The Fifth Floor (1978)

College disco dancer is wrongly committed to an insane asylum.

Director:

Howard Avedis

Writers:

Meyer Dolinsky (screenplay), Howard Avedis (story)

Stars:

Bo Hopkins, Dianne Hull, Patti D'Arbanville

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bo Hopkins	...	Carl
Dianne Hull	...	Kelly McIntyre
Patti D'Arbanville	...	Cathy
Sharon Farrell	...	Melanie
Robert Englund	...	Benny
Anthony James	...	Derrick
Julie Adams	...	Nurse Hannelord
Mel Ferrer	...	Dr. Sidney Coleman
John David Carson	...	Ronnie Denton
Earl Boen	...	Phil
Betty Kean	...	Sophy
Alice Nunn	...	Emma
Cathey Paine	...	Lois
Udana Power	...	Nurse Whelan
Maggie Appel	...	Mental Patient

Storyline

A young woman collapses on the disco dance floor of what's revealed to be strychnine poisoning. Assuming that this is an attempt at suicide, her boyfriend and doctor have her committed to the Fifth Floor, an asylum with obviously crazy inmates and a predatory orderly. The problem is, she's still sane!

---

Plot Keywords:

sexual abuse | rape | mental institution | poison | female nudity | 

---

Taglines:

The Nightmare Is Knowing You're Sane.

---

Genres:

Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sharon Farrell claimed that the poster of her on the cover, with the title of the movie, The Fifth Floor, was on the wall on the fifth floor of the Playboy Building.

---

Alternate Versions

CBS edited 9 minutes from this film for its 1983 network television premiere.

---

Connections

Featured in Sneak Previews: Serial, The Changeling, My Brilliant Career, Foxes, Nijinsky (1980)

---

Soundtracks

Spank Your Thang
Written by Jerline Shelton and Maurice Commander

User Reviews

"Spread your beautiful wings and fly away!"

The Fifth Floor is a fun little horror/women-behind-bars hybrid with a great cast. The story, about a go-go dancer railroaded into an asylum, is based on a truly horrifying premise: Under certain circumstances, everything you say or do can be interpreted as a sign of madness. This could've been a very dark, lurid nuthouse shocker, but, perhaps in a bid for respectability, the sleaze factor is considerably played down. The result is a lightweight cult creation that, although lacking in ferocity, still comes across thanks to good acting and a real sense of helpless fear in key scenes. Pattie Brooks sings a very catchy number called "Fly Away" in the opening disco scene. Not bad at all.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Fifth Floor

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hickmar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color