The Caller 1987
Directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman
- Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller, Horror
- 97 min
- R
A strange visitor. A mysterious woman. A surprise ending...
One night, an unusual stranger in need asks a woman living alone in a house in the woods if he can use her phone. It soon becomes clear that they're playing a strange mind game and that there's something very wrong about the woods.
Log it
Sign in to log this.
Character
Intimate, grave, contemplative and earnest.
- intimateepic
- gravecomic
- contemplativerelentless
- earnestironic
- sparerichly built
Who loves it, who doesn't
No profiled raters yet.
Where do you stand?
Answer first; then see how everyone, and your circle, split.
“Does the smallness hold it back?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is the slow pace a feature rather than a flaw?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is Malcolm McDowell the best thing in The Caller?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
Ask the title
A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
No reviews yet.
Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- Wuchakon TMDB · Jun 20266/10
**_Mind games at a cabin-in-the-woods with Malcolm McDowell and Madolyn Smith_** Originally intended to be a theatrical release, this was shot in late 1986 and debuted at festivals Cannes and MystFest in 1987 but not released to video until late Dec 1989 in America. It’s a psychological cat-and-mouse drama that turns into a thriller in the last dozen minutes. There’s a sense of unreality to the proceedings, but everything is explained by the end, albeit vaguely. You’ll have to make sense of the details based on hints in the dialogues. The climax is unexpected and makes the movie whereas the bulk of the film consists of the two stars meeting at the cabin and getting to know each other in a strange way. Fans of either McDowell or Madolyn Smith will enjoy their tug-and-pull dramatics. Yet there is a scenic mountain drive sequence at the midpoint to stir things up. The less you know the better, so I’m not going to cite comparisons. I’ll just say the creators had the gonads to be original. It runs 1h 37h and was shot at Empire Studios, Rome, with the mountain sequence done in the Central Apennine Mountains in the region of Lazio. GRADE: B-
Read the whole review on TMDB - GenerationofSwineon TMDB · Mar 20265/10
It was made in the late 80s but feels like it was a 1970s science-fiction flick on a shoe-string budget that has a big reveal that you can call at the start of the film with realitive ease. But, you know what? Who cares? It's actually very well acted, on both sides, and it's a pleasure to watch their preformances. And.... that makes it watchable, very watchable, even if the reveal is pretty predictable.
Read the whole review on TMDB
Cast
- Malcolm McDowellThe Caller
- Madolyn Smith OsborneThe Girl (as Madolyn Smith)
Crew
- Arthur Allan SeidelmanDirector
- Michael SloanWriter
- Daniele NannuzziDirector of Photography
- Richard BandOriginal Music Composer
- Bert GlatsteinEditor
- Frank YablansProducer
- Michael SloanProducer
Where to watch
Checking availability…
Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
Mr. Frost 199075% alikeBoth grave, intimate, contemplative.
After the Rain 200074% alikeBoth grave, intimate, earnest.
The Mandela Effect 201972% alikeBoth grave, intimate, earnest.
Jane Got a Gun 201572% alikeBoth grave, earnest, contemplative.
Fear in the Night 197270% alikeBoth intimate, grave, earnest.
The Last Thing Mary Saw 202170% alikeBoth grave, intimate, earnest.
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll 196069% alikeBoth grave, contemplative.
Down in the Valley 200569% alikeBoth grave, intimate.
What Fuwa Bansaku Found 201676% alikeGame · Both intimate, grave, earnest.- Don't Look! 201175% alikeGame · Both intimate, grave, spare.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Tastebuds
