Customer Reviews

Stranger Within [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved this made for television movie as a kid in 1974.
Barbara Eden and George Grizzard were awesome. In 1974 I
recorded the movie on my (tape recorder):). The music is
chilling, and perfect for the backdrop of the California hills
where it was filmed. I had a chance to meet Barbara Eden in
Philadelphia, PA several years ago. I told her how much I
enjoyed this flick. She is a very beautiful and classy lady,
and this movie shall always be one of my personal favorites.
The DVD is a proud part of my library.

A creepy variation of ROSEMARY'S BABY, THE STRANGER WITHIN stars Barbara Eden playing against type. The story and plot may be a little derivative but the real treat is to see Barbara Eden as a women with an unsuspected (alien)pregnancy go through emotional tantrums and weird eating binges as the pregnancy takes over her personality and body chemistry (i.e. her blood-type changes and has an appetite for salt). Writer Richard Matheson's (SOMEWHERE IN TIME, TRILOGY OF TERROR), story has the right amount of suspense and terror to sustain a 90-minute tv film although sometimes it becomes a little repetative especially when Barbara Eden's character is in and out of the hospital during the duration of the film. However, some of the subject matter is probably daring for it's day (early 1970's) with such mentions of vasectomys and alien abductions. Overall, a decent sci-fi horror film made for the small screen that has its moments of suspense and horror. Also its worth a look to see Barbara Eden in a dramatic role and doing some off the wall things (which are tame for 1970's tv standards). Good support work from actors George Grizzard , David Doyle (tv's CHARLIE'S ANGELS' 'Bosley'), Joyce Van Patten and Nehemiah Persoff(YENTL).

No matter how excellent this movie is, at [...] bucks this (and the likes, such as The Possessed (Tvm)) is a steal! These are all WB TV movies that Amazon sell exclusively on DVD-R, and they actually come cheaper as illegal copies at $10-15.

Shame on you!

NOTE ON THE DVD: The DVD Case says the Disc may not play in all DVD devices. The DVD did not play in my DVD player; but it played perfectly on my computer.

THE MOVIE: I'm delighted Warner Archive has released this effective "Made For TV" Movie thriller from 1974. When it first aired, the movie scared me so much my mother made me turn the TV off!! While the movie doesn't shock or scare me now, the performances and brisk pacing (the running time is 74 minutes hold up extremely well.
Ann (Barbara Eden) is pregnant-- but how can that be? Her husband David (George Grizzard) had a vasectomy three years ago. Tension mounts as David and her best friends (Joyce Van Patten and David Doyle) assume Ann had an affair. Ann reluctantly agrees, twice, to have an abortion. But each time she starts for the hospital, she grows mysteriously sick. And she grows miraculously well again-- just as quickly as she became sick. Ann is now determined to keep her baby--at all costs. And then, Ann starts acting EXTREMELY WEIRD!!! She keeps her house at freezing cold temperatures, drinks pots of scalding hot coffee, pours tons of salt on all her foods, reads lengthy books in a matter of seconds, etc. On top of all this, she starts speaking in a freaky language; and her excellent housekeeping skills go completely to pot!!
The explanation for all this is ridiculous, but the movie still manages to grip and hold your attention. George Grizzard is very good as the increasingly worried husband. Barbara Eden is excellent, especially as Ann's behavior grows increasingly bizarre and violent.

I loved Barbara Eden. So I bought this movie. It's OK. Not her best work, but quite watchable. She doesn't show her belly button here either.

THIS CREEPY MELLODRAMA STARS BARBARA EDEN AS A WOMAN WHO IS PREGNANT BUT HER HUSBAND WHO HAD A VASECTOMY COULFN'T POSSIBLY
BE THE FATHER THEREFORE WHO IS? WITHOUT GIVING TOO MUCH AWAY
THINK ROSEMARY'S BABY MEETS ALIEN

It is always a pleasure to view Barbara Eden at work but rarely do we see her in a non comedic role. She is very good and though the sci-fi may be old hat to today's audiences,I feel this is a very nice addition to her work and your dvd library. Most enjoyable.

My sister and I watched this movie many, many years ago, and I have always hoped it would some day come out on DVD.
Barbara Eden is gorgeous (as always), and I kinda love the ending....
Very Interesting !!!!

SPOILERS:
Barbara Eden stars in this made for 1974 TV movie with a science fiction flair to it. A woman(Barbara) becomes pregnant and her husband had a vacectomy years ago. So who's the father? That's the big question throughout the movie. During her pregnancy her behavior and personality begins to change, she eats large amounts of salt on her food, she has unexplained outbursts, she drinks scalding hot strong coffee continually, eats raw meat, reads tons of books by scanning them with her finger, her blood type changes, she has mysterious scratches on her face that quickly disappear, she wants to sleep in a freezing cold room with a window wide open, and she talks in a strange tongue. She acts so bizarre her husband doesn't know what has gotten into her.(no pun intended).
When the question of abortion comes(husband really doesn't want children) the growing infant keeps that from happening by making Barabara's blood pressure drop & a fever spike that prevents the abortion surgery from going through.
SPOILER:
Towards the end, after being hypnotized by a friend she tells the story of how she was abducted into a spacecraft by aliens who impregnated her one day when she was out drawing landscapes in the mountains. At the very end, about two dozen women(Barbara included) now with their half alien infants(they look like normal babies), walk toward a light talking them back into the spacecraft forever. That's the final bizarre scene.It seems Barbara was not the only victim of alien abduction.
In the 1970's there was alot of talk of alien abductions and this is where this idea for this made for TV movie came from. It's a OK movie for Barbara Eden fans & the acting is good, the subject is just strange.

Never Saw This Movie Before,Reminded Me of The Exorcist.
Aliens,Don't Figure.
I Was Surprised By The Ending,Baby Looked Normal.(Too Bad)
Liked Barbara And Her Long Lashes,Sexy.
Startled Me When She Growled,But Thought It Was Good.
Rate The Movie Excellent,Would Recommend.