Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

WasAnnon Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Kailansorac Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Scott LeBrun Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell star as MacConnachie and Ansell, too men making an escape across various rural backdrops with their hands tied behind their backs. They may have been imprisoned for crimes of some sort, and now authorities relentlessly pursue them through the countryside. Their most persistent nemesis is a helicopter manned by two people.Exactly where this is taking place, we never do find out. We don't learn very much about our protagonists, so they both remain something of an enigma. The plot is often stripped to the bare essentials; this is a very existential, interesting action-chase-thriller with a straightforward set-up. Scripted by Shaw himself, from the novel by Barry England, it does give some decent acting showcases to the two stars, and it also puts them through their paces almost non-stop. One can imagine that this must have been quite a gruelling shoot physically.Shaw and McDowell are very good, under the direction of famous blacklisted filmmaker Joseph Losey ("The Damned", "Accident"). But the real "stars" of the picture have to be the cinematographers (three of them are credited) and camera operators, who impressively capture some truly breathtaking scenery - deserts, forest, snowy mountaintops, etc. To that end, it's appropriate that "Figures in a Landscape" was shot in 2.35:1. It IS a very nice-looking picture.Exciting and harrowing at times, this is the kind of story that intrigues its viewers by largely leaving exposition out of the picture, and firing their imaginations.Seven out of 10.

penfever Inspired by the minimalist theater-driven film-making of the period, Figures in a Landscape is much more interesting than its competition (Tomorrow, Losey's own "The Servant). Why? Because of the helicopter, of course!Robert Shaw, always inspired, is here particularly so, all but frothing at the mouth as he drags his weary carcass over the mountains, from nowhere, to nowhere, until the endless desert itself seems more and more like a stage for their mad performance.An inversion of the often static fare of the period that still displays serious acting chops. Recommended.

ewarn-1 Here is another film that has just dropped mysteriously out of sight. Why some movies never make reappearances in these days of DVDs and the internet is just as strange as the whole story that takes place here.Two guys are on the run in some South American-looking country, their hands tied behind their backs. They are chased and sometimes menaced by a black helicopter, like something out of a conspiracy nut's nightmare. A hopeless situation? Maybe, but the character played by Shaw is so tough, the score is evened up a bit.As the film progresses, the action grows and so do the questions. Who are they? What country are they in? Why are they there? How can they ever get out? Shaw's character becomes more interesting as the story unfolds, and more enigmatic. Is he insane? A mercenary? An escaped killer? There is always a suspicion you might not find out, but you keep watching anyway.I read the novel this is based on, it's a great story and written in my favorite style, but the ending is different. I'm waiting to see the film again, looking for a DVD soon.

James_Bond_007_218 Based on the novel of the same name by Barry England, and directed by Joseph Losey, Figures in a Landscape stars Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell as two convicts on the run.The film takes place in an unnamed Latin American country where the two men fin themselves constantly followed by a menacing black helicopter that attempts to gun them down. As they try to evade the helicopter, they stop for rest and nourishment, meeting people along the way that share the same contemptuous nature towards the mysterious powers that be. During these moments, they share information about their lives with one another becoming more human. We never know what crimes they have committed or why the helicopter is after them, but their fate is eventually clearly revealed.Figures in a Landscape is an interesting film and is a very rare film to come across.If you are interested in purchasing a copy on VHS, I may be able to help. Please send an e-mail to: RobertShawFansite@hotmail.com Colour/110 minutes/1970