FILM REVIEW: THE CALLER (1987)
Directed Arthur Allan Seidelman
Written by Michael Sloane
Starring Malcolm McDowell and Madolyn Smith
Tagline: A STRANGE VISITOR. A MYSTERIOUS WOMAN. A SURPRISE ENDING…
A woman (Smith), living in an isolated cabin in the woods, is visited one night by a mystery man (McDowell) claiming that his car has broken down. She lets him use her phone to call a towing service, but it’s soon clear that a strange, psychological game is at work between these two unnamed characters… who may or may not already know each other.
The duo continually tests each other about personal details and their backgrounds. And as the verbal sparring and cat-&-mouse interplay increases, the possible intentions of the so-called strangers become more and more menacing…
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Unfolding much like a two-character play, THE CALLER is a fascinating, twisty thriller thanks to the strength of its performers and a clever script that keeps the viewer guessing what exactly the hell is going on. The motives of the woman and her visitor seem to shift constantly, and the final revelation of the true nature behind this sinister encounter is a real genre-busting doozy.
Surprisingly, the film was produced by Charles Band’s Empire Pictures, known mostly for low-budget monster flicks and effects driven projects such and RE-ANIMATOR, PUPPET MASTER, GHOULIES, and SUBSPECIES. THE CALLER is quite atypical of Empire’s output at the time, and stands out as a relatively classy, heady entry from the small but busy studio.
The charismatic McDowell is a superb choice to play the mysterious caller; he imbues his character with an ominous, eccentric charm that only an actor of his caliber could pull off. Smith is also good, exhibiting a wide range of emotional states, from terrified victim to tenacious fighter, while at the same time being an equally enigmatic puzzle piece to the story.
Director Seidelman, known mostly for television work, does an impressive job at keeping the mostly set-bound action interesting. Since the bulk of the movie takes place inside the cabin, Seidelman uses fluid camerawork to heighten tension, gliding from room to room, peeking around corners, and hovering around his two actors as their battle of wits intensifies.
THE CALLER is an engrossing little film that touches on themes of isolation, paranoia, and the will to survive even in the direst situations. It’s quite underrated in my opinion, and more cult movie fans should know about it. It also has an inspired TWILIGHT ZONE style twist near the end that most viewers will not see coming. Hint: expect some startling make-up effects by late monster maker/genre director John Carl Buechler (TROLL, FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII: A NEW BLOOD).
This is the kind of movie that rewards with repeat viewings; story points and dialogue exchanges that initially seem odd or nonsensical actually make total sense once you know the final outcome…
Luckily, this undeservedly obscure horror/mystery flick has been given the deluxe blu-ray treatment by Vinegar Syndrome. Their newly scanned 2K disc looks fantastic, and features interviews with director Seidelman and veteran TV writer Sloane. Highly recommended!
If you’ve seen THE CALLER, shoot me a message and let me know what you think!
Shawn
