By Geno McGahee
Nick Cooper (Jack Jones) used to be a huge teen idol, but his wife convinced him to take a break to avoid being forever known as a teen heartthrob. Well, 6 years has passed and Cooper is making his return. He is in the process of divorcing his wife, and has reunited with his record producer, Webster Jones (David Doyle). Jones is an interesting character, and is certainly pointed to as the killer in this whodunit. Some of the pointing becomes overwhelming to the point where you say: “OK, he’s not the killer, but he HAS to know something.”
The killer in this movie is fantastic. At first, it seems like an old woman is killing everyone, but it turns out to be a hideous mask. This villain carries a sickle and also has a knife and pops out of nowhere to attack. The atmosphere of this movie is great. It has a really creepy feel and although we have the killer jumping out of nowhere at times, they are not cheap scares. This movie really creeps you out gradually and understands what a horror film should be.
Cooper moves into a huge home to get his thoughts together and focus on the music career, but the old couple that are taking after the place don’t seem right. Mr. B (Bill Owen) and Mrs. B (Sheila Keith) seem to know too much about Cooper, and you almost start to get a Misery (by Stephen King) feel to it. At night, Cooper hears screams and begins thinking that he may be going crazy. As nights go by, it gets worse and worse, until he finally follows the sound, leading to a decomposing severed head and a huge sound system. Either he has gone crazy, or somebody is screwing with him.
The conclusion of this movie, when Cooper comes face to face with the killer is outstanding, and the very ending leaves room for a sequel. The filming, story, acting, and pace are great. I absolutely love this movie and it is another 1970s gem, which proves yet again to be the best time for horror movies.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8.5/10
