Scott LeBrun Warren Beatty is fine as Joseph Frady, a third-rate reporter who misses out on being present for the assassination of a U.S. Senator atop the Space Needle. However, an ex-girlfriend (Paula Prentiss, in an affecting cameo) WAS there, although she and other witnesses aren't entirely sure of what they saw. Nevertheless, the witnesses start to get killed off - including Prentiss - and Beatty is motivated to investigate into the matter. He eventually discovers a typically shadowy organization, dubbed Parallax, that is in the business of professional assassinations.The story isn't always completely coherent, but the fast-paced editing by John W. Wheeler ensures a story (scripted by David Giler and Lorenzo Semple, Jr., based on a novel by Loren Singer) that moves quickly and with no filler. Director Alan J. Pakula, also known for such top 70s features as "Klute" and "All the President's Men", is clearly in his element, and he keeps the element of mystery and nervousness high. He's ably assisted by the legendary cinematographer Gordon Willis, who never lights scenes more than absolutely necessary. This is especially essential when it comes to the nerve-wracking finale, taking place at a rehearsal where Parallax intends to give Frady his first assignment.Particularly of intrigue is the sequence where Frady is "tested". The questionnaire and personality-testing montage have to have individual viewers wondering just how they would personally fare, going through these processes. In the end, this system succeeds in creating such efficient cold-blooded creeps such as Bill McKinney's character (who has absolutely no dialogue).Glum, riveting, and ultimately downbeat, "The Parallax View" offers choice acting opportunities to a solid cast that also features Hume Cronyn (as Frady's long-suffering editor), William Daniels, Walter McGinn (in a standout turn as a friendly Parallax recruiter), Kelly Thordsen, Earl Hindman, Jim Davis, Kenneth Mars, William Jordan, Edward Winter, Stacy Keach Sr., Ford Rainey, Richard Bull, and an uncredited Anthony Zerbe. It's particularly fun for this viewer to see future 'Home Improvement' cast member Hindman as a hostile Sheriffs' deputy (who gets his ass handed to him by Frady).As was said, Beatty does a fine job. This is a character who's not an infallible superhero, and you can see that he really is out of his depth here.Pakula did do much more popular pictures during his career, but never really got enough credit for this one.Seven out of 10.

betty dalton Seen it over 10 times and I still dont understand the story. Not that it is complicated, but lots of events just deliberatedly arent explained at all. This only adds to the suspense though, because man oh man, do I get fascinated watching this slowburning thriller. It has no happy ending and it is not an entertaining funny action thriller at all. So be warned. I guess it is best suited for lovers of movie classics of the seventies, who can appreciate the finer qualities of dark moods and depressing suspense above simple thrilling entertainment. The story is about a journalist portrayed by Warren Beatty, who witnesses an assasination on a senator. Afterwards mysterious deaths start occuring to the few people who witnessed this assasination on the senator. "Somebody is trying to kill me". That's the plot of this paranoia thriller. The struggle of this journalist to find out, who is behind the killings of the witnesses is the nucleus of this very suspenseful story."The Parallax View" is without a doubt the ultimate seventies paranoia thriller. This "paranoia" label was given to numerous other classics too ("Marathon Man", "All the President's Men", "The Conversation") from that period in which some kind of evil agency was out to kill somebody for knowing too many secrets. All these classics were truly the best of independent american cinema from that famous movie making period in which among others also "The Godfather" emerged. I particularly mention "The Godfather" because the photographer of "The Godfather", the famous Gordon Willis, was also used for "The Parallax View". Gordon Willis is known as "the master of darkness", because of his magnificent sub dark lighting techniques. "The Parallax View" looks like a documentary sometimes, coming close to a true to life portrayal of political assasination events that happened in history. Gordon Willis and Alan J. Pakula are to be thanked for that fascinating realism.Director Alan J Pakula truly made his masterpiece with "The Parallax View". The portrayal of evil powers in the dark which control all politcs is done in a way few directors have ever achieved since then. Brilliant classic!

SnoopyStyle Independent minded Senator Carroll is assassinated on top of the Space Needle. The assumed killer falls to his death and a commission declares him to be a lone gunman. Three years later, Lee Carter pleads with reporter Joe Frady (Warren Beatty) to investigate the Carroll assassination. The people around Carroll on that day are getting killed off. Frady finds something disturbing. He is attacked by Sheriff Wicker. He kills Wicker and discovers the name Parallax Corporation among the sheriff's belongings. His boss is Bill Rintels (Hume Cronyn) doesn't believe him at first. He suspects that they are recruiting psychopaths and he intends to infiltrate the organization.The first half is really compelling. There is a good sense of paranoia. It fades a little after the plane bombing. They couldn't film the plane exploding. It's the first sign of the movie's limitations. I wish the movie could find the next gear but it's not really there. I also wasn't impressed with the long montage sequence that Frady sits through. It could be much more compelling but it feels derivative of 'A Clockwork Orange'. It's still a very good paranoid thriller.

Ben Larson I have to say that the most interesting thing in this film was a game of Pong with a monkey. Gamers today would not believe what we found interesting.A U.S. Senator is killed, they kill all the journalists who witnessed the attack. Reporter Joseph Frady (Warren Beatty) has so far been spared, his investigations eventually put him on the trail of nebulous Parallax Corporation. Under an assumed name he infiltrates there. I found it hard to believe that Frady made it past the first test, but then the story would end, wouldn't it?The film explores conspiracy theories that were popular post-Watergate.Director Alan J. Pakula gave us an intelligent film that effectively explored the era and it's cynicism.