Don't Answer the Phone! (1980)

User Rating:

4.0/10   

Director:

Robert Hammer

Writers:

Michael D. Castle (writer)
Robert Hammer (writer)

Release Date:

29 February 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

He'll Know You're Alone!

Plot:

A deeply disturbed photographer and Vietnam veteran, named Kirk Smith, terrorizes Los Angeles by going...

Plot Keywords:

Psychologist | Photographer | Gunshot Wound | Knife Murder | Alcoholism

Awards:

1 win

Cast

James Westmoreland	...	Lt. Chris McCabe
Ben Frank	...	Sgt. Hatcher
Flo Lawrence	...	Dr. Lindsay Gale (as Flo Gerrish)
Nicholas Worth	...	Kirk Smith
Denise Galik	...	Lisa
Stan Haze	...	Adkins
Gary Allen	...	John Feldon
Michael D. Castle	...	Lab Man (as Michael Castle)
Pamela Jean Bryant	...	Sue Ellen (as Pamela Bryant)
Ted Chapman	...	Man in Bar
Chris Wallace	...	Psychic Von Hammensveld
Dale Kalberg	...	Nurse
Deborah Leah Land	...	Police Woman
Tom Lasswell	...	Police Psychiatrist
Mike Levine	...	Gary Markov

Also Known As:

The Hollywood Strangler

Runtime:

94 min | USA:85 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:16 | Canada:R | Australia:R | Denmark:15 (video rating) | France:-16 | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Scorpion

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The first blonde victim can clearly be seen to breathe after being strangled.

Quotes:

Lisa: Mom, Dad, the drugs are more important than you!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006)

Worth a Look

Don't Answer the Phone is yet another film from the late 70s and early 80s about a psychotic, demented, socially awkward killer who brutalizes women because of his "problems" - whatever those problems might be. This time around we have a muscular, fat Vietnam vet who was never good enough for his father butcher pretty girls just after they have stripped from their little clothing. Nicolas Worth plays the wheezing, maniacal killer with a bizarre almost interesting quality. He is not a good actor yet is able to hold your attention throughout. I wish I could say something pleasant about the rest of the cast, but none of the rest are very competent. The police detectives who are looking for Worth - one which falls in love with the pretty radio psychiatrist that can shed light on the killer's identity - were particularly bad. The girls are pretty but the misogynistic flair devoted to their deaths is particularly degrading and unpleasant. The film is at least not overtly gory and had me interested until the end. The story was compelling enough and Worth is worth a look if nothing else.