Link (1986)

A zoology student must try to out smart a murderous and super-intelligent orangutan.

Director:

Richard Franklin

Writers:

Lee David Zlotoff (story), Tom Ackermann (story),

Stars:

Elisabeth Shue, Terence Stamp, Steven Pinner

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Elisabeth Shue	...	Jane Chase
Terence Stamp	...	Dr. Steven Phillip
Steven Pinner	...	David
Richard Garnett	...	Dennis
David O'Hara	...	Tom
Kevin Lloyd	...	Bailey
Joe Belcher	...	Taxi Driver

Storyline

Student Jane jobs as an assistant for the animal researcher Phillip in a lonesome old house. They live alone except for the chimpanzees and butler Link: a 45 years old very intelligent orangutan. Phillip wants to put Link to death. However before he can do this he's vanished tracelessly one morning. Link starts behaving more and more aggressive and prohibits Jane from using the phone or reaching the next village. When she punishes him by locking him out, he becomes violent.

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Plot Keywords:

orangutan | chimpanzee | assistant | boyfriend girlfriend relationship | monkey | 

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Taglines:

For thousands of years man has enslaved the ape, now the tables are about to turn.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 September 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Abernes nat

Filming Locations:

St. Abbs, Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK

Box Office

Gross:

$1,720,450 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cannon Screen Entertainment, Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Locke, the orangutan who plays Link, and Jed, the chimp who plays Imp, go in wheel chairs before they start filming to save their energy.

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Goofs

Link is an orangutan and they have reddish-brown fur, in the film he is recalled as a chimp and the trainers dyed his fur black.

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Quotes

Imp: [On the keyboard] KILL LINK!

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Soundtracks

"APEMAN"
Performed by The Kinks
Music by Ray Davies
Published by Davray Music Ltd.
Courtesy of Carlin Music

User Reviews

The critics hated this, but it's fun.

Richard Franklin is a self-proclaimed Hitchcock fan (he made "Psycho II", after all), and you've got to hand it to him, "Link" is more artfully directed than the average mid-80s horror film, with some nice camera movements and some even nicer transition shots. It moves slowly, though, and some characters seem to be introduced only to pump up the body count. Elizabeth Shue, in only her second role, is admirable in the way she holds her own against the naturally scene-stealing chimpanzees. (**1/2)