A
serial killer Jerry Blake (Terry
O'Quinn) has slayed a widowed family that
he wasn't satisfied with and then moves
away overseas to another area and
disguises himself to be another person
getting a job as a real estate agent.
While residing there, he becomes engaged
to another widow Susan Maine
(Shelley Hack) along with her daughter
Stephanie (Jill Schoelen) who has a hard
time adjusting to him since her father
has died.
She talk to her counsellor Dr. Bondurant
(Charles Lanier) on what to do about
these situations as she's frusterated
with life. She even rebels with her
classmates in school getting herself
kicked out and almost being forced to go
to a boarding school in which Jerry
disapproves in which he thinks that a
family should stick together.
Also during a real estate party he
notices a paper discussing about the
family slaying and goes down to his
basement where he works with his
carpentry supplies going crazy and
screaming out loud in which Stephanie
catches him in the act and tries to find
out if he was responsible for slaying the
family due to his temperamental behavior.
Eventually Jerry reacts more strangely to
Stephanie's lifestyle and is dissatified
with this family in which he may have
some deadly plans up his sleeve for the
two of them.
A detective Jim Ogilvie (Stephen
Shellen) tries to track Jerry down before
it's too late since he is trying to
travel all over the area asking residents
about him living in the area.
The film turns off
with a terrific horror start in which
this maniac known as Jerry Blake cleans
himself up after killing his stepfamily
which is quite cringing but at least
there's nothing shown on him doing all of
this in which people who are just
starting out to watch horror films can be
entertained by watching this. Also it's
neat that he disguises himself and
changing his name in order to hide his
identity which is even spookier making
you wonder how long he can pursue doing
this and living with his guilt for what
he did to the former family he was
unsatisfied with.
Then a year passes in which he's engaged
to a woman named Susan along with his
stepdaughter Stephanie in which he seems
like an innocent charming fellow who
wouldn't harm anyone which can boggle you
thinking if he will remain sane after
what he's done. But you keep watching and
you see he has some anger issues when
he's alone which is really psychological
to anyone who has a quick temper and
needs to let out some steam when they're
alone. You think to yourself... Can I go
that crazy???
He shows a great rage in his workshop in
the basement which is the most effective
due to the writing and everything else
bringing out the true horror to this
maniac making you think to yourself if he
will get to the point that he will kill
again???
There's also scene's with Stephanie
talking to her counsellor Dr. Bondurant
which looks very uplifting as if he's a
family member helping her out that
there's a perfect realtionship between
the two of them as some counsellors can
come across as too serious and almost
intimidating. I found these moments
nicely written in.
There's a moment when Bondurant tries to
fake a person interested in buying a
house in order to try and talk to Jerry
about the situations that Stephanie is
having problems with him in which this
moment is pretty chilling. You do think
to yourself that he is looking for his
death bed while the story still starts to
run and Jerry gets suspicious which
definetely leaves a chilld down your
spine when he gets serious with him to
the point that he is about to do
something and then it does which makes
this moment hard to watch for sure.
Yet there's moments when Jerry lies to
Stephanie about what had happened to her
poor counsellor which makes them close
like he always wanted. You think to
yourself what is going to happen next as
he seemed to get what he wanted by
behaving like a bloodthristy monster?
Well it sure does as Stephanie kisses her
boyfriend and he catches them thinking he
was trying to rape her which is normal
for an maniac to make judgements likes
that.
Then later on he quits his job and plans
to find a new place to stay and changing
his identity before doing his next deeds
and this brings up the terror big time
that he's not happy with this family at
all which really becomes very exciting as
well as a detective trying to hunt him
down and hoping to save the day too.
The ending is great as you just get even
more excited to watch the sequel
wondering what happnes next. No matter
how many times the killer dies he always
comes back alive and killing!!!!
Bottom line is this film seems slow in
some spots but it really picks up with
the suspense and intensity big time as
well as having great performances which
makes this a good movie and almost makes
it grab fans who enjoy flicks like Psycho.
Worth chacking out for anyone who likes
bizarre type of films with a killer
hiding his deadly secrets to impress
innocent people to bring him into their
life.
The acting is
terrifically well done in which lead
actor Terry O'Quinn (Jerry
Blake) really knew his stuff on playing a
maniac as he has the looks of one with
his thinnish features plus he really knew
on how to act deceivingly nice and mellow
really fooling you that he's a normal
everyday guy. Then it's great when he
snaps acting insane and obnoxious in
which he came across as truly
intimidating. He shows a terrific
versatality with his role making his role
truly psychological. A good moment with him pushing someone which looked nicely done
as well as a good disturbed expression on his
face when he confuses his story about his
daughter which looked creepy. A good disturbed reaction on
him replying to the others about all of
this which looked spooky like after reading the paper on the murder case. Effective performance on him down in the basement with his working
tools slamming them around and going in a
screaming rage which looked believeably
intense and then
a nice change when
he spots someone and changing into his mellow
mood again in which he does wonderfully and very
horror like offering a perfect versatality. A great shocked expression
on his face after what he spots that was in the mail. Was believeably deadly with his blocking motions while smacking someone with a board offering perfect intensity. Does great by screaming in a rage towards someone after spotting a couple kissing in his front house as he shows off a perfect psychotic attitude. A
good moment with him picking up a phone
and then slamming it at his fellow actress' face which
looked believeably brutal. Plus some
great moments on him being brutal towards
her and throwing her down some stairs.
Jill Schoelen (Stephanie Maine) has
a nice typical teenage attitude with a
good hearted behavior as well as really
showing some good emotions with what she
does along with her sensitive behavior
too. She brings on a nice charming
attitude too which was a great plus so
she brought everything together nicely. Shows off a natural job when nervously approaching someone after seeing their rage down in a basement area.
Shelley Hack (Susan) plays a good
sympathetic mother with a nice attitude
bringing a good heartwarming behavior
around her. She certainly came across
perfectly by portraying this part in the
film. She does it so well that you
wouldn't want anything bad to happen to
her. A perfect demanding and
nervousness moment trying to get some answers towards someone else.
Charles Lanier (Dr. Bondurant)
really brought on a terrific
understanding attitude as a counsellor.
He really came across as a likeable type
that everyone would like to have who are
having problems with their life and him
listening and really being non
pressuring. I liked his part alot in the
film as he made his part come to life big
time. Showed great painful reactions after being smacked with a board.
Stephen Shellen (Jim Ogilvie)
certainly showed the most energy as a
tough detective in the flick. He really
brought out his anxiety and aggressions
for most of the scene's in this film
which is great. He came across as some
character that you'd see in Miami Vice or
somewhere along those lines. He was quite
powerful in what he did. A great rage when he is grabbing onto
his fellow actor and getting aggressive with him. A great moment with him acting panicky towards someone else and getting forceful towards him
accussing him as well as him getting
tough asking him a question which looked
highly energised. A great moment with him acting cautious by entering a house.
Terry O'Quinn has
his butt revealed while walking into a
shower.
Jill Schoelen also walks into a
shower with her butt reavealed and her
breasts are shown while she showers.
Dr. Bondurant's
head is bloodily bashed by a board
Susan's face is bloodied after a phone is
whacked in her face
Jerry Blake has a knife stabbed in his
chest and he is bloodied
There's some good
low keyboard music as well as the odd
chiming sounds for the opening credits
which works incredibly well along with
some heavy drum booming too in many of
the scene's for the film. Plus there's
some good violin plucking sounds too
which works quite well all composed by
Patrick Moraz.
Jerry Blake: Wait a
minute, who am I here?
Sue: Jerry?
Jerry Blake: That's right. Jerry
Blake. Thanks, honey. |
