Details
Movie Description
Based on the novel by Marc Behm, Australian writer-director Stephan Elliott's (THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT) voyeuristic thriller stars Ewan McGregor as a high-tech surveillance detective for the British Consulate. Codenamed "Eye," Wilson is investigating the involvement of his boss' son with a beautiful, mysterious woman (Ashley Judd), and becomes a horrified witness when she brutally murders him.
Trailing her as she flees Washington, the Eye watches fascinated as she switches identities, seduces and kills again. The Eye, too, has some personal demons to contend with. He is haunted (literally) by the image of his daughter, who was taken away by his wife. Consumed by guilt, the Eye vows not to also lose the "extraordinary" femme fatale, ignoring repeated attempts by his Moneypenny-esque assistant, Hilary (k.d. lang), to pull him off the case. Tracking his quarry cross-country, the Eye learns that her name is Joanna, and she has some serious father issues. Collecting snow globes from each locale (watch for Elliott's neat camera trick with the globes), the Eye gradually becomes more obsessed. When Joanna finally has a chance at happiness with a blind millionaire (Patrick Bergin), will the Eye be able to let go?
Synopsis
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER is based on the acclaimed 1980 novel by Marc Behm, concerning a British intelligence agent, The Eye (Ewan McGregor), who is assigned to follow the trail of Joanna Eris (Ashley Judd), a mysterious woman who is accused of blackmailing a government official's son. The Eye becomes obsessed with Joanna, following her even when he discovers that she is a psychopathic killer. As the two head toward an unavoidable confrontation, The Eye begins to see Joanna as a misunderstood and troubled individual whose actions can, and should, be excused and forgiven.
Film Notes
Lizzy Gardiner, the costume designer on EYE and friend of Stephan Elliott, documented the difficulties in the making of the feature in her short film KILLING PRISCILLA (2000), which aired on Australian and Canadian television.
Ashley Judd's (Joanna) mother and sister are country singers Naomi and Wynonna Judd.
Ewan McGregor (the Eye) played Obi-Wan Kenobi in George Lucas' mythic STAR WARS: EPISODE I- THE PHANTOM MENACE, and is slated to reprise his role in EPISODE II.
Industry Reviews
"...Visually audacious....Looks and feels like nothing else..." -- 3 out of 5 stars
Premiere - p.98 - Christopher Kelly (07/01/2000)
"...Judd is a firecracker of an actress..."
Rolling Stone - p.63 - Peter Travers (02/17/2000)
"...Richly detailed....[McGregor and Judd give] attentive, focused performances..."
Sight and Sound - p.42-3 - Ken Hollings (07/01/2000)
"...Effulgent style and dazzling technique, EYE OF THE BEHOLDER is first and foremost an actor's piece, a highly internalized drama that extracts the very best from both Judd and McGregor..."
Box Office - p.84 - Wade Major (07/01/1999)
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