"Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense" Child's Play (1986)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Val Guest

Writer:

Graham Wassell (screenplay)

TV Series:

"Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense" (1984)

Original Air Date:

2 May 1986 (Season 1, Episode 12)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

A family awakens to find themselves trapped in their own home, all windows and doors sealed by impenetrable walls...

Plot Keywords:

Trapped | Slap | Symbol | Alien | Husband Wife Relationship

Cast

Mary Crosby	...	Ann Preston
Nicholas Clay	...	Mike Preston
Debbie Chasan	...	Sarah Preston
Suzanne Church	...	Mother
Joanna Joseph	...	Child

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

UK

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Movie Connections:

Remake of "The Twilight Zone: Five Characters in Search of an Exit (#3.14)" (1961)

The one which everyone remembers!

First viewing: November 1984 / Second viewing: October 2003

Easily the most memorable of the whole `Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense' series, `Child's Play' is like a stage play. Just three characters (kudos to the beautiful Mary `I shot JR' Crosby) – a nuclear family of sorts – who awake at 4:10AM one morning trapped in their own home. We learn very early on about the steel fortress and the mysterious symbol that constantly appears. A sense of impending doom and claustrophobia pervade throughout and the final scene is shocking in its execution. `A true story. Which has just been told before its time' reads the caption on the final reel. Almost perfect and nineteen years later I'm still amazed. 9/10