Back When a Stranger Calls (film, 1979) Czech When a Stranger Calls Welsh When a Stranger Calls (película de 1979) Spanish When a Stranger Calls (1979ko filma) Basque Terreur sur la ligne (film, 1979) French Quando chiama uno sconosciuto Italian 夕暮れにベルが鳴る Japanese 웬 어 스트레인저 콜스 Korean When a Stranger Calls (1979) Dutch Kiedy dzwoni nieznajomy (film 1979) Polish
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| When a Stranger Calls | |
|---|---|
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Whenastrangercallsoriginal.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Fred Walton |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Donald Peterman |
| Edited by | Sam Vitale |
| Music by | Dana Kaproff |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.5 million[1][2] |
| Box office | $21.4–25 million[a] |
When a Stranger Calls is a 1979 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Fred Walton, co-written by Steve Feke, and starring Charles Durning, Carol Kane, Colleen Dewhurst and Tony Beckley (in his final film role). Its plot follows Jill Johnson, a young woman being terrorized by a psychopathic killer while babysitting, the killer's stalking of another woman, his returning to torment Jill years later, and a detective's trying to find him. Rachel Roberts, Ron O'Neal, Carmen Argenziano, and Rutanya Alda appear in supporting roles. The film derives its story from the folk legend of "the babysitter and the man upstairs".[5][6]
The film was released in the United States on September 28, 1979 by Columbia Pictures. It was commercially successful, grossing $21.4 to $25 million at the box office against a $1.5 million budget, but it received a mixed-to-negative critical reception, with many praising the opening scene and performances, and others criticizing its writing and lack of scares. It was followed by the 1993 made-for-cable sequel When a Stranger Calls Back and a remake in 2006.
The film has developed a large cult following over time because of the first 23 minutes, consistently regarded as one of the scariest openings in film history.[7][8] The first 13 minutes of Wes Craven's Scream (1996) pay homage to the opening of When a Stranger Calls.
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
AFIwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
timeswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "When a Stranger Calls (1979)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
beckwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Hutchings 2017, p. 337.
- ^ Olivier 2020, p. 65.
- ^ "The Most Horrifying Opening Scenes (You Should Totally See!)". Horror News. August 2019.
- ^ Joiner, Latecia (April 2, 2022). "The Best Opening Scenes in Horror Movie History". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023.
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