Ben at the end of the episode reminded me of "The Marathon Man". He totally looked like Larry "Why not try acting, Dusty" Olivier in that scene.

Remember the line in that film that poor old Dusty just don't get?

"Is it safe?" Meaning the diamonds, right? But the whole time their is torture and drilling of teeth and yikes.

The whole time it is really cryptic, though. Kind of like, "Are they still alive?"

Anybody know more about the book/movie?

Ben at the end of the episode reminded me of "The Marathon Man". He totally looked like Larry "Why not try acting, Dusty" Olivier in that scene.

Remember the line in that film that poor old Dusty just don't get?

"Is it safe?" Meaning the diamonds, right? But the whole time their is torture and drilling of teeth and yikes.

The whole time it is really cryptic, though. Kind of like, "Are they still alive?"

Anybody know more about the book/movie?

yeah it's one of my favorite paranoid 70s thrillers. laurence olivier played an escaped nazi war criminal looking for diamonds.. ben is a war criminal in the purge, and it looks like he was amassing quite a forture on the mainland.

One of my favorite movies. I have it on DVD. Now that you mention it, the scene does feel similar. It is ironic that Hoffman's character is tortured by a dentist while Sayid a torturer is treated by someone who is evil. I do not know much about the book other than the ending is different (based on the DVD extra's). An excellent movie.

Also what is similar is doesn't Dustin Hoffman fall for a German woman who ends up betraying him. Also Dustin Hoffman's character in that movie, his brother is attacked in a hotel room in like France or something like that. Hmm, it seems like Marathon Man may have played a heavy influence on this episode. Great catch.

I was thinking of the The Marathon Man too. And it look like this was an intentional homage on the producers' part.

Ben wore a vest like the Olivier character:

http://www.filmsondisc.com/images/marathon_man.jpg

The girlfriend in The Marathon Man also was named Elsa.

I was thinking of the The Marathon Man too. And it look like this was an intentional homage on the producers' part.

Ben wore a vest like the Olivier character:

http://www.filmsondisc.com/images/marathon_man.jpg

The girlfriend in The Marathon Man also was named Elsa.

I love how LOST writers put in some great little literature or movie moment or influence in the show. I'm amazed. Great writers in LOST. That is also fascinating about Elsa. That clinches it for me. Marathon Man had a huge influence on this episode (at least in style to a certian point). I have to bring that up. Great catch on this again LOSTOCD.