he is perhaps best remembered for his voice roles between 1949 and 1960 in the bbc radio-comedy serial take it from here .

wallas eaton

wallas eaton ( 18 february 1917 – 3 november 1995 ) , sometimes credited as wallace eaton or wallis eaton , was an english film , radio , television and theatre actor .
wallas eaton ( 18 february 1917 – 3 november 1995 ) , sometimes credited as wallace eaton or wallis eaton , [ 1 ] was an english film , radio , television and theatre actor .
wallas eaton was born on february 18 , 1917 in leicester , leicestershire , england . he was an actor , known for
wallas heaton , actor : born leicester 18 february 1917 ; died australia 3 november 1995 .
a . leonard eaton is an actor , known for american coffee ( 2001 ) .
wallas eaton was born on february 18 , 1917 in leicester , leicestershire , england . he was an actor , known for complete and utter history of britain ( 1969 ) , up pompeii ! ( 1969 ) and the last wave ( 1977 ) . he died on november 3 , 1995 in australia .
michele a . eaton is an actress , known for p . d . q . bach in houston : we have a problem ( 2006 ) .
eaton was born in leicester , leicestershire , england . he was educated at the alderman newton school , and later would read history and english at christ ' s college , cambridge . eaton joined the army in 1940 , and served with distinction during world war ii , eventually becoming a major in charge of a searchlight battery .
eaton ' s stage career now really took hold and he was cast by joan littlewood in fings ain ' t wot they used t ' be ( 1959 ) .
wallas eaton temporarily hung up his ‘old wal’ hat , and became the spluttering newspaper letter - writer , ‘ disgusted of tunbridge wells’ , who literally showers his listeners with complaints . for the next season however , wal was back but now as one of the nouveau riche with pots of money , allowing him to buy his wife a diamond tiara to prevent her hair from dangling when she was frying fish .
eaton was born in leicester , leicestershire , england . [ 2 ] he was educated at the alderman newton school , and later would read history and english at christ ' s college , cambridge . eaton joined the army in 1940 , and served with distinction during world war ii , eventually becoming a major in charge of a searchlight battery . [ 2 ]
she was buried next to jack murray , who had died in 1979 , aged 90 , while his wife was rehearsing for the english farce by ben travers , the bed before yesterday at the theatre royal . in the best showbusiness tradition , hobbs got on with the show , not telling other cast members , including rachel roberts , wallas eaton , gwen plumb and barry otto . she buried her husband the day after opening night .
in 1944 , he appeared in shaw ' s too true to be good at the lyric theatre , hammersmith . eaton enjoyed a series of good , if small , roles , including appearing alongside vivien leigh at the phoenix theatre in 1945 in thornton wilder ' s the skin of our teeth . in films , eaton had a role in caesar and cleopatra ( 1945 ) .
in 1944 , he appeared in shaw ' s too true to be good at the lyric theatre , hammersmith . eaton enjoyed a series of good , if small , roles , appearing alongside vivien leigh at the phoenix theatre in 1945 in thornton wilder ' s the skin of our teeth . in films , eaton had a role in caesar and cleopatra ( 1945 ) . [ 2 ]
in addition to his work in radio on the long - running bbc radio comedy take it from here , eaton appeared in over twenty - five films and over fifty television productions . eaton debut for bbc television in arthur askey ' s top - rated series
before your very eyes
in 1952 , and he had parts in the frankie howerd series
up pompeii
and
the rivals of sherlock holmes
.
catchphrases had been a staple ingredient in comedy shows of the period , and tifh continued the tradition , jim winding up with the lion’s share . he began his monologues with ‘greetings , gentlefolk ! ’ ( which he was able to modify when addressing a party of opticians to ‘greetings focal gents ! ’ ) and if the audience failed to respond , his school - masterly cry ‘wake up at the back there ! ’ was always effective . dick would be put in his place with ‘gently , bentley’ ( which later became the title of a muir / norden penned show for dick ) or ‘black mark bentley ! ’ and when wallas eaton mentioned a girl supposedly from jim’s past , jim’s reaction was ‘what a ghastly name ! ’ . wallas’s character was ‘old wal from the buildings’ , who saw through jimmy’s ‘posh talk’ , being familiar with his working class background , and always urging him to ‘take the plunge , jim edwards’ and ‘learn a trade’ .
eaton joined the army in 1940 and served with distinction in the second world war , leaving with the rank of major in command of a searchlight battery . in 1944 he appeared in too true to be good at the lyric theatre , hammersmith . good , if small , roles continued , including an appearance with vivien leigh in the skin of our teeth , thornton wilder ' s
history of our world in comic strip
, at the phoenix in 1945 . films , however , failed to make much use of eaton , despite a promising debut in caesar and cleopatra ( 1945 ) .
wal
, the very common common man and voice of
professor
jimmy edwards ' s conscience , first made his heart - cry of
come ' ome , jim edwards , come back to the buildings where you belong !
on 4 january 1949 . and in one way or another he went on making this heart - felt plea right to the end , 10 years later , when the bbc ' s most popular radio series , take it from here , closed down .
wal
was wallas eaton , a straight actor turned funny - voice man via a string of stage revues and comedies including 1066 and all that ( 1947 ) , slings and arrows ( 1948 ) and for amusement only ( 1958 ) .
tifh was still not widely known at the end of the first series , but shortly into the second series , with a variety of voices provided by wallas eaton for the first time , came the unexpected death of tommy handley and the end of his famous radio show itma , leaving its repeat time slots vacant . tifh filled the saturday lunch spot and , gathering regular itma devotees , started to achieve national popularity . the shows were typically divided into three spots : the opening ‘stage patter’ , where issues such as jim’s waistline or dick’s cigarette advertising deal were discussed , a ‘gimmick’ sketch on a recent news event or a series of sketches on a particular topic ( eg : country life , education or popular music ) and finally a film parody . muir & norden tackled these in reverse order , allowing them to include topical references in the gimmick and the opening dialogue .
each series brought a fresh theme , with wal begging edwards to
save the buildings
or to go straight and marry -
take the plunge , jim edwards !
from 1953 eaton played the pub landlord to whom edwards as pa glum poured out the latest affairs of his dim son ron ( bentley ) and fiancee eth , played by the all - purpose genius june whitfield .
eaton ' s favourite pastime was sailing , and he made a trip to australia in 1975 to pursue his interest , after which he settled there permanently . he featured in the australian soap the young doctors in 1979 as roland perry , a rich friend of principal character ada simmonds . he also made a few appearances in later episodes of the television drama serial
a country practice
.
eaton ' s favourite pastime was sailing , and he made a trip to australia in 1975 to pursue his interest , after which he settled there permanently . he featured in the australian soap the young doctors in 1979 as roland perry , a rich friend of principal character ada simmonds . [ 1 ] he also made a few appearances in later episodes of the television drama serial
a country practice
.
in addition to working on the long - running bbc radio comedy take it from here , eaton appeared in more than twenty - five films and over fifty television productions . his debut for bbc television was in arthur askey ' s top - rated series
before your very eyes
in 1952 , and he had parts in the frankie howerd series
up pompeii
and
the rivals of sherlock holmes
.
in addition to working on the long - running bbc radio comedy take it from here , eaton appeared in more than twenty - five films and over fifty television productions . his debut for bbc television was in arthur askey ' s top - rated series
before your very eyes
in 1952 , and he had parts in the frankie howerd series
up pompeii
and
the rivals of sherlock holmes
.
as wal , eaton brought shame to the professor by revealing his humble roots in the buildings , presumably peabody ' s .
come ' ome , jim edwards ,
wal would plead ,
the eyes of the buildings is upon you ! don ' t desert them what reared you ! oh jim , they ' re goin ' to tear down the buildings and make a night - club for the troops . an ensa niterie .
his first stage appearance was at the theatre royal in his home town of leicester in 1936 . three years later he made his london debut playing the small part of the announcer in auden and isherwood ' s the ascent of f6 at the old vic . the following year eaton played the second priest in eliot ' s murder in the cathedral in 1940 and he followed this with what was his first comedy role , in the body was well nourished by sidney gilliat and frank launder .
radio was still the main source of family entertainment in the forties , and creeping up behind the poll - topping it ' s that man again , starring the nation ' s favourite funny man tommy handley , was a brand new post - war series entitled take it from here . written by the new team of frank muir and denis norden , the only unoriginal thing about it was its title . ( this was borrowed from a successful 1943 radio series starring richard haydn , the fabulous fish mimic . ) the three stars were professor jimmy edwards , an ebullient euphonium player , master dick bentley , ageing buffoon , and the glamorous songstress joy nichols . necessary character voices came from the bbc drama rep stalwart wilfred babbage , who was soon replaced by clarence wright , a refugee from itma . as a change from his silly salesman (
good morning ! nice day !
