When a Stranger Calls (2006)

During an otherwise routine babysitting gig, a high-school student is harassed by an increasingly threatening prank caller.

Director:

Simon West

Writers:

Jake Wade Wall (screenplay), Steve Feke,

Stars:

Camilla Belle, Tommy Flanagan, Katie Cassidy

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Camilla Belle	...	Jill Johnson
Tommy Flanagan	...	Stranger
Katie Cassidy	...	Tiffany
Tessa Thompson	...	Scarlet
Brian Geraghty	...	Bobby
Clark Gregg	...	Ben Johnson
Derek de Lint	...	Dr. Mandrakis
Kate Jennings Grant	...	Kelly Mandrakis
David Denman	...	Officer Burroughs
Arthur Young	...	Will Mandrakis
Madeline Carroll	...	Allison Mandrakis
Steve Eastin	...	Detective Hines
John Bobek	...	Officer Lewis
Brad Surosky	...	Boom Boom
Karina Logue	...	Track Coach

Storyline

Jill Johnson is being forced to babysit at a BIG house all by herself for exceeding her telephone minutes. Then all of a sudden a stranger calls making these weird remarks. Jill decides to call the police to trace the call. Jill is freaked out when she finds out that the call is coming from inside the house! Jill runs in a hurry trying to get the children and leave. Will Jill make it in the house in time? Will she live? Well you just have to watch the movie to find out!

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Plot Keywords:

babysitting | cell phone | high school | high school student | babysitter | 

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Taglines:

Whatever You Do, Don't Answer The Phone.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense terror, violence and some language

Details

Official Sites:

Gaumont Columbia Tristar [France] Official site [Australia]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 February 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cuando un extraño llama

Filming Locations:

Bellarmine-Jefferson High School, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$80,566 (South Africa) (7 July 2006)

Gross:

$174,153 (South Africa) (7 July 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Gems, Davis Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There were at least five different versions of the peach/coral colored t-shirt Jill wears throughout the movie; a special "waterproof wet-look" version was made for her to wear through her scenes with water.

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Goofs

In the shot where Tiffany is talking to Jill in the kitchen, her hair is slightly tucked on her right side. When the shot returns back to her seconds later, her hair is perfect and not tucked at all.

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Quotes

Jill Johnson: Tiffany, I know it's you. I can see your name on Caller ID, genius.
Voice of the Stranger: This isn't Tiffany.
Jill Johnson: Who is this?
Voice of the Stranger: [pause] Who is this?
Jill Johnson: Cody?
Voice of the Stranger: Who's Cody?
Jill Johnson: You better cut this out!
[stranger hangs up]

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Connections

Spoofed in 30 Rock: Corporate Crush (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Lock It"
Written by Joe Faraci
Performed by Faraci
Courtesy of Kid Gloves Music

User Reviews

Beautiful girl, nice house but that's about it really

When A Stranger Calls is a remake of a 1979 film of the same name, a movie that i have not yet seen. The plot is quite simple. A high school chick has racked up a large phone bill and to pay it off has to do some babysitting. She babysits in a real nice house packed full of gadgets in a remote location.

Camilla Belle is alone for the most part, she's a good-looking girl and acts pretty well. This isn't really a horror film, it's just about making you scared and it does that well for much of the time but at times it can be frustrating. It's constantly building up tension but to be honest, will little action and that's where it can get slightly boring.

I have a few issues with this movie, but that's not to say I'm slagging it off because it wasn't a bad movie, with suspense and manages to entertain somewhat. But why the did the Mandrakis' need a babysitter in the first place? They had a maid. Why didn't she just look out for the kids? Secondly, if she was there, then why not any conversation between the two. They could have at least said a few words and not just the maid saying hello.

Thirdly, why did Tiffany come along only for a few minutes?. What was the point? and drove all the way up to that remote location. That must have really meant at least 30 minutes or even more she wouldn't be spending at the bonfire party.

And, why didn't Jill go check the kids more?. OK, she did after the stranger's call. But she's the frigging babysitter. Surely, she would have had the decency to check the children are fine more often.

Plus, there was a lot of noise. Phone ringing quite a few times. Jill making noise from being scared, answering the phone, turning on the TV, music, Tiffany talking and stuff like that. Might have woken the kids.

And finally, seems that Jill will be spending more time babysitting after another phone bill she seems to have racked up in the process.

But anyway, who cares, half-decent entertainment, nice looking girl and house.