Product Details

• Actors: Carol Kane, Charles Durning, Jill Schoelen, Gene Lythgow, Karen Elizabeth Austin
• Directors: Fred Walton
• Writers: Fred Walton, Steve Feke
• Producers: Barry Greenfield, Barry Krost, Doug Chapin, Tom Rowe
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Goodtimes Home Video
• VHS Release Date: March 5, 1998
• Run Time: 94 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000065LQ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,843 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Of The Most Terrifying Movies Of All Time, September 26, 2004

By 

Stephen B. O'Blenis (Nova Scotia, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When a Stranger Calls Back (DVD)

The sequel to 1979's good-but-not-spectacular "When A Stranger
Calls" blows its predecessor out of the water in almost every way
imaginable, in my opinion. The first 20 minutes or so of the film, which, like the original has a babysitter in the house(this time played by one of my personal favorites, Jill Schoelen)
receiving increasingly ominous telephone calls, could be called a remake of the (admittedly great) first 20 minutes of the last one, but from there the two movies veer off in different directions, this one taking a darker and far eerier path. It's after the first 20 minutes that the film eases off the terror throttle a bit, both to get to know the characters better and to give the viewer a chance to breathe without having a heart attack.

Carol Kane, the babysitter from the first film, along with Charles Durning, the lead detective from the first, return to help with the police investigation, due to their experience in a similar situation years before. In my opinion, both give superior performances this time around, which along with the new cast members makes for one of the better ensembles of players out there. And as for the villain of the show, what can be said of this character? Not very much, for the antagonist remains a mystery until well into the final third.

After the brief respite following the opening terror, "When A Stranger Calls Back" rises quickly and dramatically in fright and intensity, and some of the most chilling and disturbing visual imagery ever conceived of comes into play towards the end.

A complete masterpiece, with intensity comparable (though not as much gore) to the first "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", the best "Hellraiser"s, and the deranged "House Of 1,000 Corpses".

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Scariest Movie I've Ever Seen!, August 23, 2000

By 

Paul (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When a Stranger Calls Back (DVD)

Forget "The Exorcist" this is the scariest movieyou'll ever see! The first 15 minutes of the film scared me so much that I literally could not move off the couch. Jill Schoelen plays Julia, a lovely, vulnerable girl who is doing a friend a favor by babysitting their kids. However, someone is going to make this night a living hell. Someone is watching Julia, toying with her like a cat and mouse. Unlike the original "Stranger" this film continues the suspense throughout the entire film. And yet, only one scene includes violence and blood. Carol Kane and Charles Durning reprise their roles, and I must say, are much more effective in this film. The ending of the film will shock you and leave you terrified for a very long time. I guarantee this will be the scariest film you've ever seen!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "It's dark...can't see...no phone...", July 29, 2006

By 

Kona (Emerald City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: When a Stranger Calls Back (DVD)

This superior made-for-TV movie opens with high school student Julia (Jill Schoelen) babysitting two children. A knock at the door is the beginning of a night of unspeakable terror and murder. Five years later, Julia is now a college student, still scarred by that night. Someone, it seems, has been breaking into her apartment and trying to scare her. The police think she's making it up, but college crisis counselor Jill (Carol Kane) believes her, and tries to find out who is after her, aided by her friend (Charles Durning). Soon, Jill becomes the stalker's new target.

This movie is going to terrify you; I guarantee it, especially if you were once a teenage girl who babysat alone. I've seen the movie several times over the years, and I still have to mute the sound and close my eyes when the tension is too much. Credit for this thriller's success goes to director Fred Walton who also wrote the script. You feel like you ARE Julia, all alone and scared senseless, and the creepiness never lets up. Schoelen is convincing as the hapless teen and quirky Carol Kane is always fun to watch. The movie delivers genuine thrills and you won't easily forget it. Highly recommended.