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The Stepfather (1987)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
23 January 1987 (USA) moreTagline:
Daddy's Home and He's Not Very Happy morePlot:
All about a "family values" man Jerry Blake who marries widows and divorcées with children in search of the perfect family... more | full synopsisAwards:
2 wins & 6 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(19 articles)
Meet the Women of the Original Stepfather (From Dread Central. 7 July 2009, 8:15 PM, PDT)
The Original Stepfather Coming To DVD October 7th!
(From Icons of Fright. 2 July 2009, 11:57 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
"Wait a minute, who am I here?" moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Terry O'Quinn | ... | Gerald 'Jerry' Blake | |
| Jill Schoelen | ... | Stephanie Maine | |
| Shelley Hack | ... | Susan Maine Blake | |
| Charles Lanyer | ... | Dr. Bondurant | |
| Stephen Shellen | ... | Jim Ogilvie | |
| Stephen E. Miller | ... | Al Brennan | |
| Robyn Stevan | ... | Karen | |
| Jeff Schultz | ... | Paul Baker | |
| Lindsay Bourne | ... | Art Teacher | |
| Anna Hagan | ... | Mrs. Leitner | |
| Gillian Barber | ... | Anne Barnes | |
| Blu Mankuma | ... | Lt. Jack Wall | |
| Jackson Davies | ... | Mr. Chesterton | |
| Sandra Head | ... | Receptionist | |
| Gabrielle Rose | ... | Dorothy Rinehard |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
89 minLanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Ultra StereoCertification:
Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1988) (VHS) | Australia:M | Denmark:15 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1988) | France:-12 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Loosely based on the story of John List. He is the New Jersey man who killed his family, and disappeared for 16 years, until he was one of the first people profiled on "America's Most Wanted." moreGoofs:
Continuity: Paint changes on Steph's back during her fight in school. moreQuotes:
Jerry Blake: Wait a minute, who am I here?Sue: Jerry?
Jerry Blake: That's right. Jerry Blake. Thanks, honey.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "King of the Hill: Untitled Blake McCormick Project (#12.12)" (2008) moreSoundtrack:
Run Between the Raindrops moreFAQ
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As a general rule, I don't quote dialogue from a movie in my comment summary (to me, it seems like the lazy thing to do), but the above line, as uttered by Terry O' Quinn towards the end of The Stepfather, is so perfectly delivered that I decided to make an exception. And this is just one of many genuinely chilling moments in this excellent 80s thriller that go to make it unmissable entertainment for anyone who loves scary movies.
The lovely Jill Schoelen plays troubled teen Stephanie, who has every right to be disturbed: her father died a year ago, and she suspects that her new stepfather, the seemingly perfect Jerry (O'Quinn), is a serial killer. Of course, Stephanie is rightJerry IS a complete nutter: desperate to become part of a perfect American family, he marries widows and divorcées with children, but kills them when they fail to measure up to his exacting standards.
Jim Ogilvie, the brother of one of Jerry's past victims, is hot on the psycho's trail, but with Jerry becoming increasingly disappointed with his new stepdaughter, will Jim catch up with the maniac before another family is slaughtered?
Sharply written, with excellent direction from Joseph Ruben, and a brilliant central performance from O'Quinn, The Stepfather rarely puts a foot wrong. At a push, one might argue that Jerry's ability to adopt a new persona after each massacre is a touch too easy, but this is a minor quibble and doesn't affect the power of the film in any way. Schoelen is also superb, offering just the right balance of vulnerability and spunky bravado (plus we get to see her in the showerhurrah!).
The Stepfather proved to be a minor success on it's original release, and inevitably spawned a sequel, but over the past two decades, it seems to have been forgotten by many (no-one at my place of work seemed to know anything about it). Now that a remake is in the pipeline, perhaps more people will choose to investigate the original; it's a film that certainly deserves to be rediscovered by the masses.