6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A deeply disturbed photographer and Vietnam veteran, named Kirk Smith, terrorizes Los Angeles by going around strangling lingerie-clad young women in their homes while taunting Lindsay Gale, a young psychologist, by calling her on a radio call-in show to describe his sexual hang-ups and misogynistic ways, while a local police detective, Lt. McCable, is always two steps behind in trying to catch the psycho.
Starring: Nicholas Worth, Pamela Jean Bryant, Flo Lawrence, James Westmoreland, Chuck Mitchell (I)Horror | 100% |
Mystery | 6% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
Music: Dolby Digital Mono
Also contains commentary
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Many questions arise after a viewing of 1980’s “Don’t Answer the Phone,” including the very meaning of the title. Phones are answered during the course of the picture, but there doesn’t seem to be any malicious intent attached to the act. In fact, phone answering is almost campy, with the film’s introduction detailing a conversation between nurse in her apartment settling in for the night and her mother, who’s clearly being voiced by a man. Perhaps a better title for the production would be “Don’t Aspire To Be a Model” or “L.A. Looked Fun in the 1970s.” Despite a nonsensical title, “Don’t Answer the Phone” has a pretty clear idea of what it wants to be, going full steam ahead as a sexploitation event that’s very comfortable separating actresses from their clothing, while violence is favored over actual screenwriting. Director Robert Hammer keeps the basics of cops and criminals here, using formula to support more particular interests in sleazy murder sequences and a heaping helping of psychological disease. It’s not a particularly pleasant endeavor, but there are select moments where the effort becomes so unhinged, it achieves a level of absurdity that makes it hard to resist.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is billed as "Scanned and restored in 4K from 35mm original camera negative" and it looks terrific, handling cinematographic essentials with care. Detail reaches as far as the original photography goes, picking up on facial particulars and reaction nuances, and costuming delivers fibrous textures. Distances are also welcoming, allowing viewers to inspect the urban drives Kirk takes at night. Colors are tastefully refreshed, preserving period hues and bloodshed, and skintones are natural, with exposed flesh running throughout the feature. Grain is fine and filmic. Delineation is secure, preserving frame information. Source is in good shape, without any pronounced points of damage.
The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't consistent. While it's largely ideal with dialogue exchanges, keeping violent extremes and Worth's overacting in check, there are a few passages of damage, introducing muddiness to the listening experience, but these drops in quality aren't permanent. Scoring maintains its synth creep, adding some heaviness to the track with pleasing instrumentation. Atmospherics are limited but effective, and sound effects are direct.
"Don't Answer the Phone" has a few positives to elevate the production. Synth scoring from Byron Allred is compelling, adding an electric groan to suspense efforts, while setting an unnerving mood for Kirk's home life of lifting weights and conversing with himself. The picture is also shot well by cinematographer James L. Carter, who generally avoids grungy extremes to deliver clean, crisp images that showcase interesting lighting and composition, delving deeper into Kirk's fractured state of mind than the writing does. Tech credits are solid, preserving the little appeal that manages to make it all the way through the feature. "Don't Answer the Phone" is unpleasant, and it's intended to be, but something tells me the overall ugliness of the movie wasn't the end game for Hammer, who simply lost control of it all in the hunt to expose as many bare breasts as possible.
Limited Edition - 1,000 copies
1980
Slipcover Edition Limited to 3,000
1980
Standard Edition
1983
Standard Edition
1983
1986
1987
1986
Profondo rosso
1975
1987
2004
Hellraiser V
2000
2012
2021
Collector's Edition
2019
2016
Lo squartatore di New York
1982
Terror Eyes / Warner Archive Collection
1981
1983
1990
Limited Edition
1980
Standard Edition
1982
1988