) , wright played henpecked harry hickory (
shush . . . i thought it was her for a minute !
) . the first programme was broadcast in 1948 , and when the second series opened in 1949 the voice of wallas eaton was heard on the air for the first time .
his first stage appearance was at the theatre royal in his home town of leicester in 1936 . three years later he made his london debut playing the small part of the announcer in auden and isherwood ' s the ascent of f6 at the old vic . the following year eaton played the second priest in eliot ' s murder in the cathedral in 1940 and he followed this with what was his first comedy role , in the body was well nourished by sidney gilliat and frank launder . [ 2 ] [ 3 ]
the 10th series began with a celebration , the 250th episode , and the glums became the main feature at the end of each show , a flashback story recounted by mr . glum into the uninterested ear of ted , the barman of his local . after a duet by dick and june ( alma had left after the last series ) the listener would be transported into the pub and above the noise of the crowd wallas eaton would insist ‘time , gentlemen please ! – drink up , mr . glum’ . there followed some classic stories , many involving ron in a predicament of his own design , with a sixpence stuck up his nostril , a yul brynner haircut , his head stuck between park railings , or marooned all night on an island in the middle of the serpentine . on other occasions it was mr . glum who was out of luck , deserted by his wife after he pawned her teeth , or suffering the indignity of getting his toe stuck in the bath plug hole . in this latter saga , eth’s assistance is required , but there is a problem with mr . glum’s delicate situation , so ron is ordered to empty packets of gravy browning into the bath till the water becomes so opaque they’d have got a ‘u’ certificate from any censor in the country .
following a promising debut for bbc television in arthur askey ' s top - rated series before your very eyes ( 1952 ) , eaton ' s television appearances were not very frequent . he had parts in the rivals of sherlock holmes and later in the frankie howerd series up pompeii . in 1975 he made a trip to australia , where he could indulge his favourite hobby of sailing . he decided to settle there - an intriguing choice considering his close involvement with dick bentley and joy nichols , both australians who preferred to live in england .
eaton was born in leicester in 1917 and educated at the alderman newton school . this led to christ ' s college , cambridge , where he read history and english . he made his first stage appearance in his home town at the theatre royal in 1936 , and his london debut at the old vic three years later , playing the small part of the announcer in the ascent of f6 . in 1940 he was the second priest in murder in the cathedral , which he followed with his first comedy role in the body was well nourished .
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- a few quiet questions ( 1976 ) . . . sir dennis o ' brien
john stone ( coffee factory ) / col . steiger / prison warder / . . .
- guess who ' s coming to sin ' er nymphia ( 1970 ) . . . sen . ludicrus sextus
- lysistrata the peace treaty ( 1970 ) . . . sen . ludicrus sextus
- secret agents jamus bondus ( 1970 ) . . . sen . ludicrus sextus
- what seems to be the trouble ? ( 1969 ) . . . dr . french
- rogues gallery : the fearful image ( 1969 ) . . . sir silas wintersett
- james the mcfirst to oliver cromwell ( 1969 ) . . . guy fawkes
- the great and glorious age of elizabeth ( 1969 ) . . . king of spain / bishop of filey / howard of effingham
- edward the first to richard the last ( 1969 ) . . . richard iii
- richard the lionheart to robin the hood ( 1969 ) . . . king john
- vie et mort d ' un réseau ( dt . : der zufall ) ( 1968 ) . . . peter barville
- everybody ' s rich except us ( 1967 ) . . . bennie sax
- a soirée at blossom ' s hotel ( 1966 ) . . . gert
- man o ' brass : pilot ( 1963 ) . . . mr . longbottom
- a place in the sun ( 1963 ) . . . mr . crispin
- the root of all evil ( 1963 ) . . . mr . crispin
- where there ' s a will ( 1963 ) . . . mr . crispin
- all our yesterdays ( 1953 ) . . . a gentleman in the coach
- ah ! the peace of it all ( 1950 ) . . . potter
he acted in lionel bart ' s musical ,
fings ain ' t what they used t ' be ,
in a joan littlewood production at the garrick theatre in london , england with avis bunnage , victor spinetti , glynn edwards , barbara windsor , toni palmer , yootha joyce , and george sewell in the cast . john bury was designer .
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ensa niterie ?
roared the prof .
that ' s insanitary !
so the gags continued .
your mum ' s being turned out without a doorstep to lay ' er ' ead on ! she ' s prostrate !
has she tried legal aid ?
asked edwards .
legal aid , orangeade , methylated spirits ,
answered wal .
that ' s why she ' s prostrate !
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born : 18 february 1917 , leicester , leics . died : 3 november 1995
the liberal middle - class mask well and truly slips in this intense love triangle drama penned by john hopkins .
director lindsay anderson and leading man richard harris put themselves on the map with this riveting study of a rugby - league player tormented by feelings for a grieving widow .
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he is perhaps best remembered for his voice roles between 1949 and 1960 in the bbc radio - comedy serial take it from here . [ 2 ]
o lucky man ! ( 1973 ) - john stone ( coffee factory ) / col . steiger / prison warder / meths drinker / film executive
palmer , howard ( 10 august 1965 )
hilarious night
. the age ( via google news ) . accessed 2015 - 09 - 19 .
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he is perhaps best remembered for his voice roles between 1949 and 1960 in the bbc radio - comedy serial take it from here .
sixties and seventies - pan & fontana , michel parry , richard davis , hugh lamb & co .
aickman , barnard , chetwynd - hayes & danby . the fontana horror , ghost , tales of terror series ' . . . and beyond .
gothic , victorian , edwardian . the stuff that wordsworth editions are made of .
miscellany of misery . yet more books , film , tv , radio , music , agro ! , sav . west , sci - fi , etc .
the past is catching up with me . . . the 1970s have just turned up ! that is , the bits of the 70s that revolved round terrifying television programmes , creepy comics , petrifying public information films , fright - filled films , ghastly games , and beastly books , and all the other things that made childhood so . . . ah . . . interesting in the 1970s . scarred for life volume one by stephen brotherstone and dave lawrence is a thick brick of a book , 740 pages wide , illustrated throughout , and with a free , full colour pdf copy if you buy the print edition . just flicking through it , it goes from the expected horrors of sapphire and steel , a ghost story for christmas , doctor who , quatermass , the pan books of horror , misty and spellbound comics , and so on , to more specific scenes or sequences that strike home - i thought i was the only one who found the revelation of the possessed baby in the sitcom soap utterly terrifying . i can imagine many of my fellow vault dwellers finding lots to enjoy within these pages , with chapters on nel , killer crabs , pulp paperbacks , and various horror comics getting a sizable chunk of coverage . ( in fact , i see our very own vault keeper listed in the acknowledgements now i look more closely . ) i think i ' ll be dipping into this one for some time to come . if i don ' t emerge again it ' ll mean i ' ve ended up trapped in a time - loop somewhere around 1977 and i may be some time in escaping . . . urltoken urltoken
- even at that early stage ( about this time last year ) it was a thing of rare beauty . think they ' ve also made substantial progress on vol ii : the eighties , which should put to bed once and for all the myth that the ' seventies were
the decade that fashion ( and taste ) forgot
. particularly enjoyed the sections on the pan horrors , richard allen ' s
novels and many of the days other terrifying paperbacks & comics , plus entries on hideous sit - coms and scores of tv shows i never heard of . arguably the scariest of all , a sequence devoted to the public information films that traumatised an entire generation . am really pleased they ' ve got the thing published !
from the first , i set myself against
literature
; the story was the thing , and no amount of style could persuade me to select a story that lacked genuine , unadulterated horror . for those who wanted something high - brow there was plenty . - christine campbell thomson
* aarrrrrgggghhh * ! ! ! ! yet another
must buy
- why do the gods of popular culture continue to torture me ? while obviously it ' s the 1970s with a british focus , the front cover alone brings back enough memories - good and bad - to make me desperately want a copy .
speaking of
hideous sit - coms
, what could be more appropriate than
love thy neighbour
, highlighted in the cover ' s lower right hand corner ? though if you think that was bad , the short - lived australian version - in which loveable small - minded bigot eddie migrates to oz - was even worse , if that ' s possible . . . . .
that got shown in the uk . my memories of it are vague , thankfully , but i recall seeing an episode or two . just one of several uk comedies that got picked up in australia after the uk version had been cancelled or was on a break , as ' doctor down under ' picked up after ' doctor on the go ' ended , and things like ' the two ronnies ' and ' are you being served ' had australian runs , and a stage version of ' steptoe and son ' toured australian theatres in the late 70s , years after the series had finished . the australian aybs is particularly odd . john inman and a bunch of old bbc aybs scripts in a different shop staffed by wonky semi - clones of the grace brothers staff . since the bbc original already seemed to be known in australia , i can ' t quite figure out why re - using already familiar scripts but with a cast doing iffy impersonations was seen as a good idea . unlike the australian ' love thy neighbour ' , i don ' t think any of the others got shown in the uk .
