An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

1961

La Rivière du hibou

Directed by Robert Enrico

During the American Civil War, a Southerner is about to be hanged from a bridge for sabotage when something unexpected happens.

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Eli Hayes
Review by Eli Hayes ★★★★★ Liked 1

Moments when my jaw dropped:
minute one through minute twenty-eight.

Sonny_Jim
Review by Sonny_Jim ★★★★ Liked 5

Simple concept but the strength is in the execution.

Edgar Cochran ✝️🍋
Review by Edgar Cochran ✝️🍋 ★★★★★ Liked 9

This short French film is a depressing and fantastic masterpiece.

A man on war times is about to be hanged (probably because of treason or failure) and escapes as he's about to die.

He finds himself starting to drown at the river once he's dropped down, but manages to untie the ropes tying him by toes and neck, and swims to the surface.
We see him trying to get away from his executioners and the soldiers, swimming along a long river. We see him dodging bullets and water animals. We see him reaching a shore and shouting and laughing out of happiness and awe of his successful escape. We see him running desperately from big canon bullets and explosions to…

Bre
Review by Bre Liked 6

Seeing this as a result of watching Twilight Zone reruns was wild, what a decision to air this as an episode of the program

mosquitodragon
Review by mosquitodragon ★★★★½ Liked 15

Looked this up because I heard the screenplay for Carnival of Souls was loosely based on it. Turns out this was screened on the original Twilight Zone - I think the only content Rod Serling included which wasn’t an official Twilight Zone production.

Beautifully self-contained and with one hell of a powerful kick in the tail. I can see where the influence lies on Herk Harvey’s psychotronic masterpiece, although it’s incredible to consider the depth of gender- and mental health-related subtext that John Clifford laid over the top of this. As it stands, though, this feels perfectly weighted. Just like a strong length of rope – eek!

Harry
Review by Harry ★★★★★ Liked 5

"I SEE EACH BUG-uhggg
UPON EACH LEEEE-EEEEAF!
EACH BUZZING FLY
EACH SPLASHING FISH
THEY MOVE AROUND
THIS LIVING MAN!"

A thing about me is that the song from this short film (which was used as an episode of The Twilight Zone) has been stuck in my head - I mean literally, continuously stuck - since my freshman year of college.

Marco
Review by Marco Liked

Eine meisterhafte Interpretation der Erzählung von Ambrose Bierce, die 1962 in Cannes die Goldene Palme als Bester Kurzfilm sowie 1964 den Oscar in der Kategorie Bester Kurzfilm gewann und später in der letzten Staffel der „Twilight Zone“ zu sehen sein sollte. Vor Jahren habe ich den schon mal in sehr niedriger Auflösung und mit schlechter Tonqualität auf YouTube gesehen. Den Ton konnte ich fast gar nicht verstehen. Glücklicherweise war das jedoch kein Hindernis, um „Zwischenfall auf der Eulenfluss-Brücke“ zu genießen, da es ohnehin kaum Dialoge gibt; statt Score (nur ein Blues-Lied wird immer wieder angestimmt, in dem Sätze aus Bierces Werk gesungen wird) gibt es viele Umweltgeräusche wie Vogelgezwitscher auf der Tonspur, und die stets ruhelos durch Wälder treibende Kamera von…

Muddguts
Review by Muddguts ★★★★★ Liked 2

I saw this about 25 years ago and it had such an effect on me that I had to make several others watch it that day as well. It may not have been written for the TZ specifically but Serling aired it as one and it fits in that world perfectly.  It would compete for a top 10 spot easily. 


It’s beautifully shot and features one jaw dropping doozy of a scene. You’ll know it when you see it. Amazing stuff.

nick
Review by nick ½ 2

For an European "rude awakening" to average American audiences in the 1960s, this feels incredibly tame and secondary. At just 28 minutes, it still manages to overstay its welcome, stretching a simplistic premise with neither thematic relevance nor stylistic merit. While true European auteurs were churning out masterpieces and being ignored by the U.S., this largely forgotten short somehow snagged an Oscar—for reasons beyond me. Adding it to The Twilight Zone post-win, despite the clear tonal mismatch, is just another classic Hollywood move.

KJL5678
Review by KJL5678 ★★★½ Liked

What a marvelously made black and white short film that uses slow motion at times to great affect. It opens on a bridge where a man is sentenced to hang for treason, and smartly takes its time to build tension throughout.

1964 Academy Award Winner
Best Short Subject, Live Action Subjects
Written by Paul de Roubaix & Marcel Ichac
Director: Robert Enrico
Starring: Roger Jacquet

Watched on Hoopla, but also available on Tubi.

Amanda
Review by Amanda ★★★ 2

I swear the distance to reach his wife should not have taken that long to travel

AdamAngus
Review by AdamAngus ★★★★

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

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