When a Stranger Calls (1979)

Director:

Fred Walton

Writers:

Steve Feke (written by) and
Fred Walton (written by)

Release Date:

26 October 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

...Fear is the Message!

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Babysitting | Babysitter | Telephone | Mysterious Telephone Call | Spit In The Face

Awards:

1 win

Cast

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
Carol O'Neal	...	Mrs. Garber
Dennis McMullen	...	Maintenance Man
Wally Taylor	...	Cheater
John Tobyansen	...	Bar Customer
Sara Damman	...	Bianca Lockart
Richard Bail	...	Stevie Lockart
Steven Anderson	...	Stephen Lockart
Lenora May	...	Sharon
Randy Holland	...	Maitre d'
Trent Dolan	...	Policeman #1
Frank DiElsi	...	Policeman #2
Arell Blanton	...	Policeman #3
DeForest Covan	...	Officer #1 (as De Forest Covan)
Charles Boswell	...	Officer #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dick Warlock	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Cheryl Wilson	...	Mrs. Shifrin (uncredited)

Directed by
Fred Walton

Writing credits
Steve Feke		(written by) and
Fred Walton		(written by)

Produced by
Doug Chapin	....	producer
Steve Feke	....	producer
Larry Kostroff	....	associate producer
Barry Krost	....	executive producer
Melvin Simon	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dana Kaproff

Cinematography by
Donald Peterman		(director of photography) (as Don Peterman)

Film Editing by
Sam Vitale

Casting by
Penny Perry

Production Design by
Elayne Barbara Ceder

Set Decoration by
Lee Poll

Makeup Department
Ruby Ford	....	hair stylist
Billy Laughridge	....	hair stylist (as Billie Laughridge)
Bob Mills	....	makeup artist
Edie Panda	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Barbara Michaels	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward Ledding	....	first assistant director (as Ed Ledding)
Lynn M. Morgan	....	second assistant director (as Lynn Morgan)

Art Department
Priscilla Beroud	....	assistant property master
Leonard Cross	....	leadman
Martin Marias	....	property master

Sound Department
Martin Raymond Bolger	....	production sound mixer (as Martin Bolger)
Bud Fuellgrabe	....	boom operator
Walter Goss	....	sound re-recording mixer
Keith Stafford	....	sound editor

Stunts
Stan Barrett	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
James Ball	....	second grip (as Jim Ball)
Joe Castagnoli	....	second camera assistant
Jim Everly	....	electrician
John M. Hennessy	....	key grip (as John Hennessy)
Leslie J. Kovacs	....	gaffer (as Les Kovacs)
Brice Mack	....	camera operator (as Brice Mack III)
Carol McCullough	....	still photographer
Joseph J. Orefice	....	best boy (as Joe Orefice)
Bill Randall	....	dolly grip
Baird Steptoe	....	first camera assistant

Casting Department
Beverly Long	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Richard Bruno	....	costume supervisor (as Dick Bruno)
Dean Skipworth	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Susan Cooper	....	editorial consultant
John Fenady	....	apprentice editor
Harold Wilner	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jim Henrikson	....	music editor

Transportation Department
William Cockrell	....	transportation co-captain
Jim Martell	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Harriet Brown	....	assistant to producers
Virginia Cook-McGowan	....	production coordinator (as Virginia Cook)
Marc Dodell	....	production assistant
Barbara Hogan	....	script supervisor
Ed Margulies	....	unit publicist
Rita Moseley	....	location auditor
Jim Swinehart	....	craft service

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Melvin Simon Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Europa Film (1980) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment (1981) (USA) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1982) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• AVCO Embassy Pictures (re-release)
• Melvin Simon Productions
• Odyssey (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• B & D Special Effects

Other Companies

• Westheimer Company  titles and opticals
• Maslansky Koenigsgerg  publicity (as Maslansky/Koenigsberg, Inc.)
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex camera (as Panavision®)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Germany:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Based on the year the film took place, 1 minute would not be nearly long enough to trace Curt's call. Back when the movie was set, it would've taken 10-20 minutes for several switchboards and circuits to locate the origin of the call.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the final scene, Jill goes to her bedroom closet to see if Curt Duncan is in there. She is about to open the door with her left hand. In the next shot, she opens it with her right hand.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Curt Duncan:Have you checked the children?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 5: 8-Bit Is Enough (2008) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Space Race

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)