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Scared to Death

  • 19801980
  • RR
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
4.2/10
832
YOUR RATING
Scared to Death (1980)
  • Horror
  • Sci-Fi
An ex-cop, now working as a hack novelist, is called out of retirement to help investigate a string of deaths that appear to be the work of a serial killer but soon are revealed to be the wo... Read allAn ex-cop, now working as a hack novelist, is called out of retirement to help investigate a string of deaths that appear to be the work of a serial killer but soon are revealed to be the work of the Syngenor - the synthesized genetic organism!An ex-cop, now working as a hack novelist, is called out of retirement to help investigate a string of deaths that appear to be the work of a serial killer but soon are revealed to be the work of the Syngenor - the synthesized genetic organism!
IMDb RATING
4.2/10
832
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • William Malone
  • Writers
    • William Malone(story)
    • Robert Short(story)
  • Stars
    • John Stinson
    • Diana Davidson
    • David Moses
Top credits
  • Director
    • William Malone
  • Writers
    • William Malone(story)
    • Robert Short(story)
  • Stars
    • John Stinson
    • Diana Davidson
    • David Moses
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 22User reviews
    • 21Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:31
    Trailer

    Photos31

    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)
    Scared to Death (1980)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Stinson
    • Ted Lonergan
    Diana Davidson
    • Jennifer Stanton
    David Moses
    David Moses
    • Detective Lou Capell
    • (as Jonathan David Moses)
    Toni Jannotta
    • Sherry Carpenter
    Walker Edmiston
    Walker Edmiston
    • Police Chief Dennis Warren
    Pamela Bowman
    • Janie Richter
    Mike Muscat
    Mike Muscat
    • Howard Tindall
    • (as Michael Muscat)
    Freddie Dawson
    • Virgil Watson
    Tracy Weddle
    • Kathy Sperry
    Joleen Porcaro
    • Kelly - Victim #5
    David Daniels
    • Michael, roller skater
    • (as Joseph Daniels)
    Stephen Fanning
    • Scott, roller skater
    Greer Justin
    • Sandy, rollerskater
    Johnny Crear
    Johnny Crear
    • Victor Colter
    John Moskal
    • Police Lab Man
    • (as John Moskal Jr.)
    Evan Cole
    • Paramedic
    Michael Griswold
    • Dr. Epstein
    Robert Short
    • Ed
    • Director
      • William Malone
    • Writers
      • William Malone(story)
      • Robert Short(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director William Malone said in an interview that actor/performer Rick Springfield was originally cast in the starring role of Ted Lonergan. He however called up Malone the night before filming began saying he couldn't be in his film because he was going to miss too many acting classes. Malone called up John Stinson whom he remembered from an improv class and begged him to be in the film.
    • Crazy credits
      [Before the film commences, this is placed across the screen] PROLOGUE: The events portrayed in the film, although fictional, are based on scientific fact. If they have not already happened, they soon could. Genetic engineering is real, and soon we may all have to deal with new values and definitions for life and death.
    • Alternate versions
      A TV print that aired on USA Network included a scene not included on Media's VHS: a group of teens searching for their lost friend in a parking garage find her body hanging upside down much like a scene in Halloween (1978).
    • Connections
      Featured in Working with a Master: William Malone (2006)

    User reviews22

    Review
    Top review
    4/10
    An uninspired man-made monster movie.
    Rather than use his scientific genius to benefit mankind, a genetics expert creates a vicious synthesised life-form that uses its forked tongue to drain the spinal fluid of its victims. Why? I dunno… must've seemed like a good idea at the time, I suppose. Cop turned novelist Ted Lonergan (John Stinson) helps his police pal Lou (David Moses) to investigate.

    This one starts out in classic B-movie monster mode with a naked blonde babe slipping into sexy, silky red underwear before becoming another victim of the Syngenor (Synthesised Genetic Organism). Its a fun, trashy way to kick things off, but the rest of the film offers very little to get excited about: lots of dull chit chat, a few gore-free deaths, and some roller-skating, all leading to the inevitable showdown between Ted and the incredibly slow moving H.R.Giger-style creature in a factory (an ending that might possibly have influenced The Terminator!).

    Missable stuff, unless you absolutely have to see every movie inspired in some way by Ridley Scott's Alien.
    helpful•4
    2
    • BA_Harrison
    • Dec 10, 2017

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Scared to Death: Syngenor
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Malone Productions Ltd.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $74,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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