Paranoia (1998)

Jana Mercer is the sole survivor after the serial killer has brutally slaughtered her family. Incredible trauma has isolated the girl from the whole world. She's living in fear and ... See full summary »

Director:

Larry Brand

Writer:

Larry Brand

Stars:

Brigitte Bako, Larry Drake, Sally Kirkland

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brigitte Bako	...	Jana Mercer
Larry Drake	...	Calvin Hawks
Sally Kirkland	...	Dr. Kurtzwell
Robert Floyd	...	Mark Daniels
Stephen Gevedon	...	David
Scott Valentine	...	Warren
Marty McDonough	...	Brady Watts
Mary Jane Wells	...	Aunt Margaret
Jacques Sandulescu	...	Vanya
Emanuel Yarbrough	...	Witchy Stick Man
Bernadette Quigley	...	Saleswoman
Irma St. Paule	...	Old Woman
Seth Copans	...	Librarian Jules
John L. Payne	...	Deputy Phyphe
Adam Purjes	...	Boy in Library

Storyline

Jana Mercer is the sole survivor after the serial killer has brutally slaughtered her family. Incredible trauma has isolated the girl from the whole world. She's living in fear and loneliness. The only contiguity is her brief interviews with the shrink and connection to Internet. Until the night when someone has established communication with Jana via computer. She realizes that her interlocutor is the ruthless murderer who has killed her family. And to her horror she finds out that he is going to be released from his confinement very soon.

---

Plot Keywords:

serial killer | internet | female protagonist | stalker

---

Taglines:

Fear can be a powerful weapon.

---

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, some sexual content and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

March 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Paranoia - Allein mit dem Killer

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Jana Mercer: You know, fear is an interesting thing. If you let it control you, you live your life in the dark. But if you learn to use it, it can be your best friend.

---

Connections

References The Monkees (1966)

User Reviews

Plodding, stagy thriller... Nice and offbeat

Paranoia is the type of film people either love or hate. It's slow, it's talky, it's cheaply made and quite frankly it's a little bit strange. All part of the appeal, in my opinion.

Jana Mercer has become a recluse after a psychopath (Larry Drake -- who else?) broke into her home and murdered her entire family when she was a child. Now grown, Jana returns to her childhood neighborhood just as the loony is inexplicably paroled.

This is a movie that's rich with back-story and stagy dialogue. Jana is a fully realized and fleshed out character, admirably played by b-movie vixen Brigitte Bako, who comes off a little wooden but mostly BECAUSE of the character she's portraying. Larry Drake is a b- movie pro who gets to elegantly spout off a slew of creepy dialogue. The movie's got some oddball stuff going on which seems to be in reference to other things (Dick Van Dyke Show, witchy stick, gafilter fish, etc.), though almost 15 years after I first saw the film, I still don't get all the inside jokes. And did I mention the ending packs a wallop of a twist?

If you skimmed this review and think the film might be up your alley, it probably is. Unfortunately there are no DVD special features, which sucks because it's the type of film which would benefit from insight from the writer/director.