Deadly Friend (1986)

Director:

Wes Craven

Writers:

Diana Henstell (novel)
Bruce Joel Rubin (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 October 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

She can't live without you.

Plot:

Paul is a new kid in town with a robot named "BB". He befriends Samantha and the three of them have a lot of good times together...

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Father | Abusive Father | Halloween | Murder

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Matthew Labyorteaux	...	Paul Conway
Kristy Swanson	...	Samantha Pringle
Michael Sharrett	...	Tom 'Slime' Toomey
Anne Twomey	...	Jeannie Conway
Anne Ramsey	...	Elvira Parker
Richard Marcus	...	Harry Pringle
Russ Marin	...	Dr. Johanson
Lee Paul	...	Sergeant Volchek
Andrew Roperto	...	Carl
Charles Fleischer	...	BB (voice)
Robin Nuyen	...	Thief
Frank Cavestani	...	Angry resident
Merritt Olsen	...	CAT Scan Technician
William H. Faeth	...	Doctor in Sam's room (as William H. Faeth M.D.)
Joel Hile	...	Deputy
Tom Spratley	...	Neighbor
Jim Ishida	...	Coroner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nancy E. Barr	...	Robot (uncredited)

Directed by
Wes Craven

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Diana Henstell		novel "Friend"
Bruce Joel Rubin		screenplay

Produced by
Robert Crawford Jr.	....	co-producer (as Robert L. Crawford)
Patrick Kelley	....	executive producer
Robert M. Sherman	....	producer

Original Music by
Charles Bernstein

Cinematography by
Philip H. Lathrop

Film Editing by
Michael Eliot

Production Design by
John Loggia
Daniel A. Lomino

Makeup Department
Lance Anderson	....	additional special makeup effects
Michael Hancock	....	makeup artist

Art Department
Roy Barnes	....	set designer
John Sweeney	....	assistant propmaster

Special Effects by
Peter Albiez	....	special effects foreman

Stunts
Anthony Cecere	....	stunt coordinator
Doc D. Charbonneau	....	stunts
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunt double: Anne Ramsey
Terry Leonard	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Howard Anderson	....	key grip
Doug J. Campbell	....	dolly grip (as Doug Campbell)

Transportation Department
Robert Neilson	....	transportation coordinator
Dave Robling	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Marianne Maddalena	....	assistant: Mr. Craven
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Allen J. Schwalb	....	financier
Karen Shaw	....	production coordinator
B.J. Smith	....	set medic (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
• Pan Arts
• Layton

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1987) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1987) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1988) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment (1986) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (198?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  opticals

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 (original rating) (cut) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2007) (uncut version) | West Germany:18 (original rating) (uncut) | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (1988) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2007) (self applied) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1987) | France:-12 | Norway:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Samantha lifts the bully up, you can very faintly see the wires holding him up.

Quotes:

Sam:He's my father. Sometimes I want to roll a truck over his face but he's still my father.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Welshy Reviews: Red Eye (#1.11)" (2011)

Odd, but good horror from Wes Craven

Deadly Friend should probably be good for fans of cult horror films, and this is nothing like some of Wes Craven's past and present films such as "Nightmare on Elm Street" or "Scream", but it does have a good combination of both the horror classics "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein". However, the script is rather weak and seemed poorly adapted from Diana Henstall's more effect short novel "Friend". Deadly Friend does have some good scares and above all gore and a good solid cast from teen stars Matthew Laborteaux, Michael Sharrett and a young beautiful Kristy Swanson in the title role. Both Russ Marin and Anne Twomey provide a warm feeling to the younger cast and the audiences, while Richard Marcus and Anne Ramsey both, as usual, looking wickedly evil in their roles. Above all, Ramsey's classic decapitation by basketball scene is the highlight of the film. One year before she was seen in Steven Spielberg's "The Goonies", and a year after this she got an Oscar nomination for "Throw Momma from the Train", before dying in 1988. I whould say Deadly Friend gets 8/10, for a classic cult horror favorite.