i suspect that as well as capitalising on the local popularity of the original versions , it may have been a relatively cheap and simple way to help some of the commercial stations to meet
australian content
broadcasting requirements . the aussie non - government networks have never really been noted for their originality when it comes to developing programs .
in roman times , patrick cargill would have been venerated as the living incarnation of the numen of the arched eyebrow and the veiled icy sneer . divinity in any age . . . cheers , h .
in roman times , patrick cargill would have been venerated as the living incarnation of the numen of the arched eyebrow and the veiled icy sneer .
in roman times he was the emperor nero . . . at least according to the
all the old comedy stars are going down under , i hear .
well , it ' s age , dear . ye - esss . it strikes us all and spares no - one . oh , what ? yes . no , don ' t . it ' s wicked to mock !
etc . . . meanwhile , back at the book , a few chapters in and working my way through the selection of essays on 70s children ' s programmes , i ' m pleased to say that the book is great fun to read . the authors have done plenty of research , but the text is far from dry . though it thankfully avoids the sneery tone some commentators will use when looking back on the decade , or an attempt at forced jokiness . a definite feel of a celebration of the era and the shows .
i ' m interested in that book . it ' s too bad it would most likely cost me around 30 bucks in postage to order it since i live in the us . there was a really interesting interview with the director of the lonely waters film in a book to which i contributed last year , unsung horrors . i did pay the thirty bucks to have that shipped over but don ' t think i will be springing for the sequel even though i am writing a couple of bits for it . cheers , h .
i ' m interested in that book . it ' s too bad it would most likely cost me around 30 bucks in postage to order it since i live in the us .
i did pay the thirty bucks to have that shipped over but don ' t think i will be springing for the sequel even though i am writing a couple of bits for it .
helrunar - it may cost you quite a bit less than that , since it ' s a print on demand book through lulu . i ' ve ordered a copy and i assume it ' ll be printed here in australia . the standard postage option i chose was only a few dollars , which is a fairly cheap domestic postage rate for what looks to be a rather substantial book . it ' s certainly worth following the link and finding out the cost before making a decision .
hi , i ' m one of the writers of the book . many thanks to those of you who ' ve bought it and i hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed writing it . if any of you have particular suggestions for the 80s book let me know !
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
movies and tv shows are certified fresh with a steady tomatometer of 75 % or higher after a set amount of reviews ( 80 for wide - release movies , 40 for limited - release movies , 20 for tv shows ) , including 5 reviews from top critics .
in northern england in the early 1960s , frank machin is mean , tough and ambitious enough to become an immediate star in the rugby league team run by local employer weaver .
spell - binding . the way lindsay anderson writes love letters to his leading men on screen . . . this bowled me over , there ' s an energy in anderson ' s film - making that makes you not want to miss a single moment . like 1968 ' s if . . . . which i saw a number of years ago , there are shots in this film that don ' t let you go for days , months , maybe years afterwards . immeasurable sadness in rachel roberts , and an unpredictability in richard harris that makes it impossible to look away .
has to contain the first - ever inclusion of william morris wallpaper as a symbol of decline - for that alone , this film is an instant favourite .
i kept thinking
richard harris looks a lot like jared harris from mad men .
20 minutes later , i realize they share the same last name and , more than likely , are father and son . i felt like an idiot .
let me first start by saying - why the hell have i never heard of richard harris ? my god , this guy gives an amazing performance , perfectly evoking pain , aggression , ambition , isolation and determination . all of these qualities portrayed deftly with a smidgen of vulnerability buried deep underneath all the macho - posturing .
watching richard harris ' performance as frank machin in lindsay anderson ' s 1963 masterpiece
this sporting life
you might be reminded of marlon brando ' s work in
a streetcar named desire
or indeed of robert de niro ' s jake la motta in scorsese ' s later
raging bull
, ( scorsese ' s film owes a great deal to
this sporting life
without ever quite measuring up ) . all three characters share the same animalistic intensity and an inability to communicate except in the most primordial level . this was the film that made harris a star and it ' s his greatest performance ; he was nominated for the oscar and won the best actor prize at cannes . his co - star is the great rachel roberts as the widowed landlady who takes machin into her…
richard harris and rachel roberts are immense as the working class dysfunctional couple where she ' s a widower whose husband may have committed suicide with a lathe at his factory thus denying her a pension , he ' s a dumb brute with a lot of heart and ambition who if he isn ' t winning at football may strike out violently at whomever ' s near . director lindsay anderson and cinematographer denys coop achieve a transcendent cinema - verite in beautiful black and white on a par with scorsese ' s / chapman ' s raging bull , which has to be an influence on that film . like de niro ' s jake la motta , harris ' frank machin is a brute who ' s inner humanity is brought out by the amazing actor under his skin .
i chose to watch this sporting life because of rachel roberts , who co - stars in one of my favorite films , picnic at hanging rock . i ' d say roberts actually gives a stronger performance in this sporting life , yet i was totally swept away by richard harris as boorish , macho rugby champ frank machin . he looks like the offspring of ryan lochte and an easter island head . frank is more deep and sensitive than he initially seems , of course , and harris plays him with tremendous care . really impressive .
he was a professional rugby player , he was picked up on the streets , and he delivered one of the finest roles of the 1960s . that is the story of “this sporting life” and its star richard harris . the irish actor had an outstanding career in the following years but this one , of a rough rugby player , remains his high point . here , he is a time bomb . for a first performance , harris destroyed it . i was blown away by the raw and ominous act , displaying a crude and animalistic man , unable to connect to other people . on one hand , he expresses the features of kowalski from “streetcar” – he’s truly loving , but because of his history and nature he cannot show…
richard harris broods like brando as rugby league player frank machin , a man who takes no prisoners on or off the field . harris shines through out but its the scenes he shares with rachel roberts as machin ' s landlady turned lover margaret hammond that stay in the memory . director lindsay anderson winds most of their scenes together so tight and tense , it always feels like something is going to snap as machin can ' t really express how he feels and hammond is doing her best not to feel anything at all .
for some reason its taken me this long to get round to watching this and it wasn ' t as good as i was expecting or wanted it to be but this kitchen sink / communal bath drama is much like frank machin . emotional and always ready to pack a punch .
a brutal kitchen sink drama with a tour de force performance from richard harris .
um dos momentos de maior intensidade dramática do cinema inglês e mundial moram na atuação soberba de richard harris neste longa . temos aqui uma explosão de energia , esmagando o tédio , a complacência e a hipocrisia da sociedade britânica . david storey adaptou seu próprio romance para a tela : lindsay anderson dirigiu e ganhou de richard harris uma performance para rivalizar com brando ( e é um páreo duro ! ) . ele é frank machin , um talentoso esportista que quer se realizar como um jogador profissional de rugby , mas é pungente no amor com sua senhoria viúva , interpretada por rachel roberts . frank é um superstar no campo ; ele tem dinheiro , sucesso com as mulheres e um senso de si mesmo que irrita a classe dominante abafada . frank é a coisa mais rara do cinema britânico da época : um sucesso . harris ganhou o prêmio de melhor ator em cannes e ambos ( ele e rachel roberts ) foram indicados ao oscar . uma obra prima !
richard harris looks , moves and acts like young brando . complex relationships and drives . classic ' s a classic for a reason .
highly regarded film that i did not take to . harris is excellent and anderson is a better than good director , here and most other films . do not have the film .
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pack your beach blanket for a bittersweet tale of love and summer ' s magic .
