When a Stranger Calls

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Claudio C When a Stranger Calls (1979) A Very Scary and Realistic Thriller (11,910 – 16 Feb 1999 / 27 Dec 1999 / 20 Feb 2004 / 17 Oct 2022 / 12 Sep 2025 – by Claudio Carvalho) Jill Johnson (Carol Kane) is babysitting two children, when a stranger insists on calling her on the phone, asking her to see the children in the upper floor. She decides to telephone the police, to trace the phone call. When the officer on duty tells her that the call is from inside the house, Jill panics. Seven years later, the maniac escapes from the asylum, and the private investigator John Clifford (Charles Durning) is hired by the father of the children to kill the man. It is almost impossible to write a summary of this thriller without spoilers, so I have to stop here. “When a Strange Call” (1979) is indeed a tense and suspenseful thriller, with a scary and realistic plot. The situation through which Jill passes is amazingly real and scary. When the police officer tells Jill that the phone call is from inside the house, the heart of the viewer “jumps” since this part is too frightening. The greatest problem in the movie is the continuation of the story seven years later. It breaks the tension, and the viewer gets completely lost about what happened to the characters. With a better sequence, this film certainly would be considered a classic. The story is excellent, and the performances are top-notch. In my opinion, the famous “Scream” copied the introduction of this film. It is really worthwhile watching this film. My vote is eight. Title (Brazil): “Mensageiro da Morte” (“Messenger of Death”) My Blog: https://maniacosporfilme.wordpress.com/ Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/13/25 Full Review Garry A Someone wrote that the first 20 and last five minutes were good. I agree. I started fast forwarding through the middle. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 07/15/25 Full Review babarizam D first 20 minutes and last 5 minutes , rest is just waste of time. It could have been a great movie but sadly Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 05/18/25 Full Review Justin T The first twenty minutes and the last ten minutes are really good but the middle hour is a little odd. The brilliant and moody fearful opening is complimented by the raw and scary ending. It is such a shame that the middle bit doesn’t really seem to go anywhere. It’s not that it is bad, it is fine, it is more that it is a forgettable middle with less happening of interest. This film has a good atmosphere and is enjoyable to watch. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/19/25 Full Review IrateTyrant C From short film to short story, should've been kept shorter Based on Fred Walton's short film, The Sitter (1977), the beginning of this movie is truly unnerving and well done. Later, it returns to its original effectiveness and has a great finale. However, the entire second act drags and is not nearly as exciting. Walton obviously had a great idea for a good scare and wanted to expand on it. The story here was reused a couple of years later in the book series 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,' Alvin Schwartz. The story from the book was not reused in the movie of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019). The flashbacks near the end of the movie, here, are very effective, too, and some of the effects of the strange chanting by the antagonist are good. Other than that, I recommend watching for the first act, and then turning off. Or just watching the original short. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/25 Full Review CodyZamboni Z Terrifically intense, scary beginning and ending, Carol Kane is amazing, But major misstep is movie's middle section, spending so much time focusing on the pathetic psycho, Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/01/24 Full Review Read all reviews

When a Stranger Calls

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