When a Stranger Calls (1979)

A psychopathic killer terrorizes a babysitter, then returns seven years later to menace her again.

Director:

Fred Walton

Writers:

Steve Feke, Fred Walton

Stars:

Carol Kane, Charles Durning, Rutanya Alda

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Carol Kane	...	Jill Johnson
Rutanya Alda	...	Mrs. Mandrakis
Carmen Argenziano	...	Dr. Mandrakis
Kirsten Larkin	...	Nancy
William Boyett	...	Sgt. Sacker (as Bill Boyett)
Charles Durning	...	John Clifford
Ron O'Neal	...	Lt. Charlie Garber
Heetu	...	Houseboy
Rachel Roberts	...	Dr. Monk
Tony Beckley	...	Curt Duncan
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Tracy
Michael Champion	...	Bill
Joseph Reale	...	Bartender (as Joe Reale)
Ed Wright	...	Retired Man
Louise Wright	...	Retired Woman

Storyline

High school student Jill Johnson is traumatized over an evening of babysitting by a caller who repeatedly asks, "Have you checked the children lately?" After notifying the police, Jill is told that the calls are coming from inside the house...

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Plot Keywords:

babysitting | bed | babysitter | telephone | cult film | 

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Taglines:

...Fear is the Message!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

'n maniak belt op...

Filming Locations:

2722 Club Dr Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Melvin Simon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film marked Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Donald Peterman's feature film debut as director of photography.

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Goofs

Although it is most certainly not the actor's (Tony Beckley's) fault because he was terminally ill during production, the killer Curt Duncan looks far too physically frail to have realistically torn two children apart with his bare hands.

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Quotes

John Clifford: [to Tracy, about Curt's murders] After the coroner's investigation the bodies were taken to the mortuary where the undertaker took one look at them and said their bodies couldn't be reconstructed for the burial without six days of steady work. Then he asked what had been the murder weapon, because looking at the mess in front of him he couldn't imagine what had been used. The coroner told him there had been no murder weapon. The killer had used only his hands.

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Connections

Followed by When a Stranger Calls Back (1993)

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Soundtracks

Huelga En General
Performed by El Teatro Campesino
Courtesy of Menyah Records

User Reviews

Have you checked the children?

"When a Stranger Calls" is a somewhat entertaining horror-suspense-thriller that starts off great, loses steam in the middle, then comes back for a good finish. The beginning of this movie is outstanding, with babysitter Carol Kane receiving obscene phone calls from an unknown maniac. This is far and away the best part of the film. It's scary, creepy, and downright eerie. But it doesn't sustain that level through the entire film. The mid-portion of the movie is rather dull, featuring a few lazy supporting performances. But "When a Stranger Calls" redeems itself with a nail-biting climax, even though the conclusion doesn't top the film's opening in terms of scariness. Carol Kane and Charles Durning are good in the roles of the terrified babysitter and the private detective searching for the killer when he's on the loose. "When a Stranger Calls" is not a great horror movie but a good one. And its better than the cable-made sequel that came out fourteen years later, "When a Stranger Calls Back".

*** (out of four)