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the breakthrough film for both director lindsay anderson and star richard harris , this grim portrait of a tormented rugby player features what is likely the actor ' s finest performance and remains one of the few to explore the dark side of an athlete ' s life . frank machin ( harris ) emerges from the coal mines of yorkshire to wage war in the rugby scrum on his way to wealth and stardom . but the brutality that has taken him to the top corrodes all of his relationships , especially that with married paramour rachel roberts . in many ways a precursor to martin scorsese ' s raging bull ( 1980 ) , anderson records the relentless pounding of the scrum with a gritty immediacy , drawing a direct line from that bloody battle to the athletes ' destructive off - the - field behavior . along with albert finney , harris was one of the first british actors to be influenced by the work of marlon brando and the techniques developed by the actors studio , and it would not be wrong to think of the character of frank as a descendant of stanley kowalski . like many of their contemporaries in the era of the angry young man , both anderson and harris were also steeped in italian neorealism , another strong influence on the film ' s style and tone . while anderson would go on to produce more cerebral and explicit critiques of british society , none of his other films approach this one in terms of raw emotional power .
scottish writer and former vocalist for the punk band the skids , richard jobson makes his . . .
scottish writer and former vocalist for the punk band the skids , richard jobson makes his directorial debut with 16 years of alcohol , the stylized psychological drama based on his own semi - autobiographical novel . through voice - over narration and various flashback methods , troubled . . .
for many years , the blue gardenia was virtually a lost fritz lang film . financed independently , . . .
for many years , the blue gardenia was virtually a lost fritz lang film . financed independently , the movie wasn ' t widely seen at the time of its release , despite being distributed by warner bros . , and as it subsequently bounced between distributors , the . . .
leon prochnik adapted the evocative robert moresco play child ' s play for the screen , with sidney . . .
leon prochnik adapted the evocative robert moresco play child ' s play for the screen , with sidney lumet assuming directorial duties . beau bridges stars as a young teacher at an exclusive catholic boy ' s boarding school named paul reis . an outbreak of violence . . .
this two - part hbo miniseries is based on the pulitzer prize - winning novel by richard russo . having . . .
this two - part hbo miniseries is based on the pulitzer prize - winning novel by richard russo . having long since sacrificed youthful ideals and values to remain in his new england hometown for the sake of his family , middle - aged miles roby ( ed harris ) . . .
john slattery ' s feature directorial debut , an adaptation of pete dexter ' s first novel , god ' s pocket stars . . .
john slattery ' s feature directorial debut , an adaptation of pete dexter ' s first novel , god ' s pocket stars philip seymour hoffman as mickey scarpato , who lives in the gritty , blue - collar neighborhood of god ' s pocket with his wife jeanie ( christina hendricks ) , a lifelong resident . . .
star james caan made his directorial debut in the fact - based hide in plain sight . caan . . .
star james caan made his directorial debut in the fact - based hide in plain sight . caan plays a divorced husband and father who comes to visit his ex - wife and children , only to discover that they ' ve evidently disappeared from the face of . . .
though this interesting film was among many responsible for the critical success of french autuer . . .
though this interesting film was among many responsible for the critical success of french autuer robert bresson , it was by no means a commercial success . slightly different than his other films , director bresson utilized the contrasty photography of philippe agostini . . .
robert hall ' s drama lightning bug concerns a young man trapped in a small southern town . . .
robert hall ' s drama lightning bug concerns a young man trapped in a small southern town with an abusive stepfather . the young man has developed a remarkable facility at creating make - up effects for horror films , and he hopes these skills will . . .
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region : region 2 ( this dvd may not be viewable outside europe . read more about dvd formats . )
in the 1970s , jessica hathaway ( angela punch mcgregor ) joins the staff of brentwood hospital , a government facility for handicapped children in melbourne , australia . one of her patients is annie o ' farrell ( tina arhondis ) , whose cerebral palsy has kept her institutionalized since the age of 3 . convinced the girl , now 13 , has been misdiagnosed as legally retarded , jessica teaches her to communicate through a ouija board in this true story about the fight to free annie from institutional care . annie ' s coming out ( also known as a test of love ) is a 1984 australian drama film directed by gil brealey . it is based on the non - fiction book annie ' s coming out by disability activists rosemary crossley and anne mcdonald . the book tells the story of mcdonald ' s early life in a government institution for people with severe disabilities and her subsequent release .
it ' s important to note that this film covers events that took place in america during the 70s . released in 1982 , i first saw this film in the late 80s . i was actually staying in a residential disabled children ' s home at the time . the comparison with my lovely surroundings could not have been starker . where i stayed was a place of luxury compared to the miserable hospital annie was imprisoned in . i was outraged that people could be treated so badly . that said , the film does have it ' s moments that make you smile , and ultimately has a happy ending ( at least for annie ) . i hope that ' s not a spoiler , but i think it ' s important . if by the description of the film you ' re thinking this is for you , then it definitely is . i have also read the book , and as the write up above comments , there is much more to the true story that is not told in the film , so makes a good accompaniement . i was pleased a few years ago to receive an email from annie & rosemary , who are still fighting for the rights of disabled children in australia , although obviously times have changed dramatically thank goodness . i have seen this film many times , i practically know it word for word , but i ' ve ordered this as i really want to hear the commentary .
i had seen this film many years before and knew it was based on a true story . it ' s a good film about the empowerment of people who may have a disability ; one that everyone should see at least once in their life . maybe not quite as good as ' the miracle worker ' ( 1962 ) with anne bancroft in the story of helen keller but not far from it . i recommend it to you .
will not play on the two main dvd players . i borrowed a portable dvd player and this movie will play on this . shouldn ' t the dvd play on all of my dvd players ?
a true and very moving story . the young girl playing the role of annie is captivating . annie ' s story of discovery and ultimate freedom shouldn ' t be missed . i knew the story going into the viewing , and was pleased to see it was done beautifully .
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the first take it from here broadcast was on 23rd march 1948 , coinciding with jimmy’s twenty - eighth birthday , but seemed to pass by unnoticed according to reactions the next day . in fact the audience figures for the whole series were low , but largely thanks to charles maxwell’s support , it lasted six months . the shows settled into a format which was to see them through the next five series as well , and already familiar characters emerged , such as dick bentley’s poet who always began his monologue with the strangulated cry “oh mavis ! ” , and joy’s husky - voiced miss arundel , who interpreted every remark as a reference to her red - blooded fiancé , gilbert .
muir & norden delighted in puns , and later continued to indulge with their own radio show my word . tifh scripts were liberally injected with exchanges such as this between king henry viii and his valet : ‘cornelius , i must find a man who is minded to show his fealty towards me’ – ‘me , your majesty , me ! no man is more fealty - minded than i am ! ’ . another favourite mirth - raiser was the personal reference , and not a show went by without a gag about dick’s age . so there was jimmy unable to count the candles on dick’s birthday cake because the heat drove him back , jimmy agreeing that dick is his oldest friend : ‘there are friends i’ve known longer , but you’re the oldest ! ’ , and in tifh’s contribution to a special gala radio show for the coronation , dick is informed that he was asked to attend because he is the only actor on the bbc who’s been an elizabethan both times ! jim , of course , also comes in for a serve , common topics being his girth and his nasal appendages . in one opening , joy is praising window boxes with flowers in full bloom : ‘it must be lovely to lean out of the window and have a mass of sweet smelling foliage growing right under your nose , jimmy’ – ‘aren’t you being rather personal , dear ? ’
other program conventions such as the trite theme song and the staid closing credits were perverted : the tifh theme boasted that this was the show with ‘every minute packed with seconds’ , and the announcements at the end were of the ilk : ‘frank muir & denis norden wrote the script in a weekend and charles maxwell produced it in a weak moment’ , or for a special broadcast from the naval barracks at portsmouth : ‘charles maxwell captained the crew , while frank muir and denis norden as usual pumped the bilge’ . amongst the closing credits was the name herbert mostyn , which was not in fact a real person but rather the middle names of frank and denis respectively and represented their contributions , reading odd lines or taking on regular small parts .
with increasing popularity during the third series , impresario jack hylton suggested that the show could transfer to the stage , and the three stars appeared at the top of a variety bill at the victoria palace for a short while before moving to the prince of wales theatre . after a summer season at blackpool , the show opened at the adelphi in london on 31st october 1950 under the negotiated title take it from us . it was a spectacular production with a troupe of chorus girls , an adagio act , lavish sets , solo spots for joy , dick and jimmy ( the latter with assistance from his euphonium ) and a finale sketch ‘friends , romans , countrymen’ or ‘what a sphinx ! ’ , adapted by future carry on script - writer , talbot rothwell from a radio script by muir and norden . the show was a success , as proven by its long run of 580 performances over a period of a year , and it closed with only jimmy remaining of the three principals .


the stepfather is a 1987 american psychological horror thriller film directed by joseph ruben and starring terry o'quinn , jill schoelen and shelley hack .

o'quinn stars as henry morrison , an identity-assuming serial killer who remarries a widow with a teenage daughter .

the film was written by donald e. westlake , from a story by westlake , carolyn lefcourt and brian garfield .

upon its release , the film grossed $ 2.4 million at the box office and was well-received by critics .

the stepfather ( 1987 film )

( 1987 ) , was offered a cameo role in this film but he turned it down .
featured in the stepfather / duet for one / wanted : dead or alive / hoosiers ( 1987 ) . see more »
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the stepfather ( 1987 ) near you .
the film lacks suspense . the story starts by revealing the plot to the audience within five minutes . a remake of the 1987 film by the same name , the stepfather doesn’t do much to satisfy this generation’s saw devotees .
this tepid remake of the 1987 cult classic lacks the tension and satirical undercurrents of the original .
direct download : srs - 01 - thestepfather - 1987 . mp3 category : stepfather retrospective - - posted at : 2 : 33am edt
the stepfather is a 2009 remake of the 1987 american thriller film of the same name . the original was directed by joseph ruben . the remake was directed by nelson mccormick . [ 1 ] the original film was shot from a script by donald westlake .
average horror film portraying yet another serial killer . the stepfather is a suspenseful , creepy and compelling film . the stepfather is a film that really goes at the heart of terror as terry o ' quinn ' s character murders a fatherless family before finding new families to prey . an average horror film , the stepfather is a pretty good , thrilling film with a pretty good villain , also the film is tense and creepy .
welcome to the inaugural episode of the liberal dead ' s stepfather retrospective podcast series ! in this episode , jeff ( @ jeff _ fotd ) is joined by co - host james ( @ drjimmyterror ) to tackle the first film in the franchise , 1987 ' s the stepfather .
the stepfather is , finally , only as good as its stepfather - - and dylan walsh ain ' t bad .
