When I was a kid I collected all kinds of crap; stamps, car number plates and the cardboard you get inside the packaging of ladies stockings. That may sound odd, but it's completely normal, officer. In
The Collector our leading man, Frederick Clegg (Terence Stamp) collects butterflies and more... The first 15 minutes of the film pass without hardly any need for dialogue as his unusual and, some would say demented, secret life is explained. He runs gaily through fields capturing butterflies to add to his collection like he's the happiest man alive. Then he drives into town and kidnaps a pretty young woman called Miranda with the same amount of emotion you or I would display doing our weekly shop, subduing her with Chloroform.
Frederick is not your typical looking psychopath; he's not the scrawny or pale type we've come to expect. He's actually quite exotic looking with his olive skinned complexion and dark eyes. Perhaps demonstrating how psychosis really doesn't discriminate. Once he does break the silence however, in that plain yet hypnotic old fashioned English accent, his calmness gives away his true mental state.
When Miranda (Samantha Eggar) wakes up in his basement she is assured that, despite knocking her unconscious and locking her up, he doesn't want to molester her, as he puts it. Frederick wants to add her to his collection of pretty things. He wants to get to know her and for her to
love him. Sounds sweet really. Except we all know love can soon turn to anger and Miranda quickly realises her only chance of ever being free is to go along with his wishes, give in and
pretend to like him. Unfortunately, Frederick becomes more deluded and convinces himself that the longer he keeps her, the more likely it is she will fall in love with him. Repeatedly she tries to escape but every time he manages to contain his new possession until the story takes an unexpectedly sad turn.
The situations Frederick puts himself in, his cold thought processes and the consequences this has on others makes for uncomfortable viewing of the highest order. He makes human life seem disposable like a child that can never find anything to satisfy him. Terence Stamp plays him with a Norman Bates awkwardness until his mind switches to the job in hand and he's as cool as a cucumber. Miranda and Frederick's relationship, despite the extreme circumstances, could very easily mirror any new couple. The insecure partner constantly trying to change or contain the other. You could argue that Frederick is merely cutting to the chase. Perhaps he should have pinned Miranda under some glass with his butterflies when he had the chance.
