source: The Attic

The Attic

In THE ATTIC, lonely librarian Louise Elmore (Carrie Snodgress) must care for her disabled, and extremely cantankerous father (Ray Milland). Louise has been depressed ever since her fiance disappeared 19 years earlier. Since then, she's become increasingly desperate and delusional. Alas, things only get worse for Louise. In fact, she's about to uncover secrets that will unravel her fragile mind completely! Both Snodgress and Milland are quite convincing in their adversarial roles. While slow in spots, the story rights itself in the end with a dark, macabre finale...

Slow, odd film that drags and plods (I mean really PLODS) along to its disappointing climax. You may expect some sort of punchline at the end, but there is none. Both Milland and Snodgress give awkward performances; in fact, the film's weirdness may actually be the only thing it has going for it. The generally atmospheric score has some absurd parts (like the music that plays during the first appearance of a monkey), and there is a truly awful fantasy scene involving....a gorilla. (**)

Carrie Snodgress plays Louise, a repressed spinster caring for her elderly jerk of a father, played by Ray Milland. Her fiance disappeared nearly 20 years ago and she's never been the same since and doesn't have a chance of ever being normal thanks for her wicked father who doesn't want her to get better. When she befriends another woman at work, she starts taking chances and makes plan to improve her life, but will she ever be able to get herself together and make something of herself. The Attic is less horror and more character study which will certainly turn off anyone expecting a thrill-a-minute gore fest, but if you give the film a chance, you might enjoy it. Snodgress and Milland are especially wonderful in their roles and it's definitely not a movie that you'll be forgetting anytime soon.

THE ATTIC starts off well. The somewhat dreary story is helped greatly by the two main actors and there's a semblance of a character study going on here but the film goes downhill fast when Carrie Snodgress' character buys a monkey. Not one of those cute little monkeys. She buys a real big chimpanzee!!! This sudden plot device basically kills the movie. It's just not conceivable for a woman like the one Snodgress plays, who has a hard time doing anything because of her domineering father, for her to, out of the blue, buy a chimpanzee. I mean, come on! Forget about it!

Was sad to hear that Carrie Snodgress passed away. While waiting for a liver transplant. Wonder if she had a drinking problem like Louise. Anyways, that sucks. I loved her in "The Attic." I was kinda hoping for a remake of The Attic. Alot of people did not like this movie, but I thought it was great. Ray Milland and Carrie were great. Gotta love Dickey! But it is what it is... rest in peace Carrie!

This film I found to be very dark and disturbing and yes at times, rather nasty, although the nastiness is implied, not really on screen (no gore but the thought of a middle aged woman masturbating really plays with you). This movie was dark for all the right reasons and really is a good story if you don't mind being left chilled. This movie really isn't a horror film but it really shouldn't be watched right before going to sleep or if YOU yourself is rather depressed. It will play with you. But, it was a good thought provoking and disturbing movie. I am wondering if this film was a made for television film or perhaps just made to look dark and grainy for the right reasons. Excellent film making.

This psychosocial drama mixes tragedy, thriller and a small amount of horror elements extremely successfully. Even tragic-comic moments are sprinkled into the soup like the right pinch of salt. The main actress is really talented and plays her role as a tragic figure in life extremely intensely. The other actors, although not bad, appear much paler on the other hand. The pacing is designed in a special way, the finale is a terrible tragedy that is beautifully told. The soundtrack is brilliantly chosen. Sometimes the low budget is good for the film, sometimes it lacks a bit of visual intensity.

Carrie Snodgress stars as a repressed spinster librarian (are there any other kind?) who lives with her emotionally abusive father (a vicious Ray Milland). She longs to get away from her father, her small town, and fall in love again after her boyfriend disappeared decades ago. The Attic loves its characters. That much seems obvious. It has so much compassion for these societal outcasts that it hurts. We long for Snodgress to get her life together and find happiness. Though advertised as a straight horror film, The Attic is much more of a dark drama with a few tinges of Williams, Albee, and O'Neill. It's really a shame that it's never found a strong audience due to its mismarketing, but hopefully, one day this film will get the appreciation it so richly deserves.