( 1987 ) , a pretty good thriller elevated to classic status due to a legendary performance by o’quinn .
the film was followed by a sequel stepfather ii in 1989 opening to negative reviews . another sequel stepfather iii was released in 1992 without o ' quinn ' s return for the character . the remake the stepfather was released in 2009 to negative reviews .
from anime to pitch - black thrillers , here ' s our pick of the underappreciated movies of 1987 . . .
the film was theatrically released january 23 , 1987 , in the united states . upon its release , the film grossed $ 2 . 4 million at the box office and was well - received by critics . it has since gained a cult following and was followed by two sequels : stepfather ii ( 1989 ) and stepfather iii ( 1992 ) , and a remake also called the stepfather , released on october 16 , 2009 .
the film was theatrically released on january 23 , 1987 , in the united states by the new century vista film company . during its opening weekend , the stepfather grossed around $ 260 , 587 ; it was released in 148 theatres and earned a total domestic gross of $ 2 , 488 , 740 .
although ' ' stepfather ii ' ' lacks the flawless pacing and escalating aura of menace of the 1987 cult thriller , ' ' the stepfather , ' ' it is far from a total bastardization of one of the decade ' s more diabolical concepts of movie horror .
back alley doctor : the stepfather visits one at the beginning of the film , to get a new face after his escape from the institution .
like many great genre films joseph ruben’s 1987 film the stepfather was inspired by the true story of john list , a new jersey man who disappeared for several years after killing his entire family . the mood of the stepfather is very dark , but it is sprinkled with enough black humor to keep the viewer entertained . the stepfather was followed by two sequels and recently a remake was released in theatres nationwide .
even by horror - remake standards , the stepfather sets the bar for pointlessness .
woobie , destroyer of worlds : the stepfather , in the original at least .
this is a good film , i have seen this film so many times , i recommend it very much .
unexplained recovery : the stepfather obviously dies at the end of the first film , but shows up here with only a large scar where he got stabbed .
the stepfather finally dies for good , by being pushed into a wood chipper .
also starred in the film , which received critical accolades . ruben took his first and only break from film to direct for the tv series
the stepfather is a 1987 thriller film , written by esteemed crime novelist donald e . westlake and directed by joseph ruben . the film tells the story of an unnamed bluebeard serial killer obsessed with being a part of the perfect family , to such an extent that if his current family doesn ' t live up to expectations , he kills them and moves onto another .
murder at the movies : the true story behind
the stepfather
- j . h . moncrieff
blood - splattered wedding dress : carol grayland at the end of the film .
ironic nursery tune : the stepfather often whistles
camptown races
after his murders .
winner :
the stepfather .
nothing beats a
gossip girl
star .
the stepfather was definitely scary , but the true story is worse . much , much worse .
the stepfather is a wonderfully creepy film that should be viewed by genre fans and single parents . perhaps a simple viewing of this particular film could keep you from choosing mr . or ms . wrong next time .
inferior sequel to am average slasher film , the stepfather ii fails at capturing the essence of what made the first one entertaining . filled with lacking suspense and thrills , the stepfather ii is a disappointment and doesn ' t try to terrify the audience , most of time you feel bored , as the plot is too predictable and cliches ridden . overall , stepfather ii is a slasher flick with not a single interesting thing about it . a below average film , even by slasher film standards .
the film is referenced in the king of the hill episode
untitled blake mccormack project
.
stepford smiler : the stepfather is a very cheerful individual , unless someone makes him angry .
every car is a pinto : the stepfather destroys a car , and it explodes spectacularly .
the stepfather returned twice , in stepfather ii ( 1989 ) and in a 1992 tv movie , stepfather iii . the expected remake is on the way . donald e . westlake had nothing more to do with the series , and instead earned an oscar nomination for the grifters ( 1990 ) .
slashed throat : the stepfather kills the backalley plastic surgeon by cutting his throat open with a bonesaw .
drop the hammer : todd grayland takes the stepfather out with one , stabbing him in the chest with the claw end .
welcome back for another episode of the liberal dead ' s stepfather retrospective podcast series ! in this episode , jeff ( @ jeff _ fotd ) and james ( @ drjimmyterror ) move on to the second film in the franchise , 1989 ' s stepfather ii .
the stepfather ( 1987 ) was one of the first truly chilling horror movies i ever saw . i’ll never forget the opening sequence . terry o’quinn calmly wipes the blood off his face , changes his appearance , and walks off into the night , leaving behind his murdered wife and children .
the film ends with stephanie cutting down a birdhouse she and jerry had built .
soft glass : averted . the stepfather punches through a car window to get at a victim , cutting his hand up pretty badly and necessitating a bandage for the rest of the film .
the stepfather is a 1987 american thriller film starring terry o ' quinn in the title role . it is loosely based on the life of mass murderer john list , although the plot is more commonly associated with slasher films of the era than a true story . it was directed by joseph ruben and written by donald e . westlake , from a story by westlake , carolyn lefcourt and brian garfield . this film was met with critical acclaim upon its release . the film was also followed by two sequels , released in 1989 and 1992 respectively and a remake also called the stepfather which was released on october 16 , 2009 .
the stepfather was released in the year 1987 , some songs of the official soundtrack are sleeping beauty by divinyls , run between the raindrops by pat benatar , gwine to rune all night ( de camptown races ) by terry o ' quinn , i want you by john mcburnie . listen the soundtrack online !
with the headline : review / film ; give me perfection or give me death .
a psychotic killer escapes from a mental hospital and assumes a false identity as a family counselor in this sequel to the 1987 horror film . the murderer soon falls in love with a beautiful woman and begins to do away anyone who might stand in the way of their relationship .
the stepfather is a 1987 american cult horror / psychological thriller film starring terry o ' quinn in the title role . it is loosely based on the life of mass murderer john list . it was directed by joseph ruben and written by carolyn lefcourt ( story ) , brian garfield ( story ) and donald e . westlake ( also screenplay ) with a rewrite by david loughery .
unlike freddy krueger or jason voorhees , the monstrous title character of the stepfather is both plausible and a rich metaphor .
the stepfather in the remake . he survives , gets away and is last seen charming another single woman with kids .
he knows too much : aside from killing those who acts as competition ( like phil in the second film ) , or do not fit with his values like the families he butchered , or simply just get in the way , the stepfather also kill those who suspects him of being not what he initially appeared to be to tie up loose ends , such as dr . a . bondurant and james
jim
ogilvie in the first film . susan in the first film , aside from being targeted for not living up to the stepfather ' s standards , nearly got offed early when she suspects something ' s wrong when she discovered the stepfather quit his job several days ago without informing her and witnessed the stepfather mixed up his identities . the protagonists of films finds themselves in this predicament as well once they discovered what the stepfather ' s truly is .
welcome back for the penultimate episode of the liberal dead ' s stepfather retrospective podcast series ! in this episode , jeff ( @ jeff _ fotd ) and james ( @ drjimmyterror ) tackle 1992 ' s stepfather iii .
unexplained recovery : stepfather ii ends with the family killer getting a claw hammer in the chest , which he somehow survived .
horror doesn ' t settle for simple tuesday : the climax of the film takes place during a wedding .
horror doesn ' t settle for simple tuesday : the opening of the film is set sometime around christmas .
studied theater and film at the university of michigan , then went on to earn a master ' s degree at brandeis university . his feature film directing debut was a thriller called
“you know , a house like this should really have a family in it . ” —terry o’quinn , the stepfather
3 . her body , himself : gender in the slasher film ( carol j . clover )
winner :
the stepfather .
hitchcock ' s ' window ' is a classic , but the ' 80s
stepfather
starred terry o ' quinn - - a . k . a . the badass locke from
lost .
the stepfather is the full package : fast - paced , well - acted , suspenseful and brimming with bursts of nasty violence .
an axe to grind : the stepfather comes close to killing his current family with one , but relents at the last minute .
o ' quinn is good , but the film is quite laugable even with him in the center of it .
bread , eggs , milk , squick : non - verbal example . like in the original , the film begins with the stepfather going about his daily routine . . . then it reveals he ' s murdered his current family .
