Roddy has a camera implanted in his brain. He is then hired by a television producer to film a documentary of terminally ill Katherine, without her knowledge. His footage will then be run on the popular TV series, "Death Watch".
Its plot is a credibility stretch even in these days of de rigueur media paranoia, and its relentlessly murky, moody tone might raise the odd giggle, but Tavernier’s long-neglected sci-fi curiosity is compelling nonetheless.
It’s let down by preachy dialogue, but makes striking use of the Scots locations.
French auteur Bertrand Tavernier's 1980 Glasgow-set dystopian yarn (re-released in a restored version) is one of the director's most intriguing and idiosyncratic films.
A true cult classic.
For its sheer, resonant strangeness, Bertrand Tavernier's 1980 movie Death Watch – now re-released in a digitally restored print – deserves cult curiousity status.
An exceptional film.
Like many sci-fi films from the period you might be best advised to get it on DVD so you can pause and ponder rather than attempting to process it all in one bleak bite.
Edinburgh Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Friday June 1, 2012, until Thursday June 7, 2012. More info: www.filmhousecinema.com
Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow from Friday June 1, 2012, until Thursday June 7, 2012. More info: http://www.glasgowfilm.org/theatre/
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