Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Party Line Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 23, 2019

While many pictures date quickly, 1988’s “Party Line” will likely befuddle some younger viewers, taking them back to a time when people interested in random sexual experiences picked up a phone to discuss their desires with complete strangers. Perhaps not much has changed in the last 31 years, but there’s an amusing retro appeal to the feature, with screenwriter Richard Brandes tapping into a then-current craze of pay-per-minute perversion, using the concept of a party line to fuel a slasher film that’s always eager to go above and beyond its basic concept of seduction. “Party Line” has dead bodies and a supercop on the go, but there’s plenty of kink and extreme psychological distress to butter up the viewing experience, which is breezier than expected. This is one seriously goofy movie, but director William Webb keeps an eye on pace and behavioral oddity, making sure to keep the low-budget endeavor enjoyable wacky.

Seth (Leif Garrett) is a strange young man with significant mental issues, unable to move past the death of his mother. He lives with his sister, Angelina (Greta Blackburn), with the pair enjoying the gamesmanship of telephone party lines, calling in to hook up with married men, using seduction to soften their prey before Seth slits their throats with the family’s beloved razor blade. On the case is Detective Dan (Richard Hatch), who’s paired with D.A. Special Investigator Stacy (Shawn Weatherly) to discover who’s committing heinous crimes across the city. As Seth and Angelina continue their ways on the party lines, the pair comes into contact with teenager Jennifer (Patricia Patts), whose unsupervised use of her family’s phone pulls her into problems with the killer siblings, yet she also gives Dan and Stacy a chance to find the murderers as they stalk the city’s nightclub scene.

To enjoy “Party Line,” one has to make peace with the inner drive of Seth and Angelina. They’re partners in crime and siblings, recently enduring the mysterious death of their father while still stinging from the loss of their mother. Seth hasn’t had the easiest time grieving, with the special relationship between the pair exploited by Angelina, who also holds some type of control over her brother, despite his position as the killer of the twosome. “Party Line” is quick to introduce incestuous ways between the family members, with Brandes going all-in on their sickness, which is periodically purged through the murder of married men hunting for cheap thrills on the party lines, with Angelina uses her feminine appeal to tee up dudes looking for a simple tryst before returning home. They’re twisted in many ways, and the screenplay takes time to enjoy the show, highlighting Seth’s fondness for wearing his mommy’s wedding dress to help cope with his pain. The movie makes it perfectly clear than a mental fracture has taken over the duo, though Angelina is more in touch with reality.

Dan is established as an average T.V.-style cop with problems of his own. He can’t control his anger and seems to enjoy the adrenaline jolt of rage (he has a Dirty Harry poster predominantly displayed in his apartment). His tough ways are soon paired with Stacy, a straight-edge legal mind trying to solve current crimes to help with her career, dealing with an extra handsy boss. “Party Line” doesn’t become a buddy film, but Brandes offers a few moments of team-building excitement between the opposites, with both fighting a legal system that limits what they can do with suspects and information.

Brandes delivers some textures to characterization, which is welcome, and he’s good about adding additional concerns to the screenplay, positioning Jennifer as eager bait, with the teenager happily joining in on the party line fun, teasing danger for amusement purposes. Even more peril is submitted through Simmons (Terence McGovern), a suburban father who’s ready to jump on Jennifer, soon finding his way to her party line secret, adding himself as a possible target for Seth and Angelina. There is a surprising amount of players in this battle of half-wits, which fuels much of the drama of “Party Line,” as Brandes keeps things moving along, introducing disturbing personal conduct every 15 minutes to maintain attention, while Webb keeps the modest production as stylish as he can, often retreating to nightclubs to make proper use of advanced lighting, tight outfits, and musical offerings, perhaps understanding that remaining on the phone for very long brings the feature to a full stop.

Party Line Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

What was once meant for the bottom shelf at the local video store is now "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative." "Party Line" arrives with an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation, and it looks terrific, continuing Vinegar Syndrome's stellar work with underseen movies. Detail comes through without a fuss, delivering excellent skin surfaces and fibrous costuming, picking up on period outfits. Club interiors are easily explored, capturing the movement of partygoers. Exteriors stay dimensional. Colors are respectfully refreshed, including club attire, which handles with mid-80s brightness, while red dresses and tops pop appealingly. Greenery is strong, and skintones are natural. Delineation is comfortable. Grain is fine and filmic. Source isn't hampered by damage.

Party Line Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix shows more signs of age, offering a slightly dulled listening event. Dialogue exchanges are intelligible but lack true freshness, still hitting notes of panic and procedure without many issues, outside of occasional sibilance control. Scoring is appealing, supporting suspense needs, and soundtrack selections arrive with authority, giving club scenes appropriate energy. Sound effects are acceptable, surveying gunshots and squealing tires, and atmospherics are adequate. Some mild pops are detected along the way.

Party Line Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Party Line Fever" (16:24, HD) is an interview with screenwriter Richard Brandes, who discusses his early interest in making films, moving from Georgia to Los Angeles to figure out Hollywood, beginning with a plan to become an actor. While training as a thespian, Brandes began to write his own material, turning him into a screenwriter, with "Party Line" his first script. Tasked with creating product for the booming VHS market, Brandes went with an easy "hook" for the movie, learning the business while dealing with producers who had their own ideas for the project. Brandes discusses casting achievements and his own part in the picture, and he was welcomed on the set for the entire shoot, offered more chances to learn daily production business. After "Party Line" made its debut at the American Film Market, it was granted a small theatrical release, launching Brandes's career, which continues to this day, weathering changes in distribution and audience demands.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:07, HD) is included.

Party Line Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Party Line" has trouble with technical achievements, failing to keep boom mics out of the frame, along with an iffy use of poor man's process for driving shots. Acting has its issues as well, finding Garrett one of the least threatening performers in cinema history, unable to project the level of madness and menace the character requires. Hatch is more compelling through sheer enthusiasm for the part, while Weatherly wins the dignity award, managing to retain professionalism as her authoritarian part is reduced to a damsel in distress by the climax. "Party Line" was created with small goals in mind, and it achieves what it sets out to do, making a VHS-era mess of a telephone trend, adding goops of blood, some nudity, and mild action to the celebration of B-moviedom. It's not sharp, but it's engaging, which is all this type of entertainment needs to be.