( 1984 ) that began to bring to ruben the acclaim he ' d pursued for so long . starring quaid as a man who can enter people ' s dreams , the film won the golden raven at the brussels international festival of fantasy film , setting off a hat trick of awards - his next film ,
whatever the flaws of the stepfather , it remains a horror film with few peers , including ( let’s be serious ) the 2009 remake . as is so often the case , the special features on this dvd edition do just about nothing to increase one’s appreciation of the film . the commentary track pairs sycophantic , trivia - minded michael gingold of fangoria magazine with no - nonsense director joseph ruben , who seems at best irritated by gingold’s often frivolous questions . the retrospective documentary the stepfather chronicles provides some interesting background on the film , but doesn’t stray from the self - congratulatory platitudes of a typical special edition dvd documentary .
knife nut : the stepfather has used a lot of different objects to kill people , but the knife is still his prefered weapon .
winner :
the stepfather .
way scarier to have a creep in your house than to have a creep across the street .
villain protagonist : the stepfather is the real main focal point of the films , while anyone out to stop him actually qualifies as a hero antagonist .
, and the remarkably positive critical reception to the film . this just isn ' t an essential listen , though .
the film was released on dvd for the first time in north america by shout ! factory on october 13 , 2009 . shout ! factory released the first - ever blu - ray version of the film on june 15 , 2010 .
welcome back for the final episode of the liberal dead ' s stepfather retrospective podcast series ! in this episode , jeff ( @ jeff _ fotd ) and james ( @ drjimmyterror ) close out the series and take on nelson mccormick ' s 2009 remake , the stepfather .
combustible celluloid review - the stepfather ( 1987 ) , donald e . westlake , based on a story by carolyn lefcourt , brian garfield , donald e . westlake , joseph ruben , terry o ' quinn , jill schoelen , shelley hack , charles lanyer , stephen shellen , stephen e . miller , robyn stevan , jeff schultz
make it look like an accident : the stepfather makes father brennan ' s death seem like he had a car accident .
this remake turns a fondly remembered horror / thriller into a mild and tedious suspense film .
they look just like everyone else : one of the scariest things about the stepfather is that he looks and acts like a normal guy .
no name given : it ' s never stated what the stepfather ' s real name is . he even wonders which man is supposed to be towards the end of the film . this is what ultimately causes him to kill his current family .
as for female sexual propriety , the stepfather presents both susan and stephanie as the sexual beings all humans are , and it is jerry’s attempt to quell that reality of stephanie’s existence that turns the women against the patriarch . the stepfather finally sends sexualized women running , knives in hand , after the masked monster .
for his performance , o ' quinn was nominated for both a saturn and an independent spirit award . director ruben was honored with the critics award at the 1988 cognac festival . the film was also nominated for the international fantasy film award for best film at the 1990 fantasporto and included in bravo ' s 100 scariest movie moments on spot # 70 .
the first film was famous for putting terry o quinn on the map , with even roger ebert raving about his acting .
every car is a pinto : the stepfather pushes father brennan ' s car over a cliff , and it explodes on impact .
a truly great film that deserves it cult status . fantastic acting from all involved , and a truly gripping film . delivery was prompt and the product in good condition . totally worth both the money and a watch .
that’s what makes the stepfather movie so terrifying . imagine if john list’s new family kept disappointing him in the same way his “old” family did .
dropped a bridge on him : james
jim
ogilvie , who ' s been treated as a major character in the first film , gets killed off unceremoniously in the climax and treated as another red shirt on the stepfather ' s bodycount following that .
o ' quinn is absolutely brilliant in this film . seriously , this is a fantastic movie .
infant immortality : averted in the first few minutes of the film , as a butchered body of a little girl is shown .
kathryn bigelow ' s 1987 film is an unbelievably moody , stylish vampire - western hybrid that ' s as romantic as it is tense , and features a number of cast members ( lance henriksen , jenette goldstein and bill paxton ) from her future husband ( er , ex - husband ) james cameron ' s aliens .
a logical and just as worthy sequel in the stepfather series . terry o ' quinn is back as the menacing family - killing stepfather figure . this time around , he has a stepson ( jonathan brandis of neverending story 2 fame ! ) the wedding reception end battle is great .
this film was met with critical acclaim upon its release . the film was also followed by two sequels , released in 1989 and 1992 respectively and a remake which was released on october 16 , 2009 . the film was released on dvd for the first time in north america by shout ! factory on october 13 , 2009 . [ 2 ]
terry o’quinn’s schizophrenic performance is what elevates the stepfather a notch above the typical thriller . he goes from unnerving to terrifying in no time flat . his…
master of disguise : the stepfather has the tendency to alter his appearance and change his name when it comes to finding a new family after killing the last one .
[ … ] by jerry at many turns throughout the film , is also a sub - textual nod to a profound reversion of a patriarchal predominance , one which looms over the film and certainly taints many films in the 80s horror tradition . the [ … ]
this film is not currently playing on mubi but 30 other great films are . see what’s now showing
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
the stepfather
tells his story in a blood - soaked thriller that is uneven but haunting . while i was watching the film , i was distracted by elements of the idiot plot syndrome - moments when only an idiot would have made such obvious mistakes . now , remembering the film several weeks after first seeing it , what i recall most clearly is the central performance by terry o ' quinn .
direct download : srs - 03 - stepfather3 . mp3 category : stepfather retrospective - - posted at : 11 : 00am edt
direct download : srs - 02 - stepfather2 . mp3 category : stepfather retrospective - - posted at : 4 : 29pm edt
after escaping the insane asylum in which he was incarcerated , the stepfather impersonates a marriage counselor and manages to win over a patient and her young son .
drop the hammer : annoyed with his wife , the stepfather moves in to bash her brains with one , but is stopped by the last minute by two potential witnesses .
even with the lackluster special features , this dvd release of the stepfather proves again the special talent shout ! factory has for going under the radar to find gems other distributors would be too quick to call dated . indeed , the stepfather is a product of its time . when better to communicate the horrors of conservative family values than in the twilight of the reagan administration ?
the film has received generally negative reviews . review aggregator rotten tomatoes reports that 11 % of 56 critics have given the film a positive review , with a rating average of 3 . 4 out of 10 . the site ' s general consensus is that
this tepid remake of the 1987 cult classic lacks the tension and satirical undercurrents of the original .
[ 5 ] on metacritic , which assigns a weighted average score out of 1–100 reviews from film critics , has a rating score of 33 based on 11 reviews . [ 6 ] kevin thomas of the los angeles times wrote of the film being
a piece , a handsome , thoughtfully crafted production that generates a mounting terror securely anchored by assured performances , consistent psychological persuasiveness and believable dialogue .
[ 7 ]
one of the best pieces left behind by the late mystery writer donald westlake was a story called
the stepfather ,
which in 1987 joseph ruben made into one of the most frightening films i ' ve ever seen . its camera stared closely at a pleasant , gracious gentleman long enough to record his growth into a seasonal monster who destroyed families when they ceased to trust him , and hence to fit his ideal .
there isn’t much of a gore score in the stepfather , but don’t let that keep you from viewing the film . when jerry lashes out and starts showing his true side it does get quite violent . the death toll also isn’t all that high ; in fact only two deaths are seen on screen . the stepfather isn’t about blood and gore to get its frights from the viewer though , its all about the mood and atmosphere and the movie just oozes with it .
if you are looking to watch the film , or any of the others in the series , you can help support the show by purchasing or renting it from amazon .
not so much a contemporary re - make of joseph ruben ' s 1987 psychological thriller as a lobotomised bastard step - child : over - plotted , over - long , and stripped of the original ' s sharp , satirical subversion of suburban family values .
for his performance , o ' quinn was nominated for both a saturn and an independent spirit award . director ruben was honored with the critics award at the 1988 cognac festival . [ 5 ] the film was also nominated for the international fantasy film award for best film at the 1990 fantasporto [ 6 ] and included in bravo ' s 100 scariest movie moments on spot # 70 . [ 7 ]
continuity nod : the stepfather mentioning he once worked in real estate , and later , during a freak out , he starts screaming
who am i here ? ! who am i here ? !
the asylum he was placed in stepfather ii is also mentioned in a news broadcast .
the film was distributed by screen gems . [ 3 ] filming was completed on april 15 , 2008 . [ 4 ]
editor barry keith grant is director of the film studies program at brock university in st . catharines , ontario , canada .
the stepfather is a 1987 american psychological horror thriller film directed by joseph ruben and starring terry o ' quinn , jill schoelen and shelley hack . o ' quinn stars as henry morrison , an identity - assuming serial killer who remarries a widow with a teenage daughter . after previously killing his family and changing his identity , his killing spree continues after his stepdaughter becomes suspicious about him . it is loosely based on the life of mass murderer john list , although the plot is more commonly associated with slasher films of the era than a true story . the film was written by donald e . westlake , from a story by westlake , carolyn lefcourt and brian garfield .
