girl that can't talk, witnesses a murder and is thankful she can't talk or scream, because it... wait that would be a spoiler. Unfortunately for her, she's still a girl in a horror movie, and is therefore clumsy and unable to avoid knocking shit over and falling down - you know the drill. But while her clumsiness leads to terror for her, it leads to about 75 minutes of good film for you, the viewer at home.
While Mute Witness is very "Hitchcockian", it seems to have taken it's roots from several classic movies as well including Wait Until Dark, Rear Window, and Three Days of the Condor to name a few. Yet it does so without feeling derivative. Additionally in doing so, it feels older than it really is, but not in a bad way - quite the contrary, it feels like a classic. It is well paced, filled with plot twists, and is about as tense a movie as you're going to find. And although the subject matter is intense, which could easily have led to a very dark and dismal movie, it's creators managed to strike a nice balance of light and dark, which keeps it from becoming too bleak.
For the record, I detest humor in movies of this type. So I feel compelled to point out that there is a fair amount of humor to be found here. And although there are moments I could have done without, it works for the most part and doesn't pose a real threat to the overall tone of the movie. I'm pretty well convinced after repeated viewing's that without it, this would have been a movie that many people wouldn't want to watch.
Mute Witness is a surprisingly well made and, in my opinion, underrated movie. Most of my horror-loving friends have never even heard of it. I'm sure it's lack of success is due to the subject matter and for the same reason, you may not want to watch it with your Grandmother or your girlfriend, unless she's a blowup doll - your girlfriend that is. But if you're a fan of horror or thrillers, or both, Mute Witness is worth adding to your collection. Unfortunately there's no Blu-ray yet, but I am working on it. I sent an email to Sony, so I'm sure they have their top men on it right now.
Who?
Top... men.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, there is a "Surprise Guest Star" in the movie who trumps every other "Surprise Guest Star" I can think of, including all of the ones on The Love Boat. It's a real "fanboy" pleaser. Do yourself a favor and don't look it up on IMDB. They have the guest star listed, I know they have to, but it kills it. Anyhoo, get yourself a copy of Mute Witness and enjoy.
4 out of 5.