Review by Peter Syslo
ONE OF THE MISSING (1979) is not what one would typically call horror, but it does contain elements of tension and suspense, much like a horror film. It is based upon a short story by Ambrose Bierce, which is widely regarded as a great, anti-war work of literature. The DVD, distributed by VCI International (www.vcient.com), is a restored director’s cut of the film that originally aired on public television. There are also several nice special features included on the DVD, such as an interview with the director (hosted by Ray Bradbury) and various commentaries on the making of the film. I thought that ONE OF THE MISSING was a nice deviation from the norms of horror and the story was nicely rooted in history – it is that “something different” which we all need, once in a while.
ONE OF THE MISSING is directed by J.D. Feigelson and is based upon a short story by Ambrose Bierce. The film stars Gordon Baxter, Linda April Raines, and Talmadge Armstrong.
The film is set in the U.S. Civil War; it focuses on a cunning sniper (Baxter), who seems to have no qualms about taking a life (he shoots a soldier right after that soldier kisses his wife/girlfriend). The story follows the sniper, as he makes his way across several battle areas, towards an abandoned house. As the sniper pursues another soldier (Armstrong) into the house and sets up for the killing shot, part of the house collapses on top of the sniper and he is left for dead. The solider, who was his prey, returns to find the sniper stuck in quite a predicament. It so happens that the sniper is now trapped by wood, etc. from the collapse and his muzzle-loader is now pointed directly at his face, with the hammer cocked and blasting cap intact. The rest of the film focuses on the sniper’s struggle to free himself and we learn a little more about his background and his life apart from the war.
ONE OF THE MISSING was a pretty good film. If you go in for war pictures or historically-based horror, it may be interesting for you to watch; I enjoyed it and I felt that it was a worthwhile experience. There really is no blood or extreme violence in the picture; most of the horror elements come from the psychological perspective and you definitely “get” the anti-war message (especially regarding the Civil War) from the story. It is funny, but the sniper’s predicament - being trapped with his cocked rifle pointing at him - is the same sort of idea that is included in the SAW films, or CUBE films. That is the main appeal of the story and it is the same reason, for me at least, why I think that the SAW and CUBE franchises are so successful: a character is trapped in a life-or-death situation and that situation can happen to any one ( a basic survival situation). I was certainly drawn in by the sniper’s plight and his background was a nice touch, because it shook up the whole idea of what is “good” or “evil” – nicely done.
Cutting to the chase: ONE OF THE MISSING is a valuable “indie” film from the late 1970s, which definitely earns its right as a historically-based thriller. It’s not what many would refer to as “horror” but it does share common survival elements with the SAW, CUBE, or any other contemporary survival-horror films. The DVD restoration looked beautiful and the overall cinematography looked beautiful. The fields, woods, houses, and costumes all made it feel like the 1860s and the nature-based shots are a real treat for the eyes (and a nice contrast with the claustrophobic confinement towards the end). The acting was superb – Baxter was perfect as the sniper and he had the perfect look for it. Lastly, the music was incredible – it had that earthiness, with sporadic use of instruments, voice, and effects - but it all served to convey the f eeling of the Civil War era and the “comical” irony of the sniper’s situation. I have to mention that the very ending was a little bizarre, for me, but I am still thinking about it and processing all of the components of the film. I give ONE OF THE MISSING an 8/10.