the stepfather ( the 1987 version ) is not like most slasher films ; it is a uniquely feminist horror film . carol j . clover’s theory of the “final girl” * , the trope in horror cinema that leaves one unique girl as the sole survivor , is brilliant and generally accurate . but our heroine , stephanie , is not like other final girls . for one , she is one of the only girls in the film . the film is full of empty , impotent signifiers of male power : the male lieutenant , the male therapist , the male high school teacher , the male hero / amateur detective , the male reporter and , of course , stephanie’s dead father . more importantly , throughout the duration of this film no women are killed . let me repeat that : no women are killed . it may not be obvious to some viewers , but it is strikingly obvious to me , a feminist who loves horror films . when the film opens , jerry ( or henry morrison , his identity before jerry ) has already killed his previous family , which we know contained a wife and at least one daughter , but during the film only men are slaughtered . they are men who attempt to rescue stephanie and her mother susan , but the only person who actually rescues stephanie is stephanie .
the makeup artist for the stepfather also gets a nod from me . we see jerry transform into a different human being twice in the film ( for a total of three different appearances ) and he never looks quite the same each time . in fact during the last transformation he actually appears to be a much older man .
adaptational villainy : the stepfather , who comes across as much more of a cold - blooded sociopath in the remake compared to his predecessor , who was probably insane .
there ' s a shot towards the end of the film where several vampires run from the protection of car in slow - motion . it still has the power to chill the blood even after multiple viewings . near dark is a classic film , and one well worth tracking down on blu - ray .
never trust a trailer : that awesome swinging buzzsaw scene that was in all the trailers and tv spots ? its completely absent from the film .
horror doesn ' t settle for simple tuesday : not counting the prologue , stepfather iii begins on easter , and ends on father ' s day .
this list shows all films released in 1987 , including films that went direct - to - video , or only got an international theatrical release . for each film , we use the first date on which it was made available to the public , which might include international theatrical or domestic video releases that were a few days , or sometimes more , earlier than the domestic ( us / canada ) theatrical release .
released by new century vista film company in june , the film eked out a total of just under $ 2 . 5 million in its theatrical release , despite some glowing reviews from critics . it fared better on home video , with the suburbia soaked atmosphere playing perfectly to the manicured lawns and white picket fences crowd . if you were , are , or will be a teenaged suburbanite , the stepfather is for you . ( having a murderous parent is not necessary to enjoy the film , but i suppose it would add a little resonance . )
the stepfather .
we want to give the new flick the benefit of the doubt . that , and we just can ' t get behind
disturbia ,
arguably the movie that made labeouf a star .
direct download : srs - 04 - thestepfather - 2009 . mp3 category : stepfather retrospective - - posted at : 11 : 00am edt
upon revisiting the stepfather ( in preparation for watching the sequels for the first time ) , i can ' t help but feel as though this movie is a bit over - rated .
peter jackson ' s splatter - ific calling card , this gonzo 1987 effort is nominally concerned with a small new zealand town under siege from aliens , but it ' s really about the insanely gory , over - the - top b - movie special effects that jackson created on his own .
during its opening weekend , the stepfather grossed around $ 260 , 587 ; it was released in 148 movie theatres and earned a total domestic gross of $ 2 , 488 , 740 . [ 1 ] film critic roger ebert from the chicago sun times gave the movie 2 . 5 stars , and commented :
mysterious past : four films and the stepfather still doesn ' t have an origin . . . or even a real name . closest we get is doctor danvers calling him
bill krieger
in the second film , though they don ' t actually outright state if that ' s his real name , or an old alias . the stepfather also apparently tells danvers about his past . . . offscreen . . . he also could have been lying .
the actors in the film do a nice job at portraying the film’s simple characters , even though the thin story does not push the characters very far . familiar faces like t . v . ’s walsh and badgley are pretty faces with talent , but decent acting doesn’t go far to save what is ultimately a stale story .
overprotective dad : when the stepfather sees his stepdaughter stephanie kissing a boy named paul he completely freaks out , claiming paul was going to try and rape stephanie .
the stepfather has an 86 % approval rating from rotten tomatoes and an average rating of 6 . 7 / 10 out of 29 reviews . film critic roger ebert , from the chicago sun times , gave the movie 2 . 5 stars out of 4 , and commented :
violence itself seems to sell at the box office , even when it ' s divorced from any context . maybe that ' s what the filmmakers were thinking . what often happens , though , is that in an otherwise flawed film there are a couple of things that are wonderful . the stepfather has one wonderful element : terry o ' quinn ' s performance .
ebiri : exactly . the central relationship between the sisters in this film is so involving , even tender , that it’s hard to step back and get any kicks from the genre elements in this film . it’s really a tragedy , and when i first saw it , years ago , the final shot absolutely wiped the floor with me .
i have many names : there is no way of telling what the stepfather ' s real name is , or which one of them he believes it to be .
standard ' 50s father : the stepfather seems to think of himself as this , and at one point is explicitly compared to ward cleaver from leave it to beaver .
like many of the best comedies and tragedies , this weimar - era silent film understands how each mode is often a hair ' s breadth from the other .
this entry ' s a little bit of a cheat , because the stepfather was actually shot in 1985 and shelved for two years . but going by its year of release , this taut little thriller still qualifies as a 1987 movie . the plot sounds like your typical
killer in our midst
fare ; a middle - aged maniac goes from place to place , starting new families under assumed names before offing them all horribly after a couple of weeks have passed .
ebiri : i also like the tension between the three leads : for me , their mounting anger at each other and fear of their surroundings really drives the film’s scares , putting the lie to the misguided notion that it’s all gimmick . that said , the gimmick is pretty great , even though it’s also kind of a ripoff of an earlier , inferior film called the last broadcast .
“wait a minute . . . who am i here ? ” is the central question posed by jerry blake in the 1987 slasher film , the stepfather . it is a story of patriarchy in crisis . in a world in which “traditional” and “old fashioned” ( both characteristics attributed to jerry ) notions of male dominance and the nuclear family are thoroughly challenged , the patriarchal order is undergoing a desperate identity crisis . the film is about a man who marries into a family that eventually disappoints him by not living up to his expectations of the perfect family , so he kills them and moves on to another town and another family . in the stepfather , it is patriarchy that is broken and unable to find a reality in which its conceptualization of self exists . without the structural order “the father” is accustomed to , he simply does not know who he is , and rather than deal with this and evolve , he chooses to deny reality , destroy it , and recreate it in his own image , which , ultimately , always fails .
while i was watching the film , i was distracted by elements of the idiot plot syndrome - - moments when only an idiot would have made such obvious mistakes .
but not too gay : its only pretty close to the end of the film that we realize jackie and leah are lovers , and not just roommates or something .
indeed , what makes the stepfather so compelling is that it starts from a simple truth about human life ( the everyday lives we lead are performances ) and takes it to a horrifying though honest extreme . unlike freddy krueger or jason voorhees , the monstrous title character of the stepfather is both plausible and a rich metaphor for the danger of traditional patriarchy in a world largely trying to move beyond that tradition .
the viewer knows from the beginning that stephanie’s suspicions are well founded—this is a suspense film , not a mystery . the film’s opening sequence lets the viewer in on the title character’s secret by showing o’quinn tie all the potential loose ends at the scene of his most recent crime . he has killed his family in their idyllic suburban home and is subtly changing his appearance to start anew somewhere else .
cool old guy : father brennan , who shares andy ' s interest in solving mysteries , and even starts helping him to find info on his stepfather .
i will start this review by saying that the beginning sequence in joseph ruben’s the stepfather is probably one of the most disturbing sequences i have ever seen in a movie . the beginning of the film simply shows henry starting to clean himself up ; at the beginning of the film he wears glasses and has longer hair and a beard . the hair is cut and the beard is shaved off all while henry looks in the mirror . after cleaning himself up the man walks down stairs where we see his families murdered bodies scattered around the room , he walks past them and calmly makes his way out of the door . trust me the scene is way creepier than i could ever describe it .
an undying procession of sons of dracula and daughters of darkness has animated the horror film genre from the beginning . indeed , in this pioneering exploration of the cinema of fear , barry keith grant and twenty other film critics posit that horror is always rooted in gender , particularly in anxieties about sexual difference and gender politics .
* for more on the final girl theory , see men , women , and chainsaws : gender in the modern horror film by carol j . clover . it rocks .
red herring : mark wraynal . we ' re briefly lead to believe he ' s the stepfather , but it turns out to be keith , who kills him via . . .
