There’s something about films that involve simians that always wins us over. When Link was first released way back in the day, eyebrows were raised about one particular scene involving the lead orang-utan and burgeoning starlet Elisabeth Shue in a bathroom, the moment in question still provides a sordid jolt.
Shue plays student American Jane, who offers to be an assistant to zoologist Dr Phillip (Terence Stamp) for the summer. His home is a clifftop mansion far away from civilisation, which is good as he shares it with two hyperactive chimpanzees and an elderly orang-utan named Link, who takes on the role of butler. Phillip’s experiments upset Jane but she’s still keen to learn all she can. When the doctor disappears – presumably heading to London for a meeting – Jane becomes the victim of an increasingly agitated Link.
Link can be read as a straightforward slasher, with the stalking killer replaced by a nattily-dressed primate. Mike Molloy’s cinematography amps up the terror, with plenty of shots from the height of the apes and involving creepy fisheye moments. This heightens the direction of Richard Franklin (Road Games), who stays away from cheap moments of gore but makes the threat posed by Link (and the other hyperactive chimps) very real. Which brings us to Locke, who gives an Oscar-worthy portrayal of Link. Even when at the most terrifying, he has a sympathetic touch. Maybe we’ve just got too much of a soft spot for monkeys. The infamous scene alluded to in our intro shocks still, particularly when we’ve heard Phillip tell Jane that Link doesn’t like to take his suit off. Seeing him without it in an awkward stare-off with an even more naked Elisabeth Shue is startling and very creepy, but not as offensive as we’d remembered. Jerry Goldsmith provides a whimsical theme and solid score, although it’s far from his best.
StudioCanal’s Blu-ray release features an interesting commentary from film historian Lee Gambin and critic Jarret Gahan, plus an on-screen dissection from Anna Bogutskaya. There are also some VHS quality deleted scenes from the work print that adds a few moments worth watching.
Link has benefitted from being elusive for so many years. The psychotic simian tale is a lot of fun and thanks to the eerie camerawork packs quite a punch.
