Scripted by Judith Parker, based on a novel by Richard Peck, 'Are You in the House Alone?!' tells the story of high schooler Gail Osborne (pretty Kathleen Beller, 'Dynasty'), who begins to receive ominous notes and phone calls from a stalker. Her best friend Allison Bremer (Robin Mattson, 'General Hospital') believes her to be prone to over-reaction, but Gail is still scared. Still, her ordeal is far from over, even after a horrifying encounter with the stalker...
This viewer realizes that TV movies such as this one are rarely going to pack the same punch as theatrical treatments of similar stories, due to being made for general audiences and designed to be interrupted by commercials. And 'Are You in the House Alone?!' is mild stuff compared to the typical big screen horror film, at least in term of scares and suspense. That's not to say that director Walter Grauman ("Lady in a Cage", 'Crowhaven Farm') doesn't give it some style, though.
However, it's after the villain is revealed (near the beginning of the final third) that this actually turns into a different sort of story, about one of the horrors facing real-life women. One completely sympathizes with Gail and wonders if justice can possibly prevail.
In the meantime, there are some subplots that take up time: Gail's interest / skill in photography (which, unsurprisingly, comes in handy), the secret that Gail's father (Tony Bill, "Shampoo") is hiding from her, Allisons' fantasy of marrying her boyfriend Phil Lawver (Dennis Quaid), etc.
It's the cast that makes this as watchable as it is. Other familiar faces like Blythe Danner ("Futureworld"), Tricia O'Neil ("Piranha Part Two: The Spawning"), Alan Fudge ("Capricorn One"), Scott Colomby ("Caddyshack"), John Travolta's older sis Ellen ("Human Experiments"), and Randy Stumpf ("Silent Night, Deadly Night") all turn up as well. Colomby is particularly endearing as Gail's likeable love interest.
Even though this one may come as a disappointment for TV horror fans expecting more of a spook show, its final third does make it somewhat interesting and impossible to dismiss outright.
Six out of 10.
This viewer realizes that TV movies such as this one are rarely going to pack the same punch as theatrical treatments of similar stories, due to being made for general audiences and designed to be interrupted by commercials. And 'Are You in the House Alone?!' is mild stuff compared to the typical big screen horror film, at least in term of scares and suspense. That's not to say that director Walter Grauman ("Lady in a Cage", 'Crowhaven Farm') doesn't give it some style, though.
However, it's after the villain is revealed (near the beginning of the final third) that this actually turns into a different sort of story, about one of the horrors facing real-life women. One completely sympathizes with Gail and wonders if justice can possibly prevail.
In the meantime, there are some subplots that take up time: Gail's interest / skill in photography (which, unsurprisingly, comes in handy), the secret that Gail's father (Tony Bill, "Shampoo") is hiding from her, Allisons' fantasy of marrying her boyfriend Phil Lawver (Dennis Quaid), etc.
It's the cast that makes this as watchable as it is. Other familiar faces like Blythe Danner ("Futureworld"), Tricia O'Neil ("Piranha Part Two: The Spawning"), Alan Fudge ("Capricorn One"), Scott Colomby ("Caddyshack"), John Travolta's older sis Ellen ("Human Experiments"), and Randy Stumpf ("Silent Night, Deadly Night") all turn up as well. Colomby is particularly endearing as Gail's likeable love interest.
Even though this one may come as a disappointment for TV horror fans expecting more of a spook show, its final third does make it somewhat interesting and impossible to dismiss outright.
Six out of 10.