Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Le Yeux Sans Visage (Eyes Without a Face)
1962
**½
Director: Georges Franju
Cast: Pierre Brasseur, Edith Scob, Alida Valli, Juliette Mayniel, François Guérin, Alexandre Rignault, Beatrice Altariba

With the help of his assistant, the solemn plastic surgeon Dr. Génessier kidnaps young women in order to transplant their face on his daughter Christiane who was disfigured in a car crash. This black and white French horror classic has clearly influenced many modern filmmakers, but it hasn't stood the test of time. The premise is creepy but the pacing is dead slow, the script is downright silly at times, and the film is never terribly scary. The soundtrack by Maurice Jarre is wonderfully weird, though. Based on Jean Redon's novel.