Looker (Michael Crichton, 1981)
Sandwiched in between what are arguably two of Michael Crichton's most famous creations (Westworld and Jurassic Park), his 1981 tech-thriller Looker never got much love. Personally, the world is sleeping on this underrated gem, as it carries a poignant message that is still relevant today. The concept of a sinister omipresent corporation hypnotising the masses to sell products, and get them voting cherry-picked politcal candidates, appeals to me greatly. It carries over that prevalent seventies paranoia, as exemplified by the likes of The Parallax View (1974) and The Conversation (1974), with a Californian aesthetic.
Hard to relate with a West Coast plastic surgeon as your everyman, but Albert Finney's Dr. Larry Roberts, is a rather likable protagonist, and serves us well as the avatar in the conspiracy plot rabbit hole. Susan Dey works really well with Finney, and brings a degree of depth with what could have been just a typical Californian bimbo. She has the best scene in the film, which is a very early example of CGI mapping and why I consider it a pandora's box that leaves me feeling uncomfortable today. We're seeing dead stars now brought back to life with CGI to sell products, it makes you wonder where we might go from here? Worth noting, James Coburn serves it up well as the film's villain, who could have been a worthy James Bond antagonist, in my estimation.
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| "I went to the doctor's office, I said 'What have I got?' He said, 'Turn around boy and take this shot'" |
For me, this film was ahead of its time in a lot of respects: We see the shadowy veil lifted from a nefarious corporation masquerading as a benefit to society and our needs; It might have been going on decades earlier, but the true beginnings of cosmetic surgery becoming a cultural norm, became very apparent after the film's release; Human behaviourial experts and science boffins working in marketing of products and services, are way more noticeable today; Our dependancy and influence by television, is perhaps the biggest factor of the lot, however. An example further explored and developed in John Carpenter's seminal They Live (1988); which makes it the perfect candidate for a great double-bill with this film.
Can't sign off without mentioning how superb the soundtrack is. Barry De Vorzon knocked it out of the park with his amazing synth production. His compositions help with the tone and tension within the film. It's a soundscape that is not lost on bedroom producer millennials and zoomers in the retrowave scene. The title song, Looker sung by Sue Saad is easily another strong highlight in the movie's repertoire and a personal favourite eighties jam. It was released as a single, but it sounds different compared to the movie version; better than that horrid Kim Carnes version, regardless.
Fingers crossed one of the big boutique labels brings this film back to life with a quality remaster, instead of it lanquishing with an awful Warner Archive release. Would also be a huge bonus if we have the deleted scene spliced back in, even if it only serves as an exposition dump.
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