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice , telling a story of startling cruelty . what a space it opens…
bread , eggs , milk , squick : non - verbal example . the movie begins with the stepfather going about his daily routine . . . then it reveals he ' s murdered his current family .
the only halloween film to not feature michael myers—it was intended to turn the franchise into more of an anthology - style series– season of the witch ( about a conspiracy involving halloween masks ) remains a uniquely unsettling stand - alone film in an e . c . comics - by - way - of - john - carpenter tradition .
the film that launched the career of michael rooker , john mcnaughton ' s seminal 1986 serial - killer film takes a gritty , no - frills docudrama approach to its story ( based on real - life convict henry lee lucas ) about a psycho and his partner - in - crime acting on their murderous impulses .
ebiri : reportedly , the tensions were very real behind the camera as well , and rumors abound that spielberg directed as much , if not more , of the film as hooper did . and , of course , it’s been copied many times since — what is insidious but basically just a more spiritual variation on this film’s main conceit ?
all the same , the film is by no means a perfect feminist rallying cry . for one thing , it ' s subtler than a rallying cry would be . susan does choose to let the thoroughly conservative jerry into her family , after all—he didn’t force himself in . more damningly , though , the stepfather plays up many shots of the women ( especially stephanie ) for sex appeal . although stephanie spends the whole film in quaint , delightful sweaters , neither she nor her mother ever seem to wear bras or anything else beneath their sweaters , so little is left to the imagination . likewise , the camera lingers gratuitously upon nude jill schoelen in a shower scene ( to the film’s credit , terry o’quinn is likewise shown completely nude in an earlier shower scene ) .
terry o ' quinn , who portrayed the stepfather in the first two installments of the series , was approached by director nelson mccormick to appear in the remake , but according to producer mark morgan , o ' quinn turned down the offer . [ 10 ] [ 11 ]
this list initially ran on october 29 , 2013 . also , read bilge ebiri’s essay on why mulholland drive is a great horror film .
fight syphilis ! ( 1944 ) from your war department comes this vd film . keep your junk clean kids ! or something like that .
violence itself seems to sell at the box office , even when it ' s divorced from any context . maybe that ' s what the filmmakers were thinking . what often happens , though , is that in an otherwise flawed film there are a couple of things that are wonderful .
the stepfather
has one wonderful element : terry o ' quinn ' s performance .
ebiri : every other scene with the family in this film is like a folgers coffee ad gone horribly wrong . it’s interesting how the darkly comic quality of films like the stepfather ( and a couple of other films on our list ) eventually transmutated into the slick , “jokey , ” wink - wink style of later horror . there was a pointedness to these films’ humor that’s been lost in translation .
violence itself seems to sell at the box office , even when it ' s divorced from any context . maybe that ' s what the filmmakers were thinking . what often happens , though , is that in an otherwise flawed film there are a couple of things that are wonderful . the stepfather has one wonderful element : terry o ' quinn ' s performance . [ 3 ]
by the time jerry utters his pivotal question , “who am i here ? ” during the suspenseful ( but sort of routine ) slasher finale , we realize we already know the answer : one of the greatest actors to grace a horror film , playing an all - timer in the deranged hall of fame . the stepfather isn’t perfect , and neither is jerry ; but they both build a pretty good birdhouse . and like the sweetest bird , terry o’quinn can sing .
something of a cult - classic nowadays , the stepfather , released in 1987 , was made during a time when hollywood wasn’t afraid to release r - rated horror movies . most modern genre fodder comes bloodless and with a pg - 13 prerequisite , because after all , there’s box - office numbers to consider and young teens love their body count fare . but here’s a movie that represents exactly what ‘80s horror was all about , while also furnishing a ( ironically ) satisfying experience , unlike its comparatively shoddy 2009 remake .
the only gruesome part of this film is a dead body found in the family’s freezer , an image which lasts all of five seconds . the rest of the movie drags on because knowing the plot only makes one wonder why the characters are so dumb at figuring it out .
a moment near the end of 1987’s the stepfather crystallizes the elusive fantasy that motivates jerry blake , the damnably old - fashioned serial killer of the title . played with deranged wholesomeness by terry o’quinn , a great character actor who most will recognize as locke on lost , jerry moves from one tree - lined , family - friendly town to another , searching for single mothers in need of a decent , hard - working husband to stabilize the house . as one family situation falls apart , jerry creates a new identity ( along with a convincing disguise ) and begins setting up shop elsewhere , then slaughters the women and children who have so bitterly disappointed him .
the main reason i ' m writing anything here is because of my excitement regarding this song by stunt rock , there are tons of audio clips from films and when the opening lines from the song were spoken in the stepfather , i had a mini - freakout .
( 1980 ) , working again with quaid . about a madcap bunch of waiters , the film didn ' t make much of an impression on critics or the movie going public . it was
a misfire because it obviously tries to take advantage of its predecessor . the psychotic killer from the first film starts the same routine all over again by posing as a marriage counselor and preying on unsuspecting divorcees and widows .
. what frustrated me about it more than anything , though , was that the original movie was only available on dvd . i mean , it seemed like movie marketing 101 . . . let the oversized hollywood studio make their glossy , double - digit iq remake , and the smaller shop rides the other guys ' marketing budget by re - releasing the original at the same time . i get it now , though . shout ! factory wasn ' t leaving money on the table by holding off on releasing the 1987 take on
find the answers to these burning questions here - along with talk of the film ' s history and origins , its critical reception , and its place in pop culture and the franchise . as always , the guys give you their unfiltered opinions .
call back : the film has a lot of references to the original . surprising , considering it was made by the same people who brought us the when a stranger calls and prom night remakes , both of which are borderline in name only .
amateur sleuth : james
jim
ogilvie has no formal law enforcement or investigation training , but spent a good chunk of the first movie following the stepfather ' s trail from town to town to apprehend his sister ' s killer outside of the law .
ebiri : the film supposedly presents the gradual decaying of his reality , but sometimes i wonder if it isn’t all a hallucination from the get - go . watch the ease with which he seduces the beautiful debbie harry on a tv talk show ; cronenberg’s vision of the video revolution is really that of a wish fulfillment fantasy gone berserk . the more we want to enter the dreamlife of the video image , the more it wants to enter us . the fact that the film has since dated somewhat , with all those awful analog tv signals and rows and rows of videotapes , now just adds to the discomfiting otherworldliness .
bruce kawin tells us that
a good horror film takes you down into the depths and shows you something about the landscape .
landscape , of course , accommodates multiple perspectives . in the end , the differences of critical opinion in this book mirror the confusion over difference itself that informs our culture at this point in history . yet at the same time this critical difference reveals the health and vitality that has been characteristic of the horror film and our thinking about it for the last thirty years . today gender roles are being tested , challenged , and redefined everywhere , and until such time as difference is no longer dreaded , this crucial aspect of the horror film will remain very important for us .
the craziest possession film ever–and potentially the craziest film ever–andrzej zulawski ' s relationship drama charts the disintegration of a marriage between a spy ( sam neill ) and his wife ( isabelle adjani ) , who ' s soon sleeping with a tentacled monster . in the signature scene , adjani writhes around a subway station floor while miscarrying . as i ' ve said before , it has to be seen to be believed .
you can ' t have a
movie convention
without them , can you ? absolutely not ! and we plan on showing plenty of films on both 16mm film and video at cinema wasteland - many of which may be hosted by the stars and directors appearing as guests at the show . our evening film show is free to all attendees and hotel guests .
throughout the film , jerry has been making a birdhouse – a miniature version of his idea of the perfect home . susan and stephanie help jerry erect it mid - way through the film , and we are given a distorted shot from the top of the birdhouse , looking down , emphasizing how high and unreachable jerry’s idea of family really is . in the closing scene of the film , stephanie cuts the birdhouse down . we see it lying in the foreground while stephanie and her mother walk arm - in - arm , happy and complete , back into their home . they do not relocate as many families in horror films do after tragedy because of the symbolic significance of reclaiming their house , their structure . the film shows us that these two women are a complete family . they do not need a patriarch , and they do not need the conventional notion of the nuclear family to be happy – in fact , they are better off without it .
the book begins with three landmark accounts of the horror film in the context of gender that have influenced the scope of contemporary critical debate , including much of the subsequent work included in this volume . collected in part one , these three essays , following upon laura mulvey ' s groundbreaking 1975 essay
visual pleasure and narrative cinema ,
share a concern with the gendered dynamics of looking in the horror film . linda williams ' s
when the woman looks
examines mulvey ' s notion of narrative film as articulating a controlling male gaze in the context of the horror film specifically . her suggestion that there is a sympathetic alignment between the monster ' s gaze and that of the female spectator is echoed by barbara creed , who employs julia kristeva ' s notion of abjection as it relates to the horror film , especially in terms of monstrous images of the maternal . carol clover reexamines those assumptions concerning the supposed masculine essence of horror in the context of the slasher subgenre . her emphasis on the fluidity of point of view and spectator identification is informed by more recent theory that has moved beyond the binary gender determinism of mulvey ' s model and argues that these movies , which previously had been understood as particularly misogynist , might indeed hold some value for feminism .