Revenge of the Stepford Wives
Revenge of the Stepford Wives | |
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Genre |
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Based on | The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin |
Written by | David Wiltse |
Directed by | Robert Fuest |
Starring | Sharon Gless Julie Kavner Don Johnson Audra Lindley Arthur Hill Mason Adams |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producer | Edgar J. Scherick |
Producer | Scott Rudin |
Cinematography | Ric Waite |
Editor | Jerrold L. Ludwic |
Running time | 96 minutes |
Original release | |
Network | NBC |
Release | October 12, 1980 |
Related | |
Revenge of the Stepford Wives is a 1980 American
Plot
Set 10 years after the original film, a prologue sets the scene as a couple unhappy in idyllic Stepford, Connecticut, attempts to leave town; they are killed by the police chief.
Spirited investigative TV reporter Kaye Foster (Gless) arrives in Stepford to do a story on the American town with the lowest crime and divorce rates and the tightest real-estate market in the country. She immediately notices the beautiful, but compliant and domestic women of the town, who take a pill four times a day when an eerie
Kaye is shaken when Barbara Parkinson (Lindley) "accidentally" nearly runs her down with her car, then exhibits strange, repetitive behaviors at the accident site, yet has no recollection of the incident the next day. Disillusioned hotel manager Wally (Adams) seems guiltily on the verge of divulging something important to Kaye about his wife's inability to change, when another attempt is made on Kaye's life.
Andy assumes the job with the Stepford Police, and Megan has chosen a house when she is sent to the Men's Association and disappears for a few days. Suspicious, Kaye sneaks into a
Kaye shows up at Megan's house, throws out her pills, and compels her to down some vodka. At first, Megan attempts to stab Kaye and manically clean the house. Overcome, she later recovers and the two women knock out Andy. Kaye, now disguised as a Stepford wife, enlists the aide of Wally to help them escape; he betrays them, but having anticipated this, Kaye manages to elude him. However, their plan to escape by train fails, and Megan is taken to the Men's Association for reconditioning. Eventually, Kaye arrives and holds Diz at gunpoint while Megan repeatedly sounds the pill siren. All the women of the town overdose on their pills, becoming disoriented and then violent. Having second thoughts about the scheme, Andy shows up in time to reconcile and escape with Megan. Kaye is finally caught by Diz, though, and just as he is about to kill her, he is confronted by the vengeful women of the town. Screaming and clawing, they push him over a balcony, trample him, and literally tear him apart. Shocked and horrified, Kaye makes her escape.
Cast
- Sharon Gless as Kaye Foster
- Julie Kavner as Megan Brady
- Audra Lindley as Barbara Parkinson
- Don Johnson as Officer Andy Brady
- Mason Adams as Wally
- Arthur Hill as Gale 'Diz' Corbett
- Gay Rowan as Angeline
- Howard Witt as Police Chief
- Peter Maloney as Henry the druggist
- Melissa Newman as Muffin Sheridan
Production
The film first aired on October 12, 1980. Despite the suburban Connecticut setting, it was filmed in
This is the first sequel in a string of stories suggested by, but not necessarily true to, the original concept of the novel. Although the feel, costumes, and even music suggest the original film, a new and different twist is written for the sequel. Later sequels include
Home video
After its initial airing on television, the film had a 1989 VHS release by Embassy Home Entertainment. The film, like the other two television sequels, has yet had no release on DVD or Blu-ray.
Reception
One review of the film describes Revenge as "an average telefilm sequel [which] isn't that bad, but isn't much memorable, either."
References
- ^ "The Video Graveyard". The Video Graveyard. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
- ^ "Stomp Tokyo". Stomp Tokyo. 2000-10-18. Retrieved 2011-02-25.