Eyes Without a Face

Released Oct 31, 1962

1h 30m

Horror

Drama

List

97%

Tomatometer

61 Reviews

87%

Audience Score

5,000+ Ratings

Dr. Génessier (Pierre Brasseur) is riddled with guilt after an accident that he caused disfigures the face of his daughter, the once beautiful Christiane (Edith Scob), who outsiders believe is dead. Dr. Génessier, along with accomplice and laboratory assistant Louise (Alida Valli), kidnaps young women and brings them to the Génessier mansion. After rendering his victims unconscious, Dr. Génessier removes their faces and attempts to graft them on to Christiane's.

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Critics Consensus

A horrific tale of guilt and obsession, Eyes Without a Face is just as chilling and poetic today as it was when it was first released.

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Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

Eyes Without a Face is a perfect example of how cinematic poetry can transform a seemingly disreputable movie genre.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 14, 2014

Full Review

Scott Tobias

The Dissolve

Eyes Without A Face is a classic anomaly, out of step with its time (and any other), with mysteries that lingered long enough for critics finally to be intoxicated by them.

Rated: 5/5

Oct 14, 2013

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Tim Purtell

Entertainment Weekly

One of those rare horror films that induces discomfort by showing practically nothing.

Rated: A-

Oct 6, 2013

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Penelope Gilliatt

Observer (UK)

The whole film has a ghastly elegance that often suggests Tennessee Williams in one of his more aberrant moods.

Feb 20, 2024

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Stephanie Archer

Film Inquiry

Tastefully done and exquisitely horrific, Eyes Without a Face delivers exactly the right amount of terror making it easy to see why it is such an enduring horror classic.

Sep 30, 2023

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

... at once lyrical, haunting, and deviant, an elegantly horrifying classic of sadism and shadowy grace.

Sep 9, 2023

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Patrick C

It's good but kinda boring

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/12/23

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Sir M

I've been on an old movies kick and I didn't expect to gain a new favorite. The story is beautiful, captivating, and a bit terrifying. I enjoyed every second.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/02/23

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Jay A

I may be biased as this is my absolute favorite film, but in my opinion, Eyes Without a Face is quite possibly the textbook definition of hauntingly beautiful and is a must watch for those interested in horror.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/20/23

