Don't Open the Door! (1974)

In this horror movie, a dutiful grand-daughter goes home to take care of her elderly grandmother. Once there, she finds herself trapped inside the house with a homicidal maniac.

Director:

S.F. Brownrigg

Writers:

Frank Schaefer (screenplay), Kerry Newcomb (screenplay)

Stars:

Susan Bracken, Larry O'Dwyer, Gene Ross

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Susan Bracken	...	Amanda Post
Larry O'Dwyer	...	Claude Kearn
Gene Ross	...	Judge Stemple
James N. Harrell	...	Dr. Crawther (as Jim Harrell)
Hugh Feagin	...	Nick
Annabelle Weenick	...	Annie
Rhea MacAdams	...	Grandmother
John Steakley	...	Local 1
Jeffrey Swann	...	Local 2

Storyline

In this horror movie, a dutiful grand-daughter goes home to take care of her elderly grandmother. Once there, she finds herself trapped inside the house with a homicidal maniac.

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Plot Keywords:

house | grandmother | maniac | past | transsexual | 

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Taglines:

After 13 years she returned home... To a house of terror.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 May 1974 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Jefferson, Texas, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Wacko (1982)

User Reviews

Strange, quirky, and colorful low-budget horror film

A young woman reluctantly returns to her home town to oversee her dying grandmother's final days. While staying in the house where she witnessed her mumsy's murder thirteen years earlier, she finds more than a few secrets from her past have come back to haunt her. I appreciate that this movie has such strange execution. It's structure is very different from the typical low-budget horrors of this era, completely eschewing things like mystery (the killer's identity is obvious from the get-go) and resolution. Plot-wise, it borrows from proto-slashers BLACK Christmas and SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT. While it's lesser than both of those films in terms of quality, I did find it undeniably charming, entertaining, and even creepy at times. While the acting in the movie is generally amateur, Susan Bracken is a hoot as the spunky lead who gets to spout some amusing dialogue. She quickly flips the switch from headstrong heroine to full-on basket case and there's not a moment she's on screen where my eyes weren't on her face. It's one of the most memorable horror performances I've watched lately. The movie's biggest downfall is the irritating soap opera-ish theme song in the opening credits that pops up way too often throughout the movie. The freaky dolls in the opening sequence (who also pop up at other points in the movie) sort of make up for it. DON'T OPEN THE DOOR doesn't make much sense and it isn't going to be for everyone, but I found it to be a bizarre and unique viewing experience.