FILM – Fallen
Fallen (1998)
I was walking along Oxford Street earlier this week and a passing stranger brushed my hand as they walked by. It happens often, Oxford Street is never quiet, and every time it does, it reminds me of late nineties supernatural thriller, Fallen.
I remember watching this around the time it was fairly new, Denzel Washington (John Hobbes) the detective/narrator and Elias Koteas (Edgar Reese) the serial killer who provides the template for copycat activity. Just before he is executed, Reese grabs Hobbes’ hand and sings:
The Rolling Stones – Time Is On My Side
The song then becomes a repeating motif throughout the film. I can’t really write this blog post without explaining the relevance, so if you don’t want to know the premise of the film – STOP READING NOW.
It transpires that the copycat murders are actually the work of the spirit of Reese who returns to take revenge for his execution, passing between hosts through the medium of touch, mainly as they brush past each other on busy streets – the song when hummed, whistled or sung is the signal that the person is the current host.
Walking down Oxford Street, the inevitable stranger that passes a little too closely always reminds me of this song, and this film.
