Octavia

Very long time since I saw this movie & I was only around 17 but for reasons unknown it has stuck in my mind. Having just done a web search there is little material available & it seems to have become something of a lost movie. Octavia is a blind girl who has lived in a protected environment. She has not experienced much of life. One day a guy on the run from the law breaks into her world, kidnaps her & takes her on a trip that will broaden her horizons...... Don't want to say more about the plot as I don't want to spoil the film for anyone who tracks it down - also its so long ago I may be wrong about a few details.... What I strongly remember is the dreamlike quality of the film that gave it some individuality (& Octavias sad monologues) & the almost religious irony of the plot - fans of "Lets Scare Jessica To Death" would probably get a similar vibe from this one. Hope some distribution company "rediscovers" this one for DVD release.

Susan Curtis in her only headlining film to date, stars as the titular Octivia, a young blind woman who's neglected by her overbearing father who blames her for the death of her mother. One day an escaped convict breaks into her dad's house and turns the world of this sheltered blind woman upside down.

First I feel the need to correct the first reviewer, as she's never kidnapped, quite the opposite as she's very willing. But I digress, this little curiosity is a tad hard to explain but basically it's a love story of sorts that takes an abrupt left hand turn very late in the film. Both leads were good but they had no real chemistry. That alone dampened my enjoyment of the film a tad. But by the time the movie ended, I was still staring at my TV quizzically my mind still asking 'what?' as the aforementioned left hand turn in the film was just bizarre.

But don't just take my word for it. The movie's readily available to stream on Netflix if you are so inclined.

Octavia is a young adult and blind. Her mother died when she was five, and simply stated, her father hates her. He is very cold towards her. Even though he is wealthy and lives in a huge house (he is a diamond dealer), he is stone cold. She has never experienced the warm touch of another person that she can remember. She has an uncle whom she adores, but he will not let him see her. One day, a criminal on the lam being chased by police manages to climb over the ivied wall into the property. Octavia discovers him, and that develops into a nice part of the movie. She is very sheltered, and never even ventured beyond the front gate of the estate. Teddy bears are her friends. However, around the 50 minute mark, there is an abrupt change that leaves too many unanswered questions. It is not that it is terrible, it is that it leaves too many questions for which there are no answers. It is almost like a second movie. And many viewers are likely to wonder at the abrupt change, but I don't want to give spoilers. If it had been handled with a bit more explanation, the movie would have gotten a higher rating from me.