"John" (Donald Sutherland) and wife "Laura" (Julie Christie) are living in Venice where they encounter two elderly sisters - "Heather" (Hilary Manson) and "Wendy" (Clelia Matania). The former of those enigmatic ladies claims to be able to see an apparition of their recently deceased daughter. "Laura" is engaged, "John" less so - but as the story develops we begin to appreciate that the drowned girl has left demons for both parents to deal with - some more substantial than others! Sutherland is on good form here. His character has some depth to it as we realise that he has yet to fully come to terms with his loss and his grief. Christie also delivers well as she takes a different route to dealing with her stresses and the story balances their needs of each other and for closure. As the mystery deepens, the apparitions become more real and - well what is real and what is not? Nicholas Roeg has also worked hard to create an engaging sense of menace. A lack of special and visual effects but the use of the converted chapel in which "John" works, works well as does a powerful score from accomplished horror genre composer Pino Donaggio all creating an enveloping sense of... yikes! Then there's the love scene - pretty risqué for the time and photographed in a much more graphic (though still stylised) fashion that does illustrate well the fact that couple are lovers still, despite their trauma. The pace can be a bit sluggish at times, but this is still a curiously stimulating film that doesn't really conform to any template that I've seen. It is a thriller as much as a horror and the characterisations are much more substantial - plenty for them and us to get our teeth into. Venice looks great too!

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