When a Stranger Calls Back
by Fred Walton (II)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Carol Kane, Charles Durning, Gary Jones, Gene Lythgow, Jill SchoelenDirector: Fred Walton (II)
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 94 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-05-15
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Good Times Video
Movie Reviews of When a Stranger Calls Back
Movie Review: Improves on the original, but in other ways it's also very inferior
Summary: 3 Stars
When a Stranger Calls back was overall a well-done sequel that in some ways improves on the original, but in other ways it's also very inferior to the original. Like the original the opening act is simply brilliant. Each second the tension is raised until you are on the edge of your seat. While the opening act may not be as great as the original it is a very tense and edge of your seat thrill ride.
After the opening act in the original it does slow down and can be a little boring in some areas, but I still think its better than most people give it credit for. Here in When a Stranger Calls Back the middle sections aren't as slow paced, but the problem is it lacks the eerie feel of the original. For the first half of the movie you're still on that high from the opening act so even the slightest suspense scene will play out very well.
The one thing this movie does get right is I always felt the original should have been Jill Johnson's story with the stranger being more of a sub-plot. After the opening act instead of switching over to the stranger we stay with Julia played by the lovely Jill Schoelen who was tormented in the opening act. Returning is Carol Kane as Jill Johnson and Charles Durning as John Clifford; When a Stranger Calls back works well when the focus is on Julia, but works ever better when Jill is the main focus. This time around the stranger William Landis played by Gene Lythgow has a very small part and only appears a couple of times and mostly he's kept hidden.
Writer Fred Walton does a pretty good job with the screenplay, but there were some directions the movie could have gone. Jill appears around the 30-minute mark and in a main stay through the movie unlike the original where she only appears in the opening and closing act. While Walton does do a good job with the character I do feel a little more could have been done with her character. Overall the script is well written, but never reached its full potential.
As a director Fred Walton does an excellent job of creating suspense and tension. When it comes to opening acts I don't think you can find a better filmmaker. Once again he does such a great job with the opening act that the slightest little noise will freak you out. The pacing though after that does lack in some areas. As I stated before the middle sections aren't as slow this time around, but they aren't as creepy as the original. There were some problems in the 2nd half where the pacing does suffer. Despite When a Stranger Calls only running at about 93-minutes I do believe it could have lost a couple of minutes to help the pacing. The 2nd half isn't bad, but does sort of repeat itself at times.
Once again When a Stranger Calls Back is one of those sequels that improves on the original even if not as good. I liked the idea of the moving focusing more on Julia than the killer. It's an interesting character study seeing her nerves really shot and nobody really willing to believe someone is stalking her. I've always liked Jill Schoelen and she provides a solid performance. The best scenes are those with Carol Kane who once again is out-standing. Jill Johnson who should have been the main focus of the original has a much bigger role this time. Charles Durning who carried the original is great here, but reduced to pretty much doing the same thing as he did in the original film and it just doesn't work quite as well.
The final act was good, but lacked the suspense and tension of the opening act. While it does have some tense moments it could have worked a lot better, but I suppose overall it does deliver. The killer here isn't nearly as creepy as Roy Duncan, but overall he works well in a small role. Like I said When a Stranger Calls Back in some ways improves upon the original, but is also inferior. Towards the end the movie does trail off a little bit, but never really becomes boring; Overall a good sequel.
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