hyped garbage

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

This movie didn't sit well with me. I didn't read any spoilers before I watched this, nor did I read the book, but I wish I had and spared myself the 90 minutes. I saw bits and pieces of this movie when I was a youngster so I already knew that some animal dies. This movie is great until the last 15 minutes. I honestly didn't know that the baby (or the boy) was going to die. I did know that the tag line is "Holland where's the baby", but I guess I was hoping against the worst possible scenario. It was a letdown for me because I am a mother with two babies who are my entire world.

I saw this as a "TV Movie Of The Week" when I was a few years younger than the actors portraying these twins...and, they really scared me!As a child, I thought "Wow! These twins would be the 'ultimate bullies' in school! Get on their bad side, and, even adults cannot protect you...they'll kill adults, too!"Along with the novel it's based upon, this movie is very good...and, believably-terrifying!This movie is:detailed in astral-projection, and, its misuse;lead by a European-born grandmother (portrayed by the great Uta Hagen) who is believable in her knowledge and sensibility of 'controlling' magic, and, not abusing it in wrongful and selfish ways;about such power and knowledge punitively abused by children who feel even slightly threatened by others;for anyone who likes a great thriller about the handling of 'good' powers by those who use them in a 'bad' way.I like this movie...mainly because it's presented in a non-grotesquely manner, which, in this case, is even more frightening than if it were all blood-and-guts; and, because, children are involved...and, that's even more disturbing!If you decide to watch this...you won't believe the twisted ending; nor, who/whom is behind it all!

The Other is an interesting film that puts an intriguing twist on the good-evil twin concept. It tells the story of a pair of young twins- Nyles and Holland- who have been brought up under the tutelage of a Russian woman- Ada- who has initiated them with the abilities of remote viewing and psychic possession. In the film, the boys are only ever together when they are alone- never when others are present. This leads you to believe that "The Other" one- Holland- is actually dead. But his ghost still seems to remain, at times remotely possessing, and seemingly taking over the body of, his brother from beyond the living realm (and getting him into all sorts of trouble in the process). Ada and their mother do seem to be privy to this, but remain powerless to intervene, because "their" (the boys') powers have become so adept.While the two boys remain best friends, it's clear that Holland is evil and constantly manipulating the more pious and innocent Nyles. Things particularly revolve around a "cursed" ring that had once belonged to- and is supposed to be buried with- their father.It's clear that Holland is willing to go to all lengths to prevent others from trying to get in between he and his brother- even going as far as to kill their cousin (when he finds out Nyles has the ring), and attack their mother (when she confronts Nyles about the ring and severed finger that he carries around "for" his dead brother).Eventually we discover that Holland is very much dead; having fallen into a well on one of his past birthdays. But, because of the abilities they were endowed with, he has been able to retain his abilities, and remain connected with his brother, even in death.Ada tries to convince Nyles that Holland is dead, and that he can't blame Holland for all the terrible things that have been going on. This, of course, angers Holland, who then steals their newborn brother. Ultimately leading to the film's conclusion.The end is sort of ambiguous, allowing you to accept that Nyles was being manipulated by the spirit of his dead brother, or opt for a reading where both boy's are dichotomous elements of Nyle's psyche- with Nyles acting out in jealousy (toward his incoming baby sister). However, the final shot does seem to imply that Holland was, in fact, acting through Nyles to perpetuate torment on the family, prior to taking over total control of his good brother's (former) physical form- after the death of Ada.This film is both disturbing and atmospheric. It keeps you immersed throughout, by remaining just ambiguous enough to allow you to read it in either of the aforementioned ways, while tending to direct you towards the former reading (if you were paying close enough attention to the details). There's no forced happy ending, either. Rather, it ends on a foreboding note that perfectly accentuates the tone present in the build-up of the film. It's the type of film that will leave you uneasy and unsure- as you ponder on whether everything was carried out by Nyles, or whether he was being controlled from beyond the grave. It is certainly one of the more complex films from the ghost-related horror genre, and as such, requires both attention and interpretation. It's definitely a solid horror which should be seen by fans of psychological horror. Highly recommended.9 out of 10.

"The Other" is an adaptation of the Thomas Tryon novel, scripted (and executive produced) by Tryon himself, which tells us a story of evil set against the backdrop of a peaceful farming community in Depression era Connecticut. Director Robert Mulligan ("To Kill a Mockingbird") milks the location for a lot of atmosphere - and the finale is particularly sinister - but the horrors of this film are largely psychological, which will appeal to those genre fans looking for something subtle.It stars legendary acting teacher Uta Hagen, in one of her rare film roles, as Ada, the doting grandmother to twin boys Niles and Holland (played by actual identical twins Chris and Martin Udvarnoky). Niles is the more grounded one and Holland the more mischievous one. They also live with other relatives including an incapacitated mother, Alexandra (Diana Muldaur). Niles has been taught a special "game" by Ada, which allows him to see through the eyes of others.But don't let that lead you to believe there's much if any of the supernatural in this story. It's done in a more realistic manner, and the effectiveness of the film hinges on ambiance, mood, and performances. Hagen is quite wonderful, and the Udvarnokys - who unfortunately never made another film - offer completely natural, unaffected portrayals. The excellent cast also features Victor French, Lou Frizzell, Portia Nelson, John Ritter (in one of his earliest big screen appearances), Jack Collins, and Ed Bakey. Production design (by Albert Brenner), cinematography (by Robert Surtees), and music (by Jerry Goldsmith) are all beautiful. This is one of those films that does take you back to a different time and place. The end is haunting and not likely to be forgotten by the viewer anytime soon.The story's critical revelation actually occurs sooner than you might expect, but things only build from there; Tryon still has more twists and turns up his sleeve.Highly recommended to horror fans, especially those who favour the traditional variety of horror.Eight out of 10.