Full Review

Matthew D

Enchanting and haunting filmmaking with a horrifying premise. Director Georges Franju's French horror drama Eyes Without a Face (1960) is a truly mesmerizing film. ‘Les Yeux sans visage' is delicate in its sympathy for a scarred girl without a face, simply seeking a normal life. Franju's empathetic direction leaves the gore and torture mostly to your imagination, while providing deep sympathy for the girl Christiane. He superbly directs the captured girls' horrific experience of having their faces removed with an elegant grace that is chilling. Eyes Without a Face is poetic and thoughtful with a dreamy atmosphere. I found it sorrowful in tone and completely captivating. Franju was clearly a genius director. I will remain haunted by Christiane wandering out into the forest set to Maurice Jarre's magical score. Writers Pierre Boileau, Thomas Narcejac, Claude Sautet, and Pierre Gascar adapt author Jean Redon's novel with a mindful perspective. The poetic justice of the dogs mauling the cruel doctor keeping them captive and torturing them with sick skin grafts is something else. They consider the fear a woman would feel at being kidnapped and despair they'd feel at having their face surgically removed. But also, they show the fear and rage of captured dogs and compare them to the dejected girl awaiting the day she could return to her boyfriend with a face that could smile. It's a sad tragedy that's devastating. The horror sequences are suspenseful and freaky, but the melancholy herein is what will stay with me from Eyes Without a Face. Editor Gilbert Natot's striking cuts held my attention, but also crafted a dreamy feel. The scary montages of a face melting away from a girl's body rejecting new flesh is terrifying. Eyes Without a Face does not waste a minute with a tight 84 minutes of terror and tragedy. Cinematographer Eugen Schüfftan's sweeping panning shots that gently follow Christiane or cautiously hold on the mad doctor are gripping. I love the way the camera steadily and slowly moves for a tense feeling throughout Eyes Without a Face. French actor Pierre Brasseur is chilling as the demented Doctor Génessier. His forced skin grafts are a horrifying premise alone, but the way Brasseur approaches cutting off flesh or callously disposing of a corpse is frightening. He's so deadpan, sweaty, nervous, and fearsome. There's a mournful way about him like his daughter really is dead until he can bestow the gift of a face to her. Franju gives the doctor sympathy in this regard as you can see with Brasseur's performance until he'll go to abuse the dogs or attack a woman with his scalpel in his sickening surgeries. Italian actress Alida Valli is terrifying as Génessier's loyal assistant Louise. She's the mad doctor's Igor as she lures unsuspecting women to him, out of gratitude for him giving her a new face. Valli is frightening in how far she'll go for this madman in her twisted mind and evil actions. She is still very pretty here as well. French actress Juliette Mayniel is gorgeous as the unfortunate victim Edna Grüber. She's so friendly and pleasant, then feels unthinkable fear as the worst happens. Mayniel's performance is the most horrifying sequence for sure and genuinely upsetting. French actor Alexandre Rignault is amiable as the foolish Inspector Parot. French actress Béatrice Altariba is lovely as the next potential victim Paulette Mérodon, who the police con her into an unbelievably dangerous and ill-conceived stakeout as bait. You really get the authorities' lack of ethics or intelligence here. French actor François Guérin is great as the forlorn Jacques Vernon, who misses his girlfriend Christiane and is unaware of the doctor's activities in private. French actress Édith Scob is haunting, sympathetic, and lovable as the mad doctor's disfigured daughter Christiane Génessier. When she has the make on, she is like a floating doll wandering through the world in despair. When she gets to use her own cute face, she is a hopeful young lady with charm and inner sorrow. I found her totally hypnotizing. Her eyes express all the desire, fear, anger, and melancholy even when she's behind a face mask. Production designer Auguste Capelier sets up a fancy manor with a secret terrifying surgery room. Art directors Margot Capelier, Jacques Mély, and Claude Moesching use vast forests, massive gates, eerie sterile hospitals, and isolated manors for a haunting atmosphere. Set decorator Albert Volper dresses up the lab in all manner of scary scalpel and scissor props. Special effects artist Charles-Henri Assola crafted horrifying face masks and face changes that look real. Makeup artist Georges Klein does phenomenal transformative work on Scob to make her look damaged to different degrees. All the actresses look lovely with his pretty facial makeup. Costume designers Hubert de Givenchy and Marie Martine give the actresses designer dresses and coats that are to die for with a 60's Parisian flair. Marcelle Testard's hairstyling gives the girl a cute 60's French curl and the other actresses flowing brunette tresses. French composer Maurice Jarre's magical film score is lovely. His demented carnival theme for when girls are being lured to their torture and death is surprisingly fun sounding. I adore the sorrowful symphonic theme for Christiane. Maurice Jarre gives Eyes Without a Face a fairy tale tone with his melancholic music. It feels profoundly sad thanks to Jarre's truly beautiful score. Jarre delivers one of cinema's greatest film scores. Sound designer Antoine Archimbaud captures gentle voices, constant barking dogs, and the metallic clang of scalpels against surgery trays. In conclusion, Eyes Without a Face is a testament to elegant, tasteful filmmaking, gorgeous composing, and touching acting.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/20/23

Full Review

Montgomery M

my favorite french film. the visuals, the vibe, the story and the ending. everything about this movie works so well. i highly reccomend it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/12/23

Full Review

Luca D

Very eerie film but found myself often wondering if the characters would have any development and they just didn't. All of the acting was very flat and the cinematography was just ok. Probably won't watch again and probably didn't do justice to the novel.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/06/23

Full Review

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Georges Franju

Director

Pierre Brasseur

Doctor Génessier

Alida Valli

Louise

Edith Scob

Christiane Genessier

Juliette Mayniel

Edna Grüber

François Guérin

Jacques Vernon

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Synopsis

Dr. Génessier (Pierre Brasseur) is riddled with guilt after an accident that he caused disfigures the face of his daughter, the once beautiful Christiane (Edith Scob), who outsiders believe is dead. Dr. Génessier, along with accomplice and laboratory assistant Louise (Alida Valli), kidnaps young women and brings them to the Génessier mansion. After rendering his victims unconscious, Dr. Génessier removes their faces and attempts to graft them on to Christiane's.

Director: Georges Franju
Producer: Jules Borkon
Screenwriter: Pierre Boileau, Pierre Gascar, Thomas Narcejac, Jean Redon, Claude Sautet
Distributor: United Artists, Lopert Pictures Corp., Rialto Pictures
Production Co: Champs-Élysées Production, Lux Film S.p.a.
Genre: Horror, Drama
Original Language: French (Canada)
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 31, 1962, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 29, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $52.7K
Runtime: 1h 30m

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