When a Stranger Calls (film series)
When a Stranger Calls | |
---|---|
Based on | an Original story by Steve Feke & Fred Walton |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | 1979–2006 |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $16,500,000 (2 films) |
Box office | $69,271,372 (2 films) |
The When a Stranger Calls franchise consists of
The movies have been met with mixed critical reception ranging from moderate to negative reviews;[1][2][3] however, praise was directed towards the cast of the original,[4] with its sequel being called more effective and scary as well as commending the filmmaking growth that Walton showcased.[5][6] The 2006 remake has in years since, received positive reception for its modern adaptation of the story while being categorized as a "gateway" horror film.[7]
Films
Film | U.S. release date |
Director | Screenwriter(s) | Producer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
When a Stranger Calls | September 28, 1979 | Fred Walton | Steve Feke & Fred Walton | Doug Chapin and Steve Feke |
When a Stranger Calls Back | April 4, 1993 | Fred Walton | Tom Rowe | |
When a Stranger Calls | February 3, 2006 | Simon West | Jake Wade Wall | John Davis, Wyck Godfrey and Ken Lemberger |
When a Stranger Calls (1979)
Jill Johnson, a young high school student works as a babysitter for a wealthy family. One night as she's caring for their kids, a caller begins to make strange prank calls which progresses into threatening statements towards the children. As time goes on, Jill begins to realize that the calls are not in a joking nature and she calls the police for assistance. Though the law enforcement initially questions the nature of the phone calls as well, but with the help of Detective John Clifford they determine that the calls are coming from inside the house. Upon this revelation, the young woman must fight for her life and to save the little ones as well.[4][8]
When a Stranger Calls Back (1993)
Julia Jenz, a young responsible college student who is introverted in nature begins to believe that terrors of her past are returning in her life. When she was younger in high school, she had been babysitting two young children for a doctor and his wife while they were away. A stranger had knocked on the door asking for her to help him call for automotive assistance due to some car troubles he was having. Upon trying to assist him she discovered that the telephone line was down, and in horror discovered that he had abducted the children while she was distracted.
As it took her years to cope with the psychological ramifications of the experience, she is convinced that the same man has once again began to stalk her. Though many question her sanity, school counselor Jill Johnson believes her as she too lived a similar nightmare when she was young. Together they enlist the help of retired police officer John Clifford, who had assisted Johnson many years ago. As the circumstances of Julia's lurker become more dire, the group races to discover the man's identity before it's too late.[5][6][9][10][11]
When a Stranger Calls (2006)
Jill Johnson, a high school teenager who works as a babysitter at night, arrives to care for the children at a luxurious mansion in an isolated location. Their parents are leaving for the night, and the children are fast asleep. As she looks through the channels, she finds that a gruesome murder had taken place earlier that night. Relieved that she is far away from the scene of the crime, she soon begins to receive a series of calls from an unknown caller. Initially suspecting them to be a prank in nature, the caller begins to be sadistic and frightening in nature as he begins to threaten her and the children.
When Jill reaches out to the police, she is instructed to secure the house and to do here best to keep the caller on the line as long a possible so that they can track the source. Her ordinary evening, quickly escalates into living nightmare when the law enforcement call her and let her know that the calls have been coming from somewhere inside the house. The police race to her aid, before they're too late as the stranger attacks. In a series of horrific events, Jill must rescue the children and escape with their lives.[12][13][14][7]
Short film
The Sitter (1977)
Title | U.S. release date |
Director | Writer(s) | Producer |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Sitter | 1977 | Fred Walton
|
Steve Feke & Fred Walton | Steve Feke |
In early 1977,
Main cast and characters
Character | Films | ||
---|---|---|---|
When a Stranger Calls (1979) |
When a Stranger Calls Back | When a Stranger Calls (2006) | |
Jill Johnson | Carol Kane | Camilla Belle | |
Curt Duncan The Stranger |
Tony Beckley | Referenced | |
Det. John Clifford | Charles Durning | ||
Julia Jenz | Jill Schoelen | ||
William Landis The Stranger |
Gene Lythgow | ||
The Stranger | Tommy Flanagan Lance HenriksenV | ||
Det. Harv Hines | Steve Eastin | ||
Ofc. Burroughs | David Denman | ||
Ofc. Lewis | John Bobek |
Additional crew and production details
Title | Crew/Detail | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Composer | Cinematographer | Editor | Production companies |
Distributing companies |
Running time | ||
When a Stranger Calls (1979) |
Dana Kaproff | Donald Peterman | Sam Vitale | Melvin Simon Productions | Columbia Pictures | 1 hr 37 mins | |
When a Stranger Calls Back | David Geddes | David Byron Lloyd | Krost/Chapin Productions, The Producers Entertainment Group, Pacific Motion Pictures |
Showtime | 1 hr 34 mins | ||
When a Stranger Calls (2006) |
James Dooley | Peter Menzies Jr. | Jeff Betancourt
|
Screen Gems, TeleStranger Productions Inc. |
Sony Pictures Releasing | 1 hr 27 mins |
Reception
Box office and financial performance
Film | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Video sales gross |
Worldwide total gross income |
Budget | Worldwide total net income |
Ref. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North America | Other territories | Worldwide | All time North America |
All time worldwide | ||||||
When a Stranger Calls (1979) | $21,411,158 | — | $21,411,158 | #8,427 | #14,141 | Information not publicly available | >$21,411,158 | $1,500,000 | $19,911,158 | [16][17][18] |
When a Stranger Calls Back | — | — | — | — | — | $112,707 | ≥$112,707 | Information not publicly available | ≤$112,707 | [19] |
When a Stranger Calls (2006) | $47,860,214 | $19,355,221 | $67,215,435 | #1,900 | #3,441 | $13,936,079 | $81,151,514 | $15,000,000 | $66,151,514 | [20][21] |
Totals | $69,271,372 | $19,355,221 | $69,271,372 | x̄ #3,442 | x̄ #5,861 | >$14,048,786 | ≥$29,675,379 | >$16,500,000 | ≤$13,175,379 | [16][19][20] |
Critical and public response
Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore |
---|---|---|---|
When a Stranger Calls (1979) | 38% (16 reviews) [1] | 58/100 (7 reviews)[22] | — |
When a Stranger Calls Back | 63% (8 reviews)[2] | — | — |
When a Stranger Calls (2006) | 9% (91 reviews)[3] | 27/100 (20 reviews)[23] | B−[24] |
Home media
Title | Format | Discs | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | Special Features | Distributors |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
When a Stranger Calls (1979) | Blu-ray | 01 | — | 3 December 2018 | — | Content New Special Features | Second Sight |
When a Stranger Calls Back | Blu-ray | 01 | 2018 | — | — | Content New Special Features | Scream Factory |
When a Stranger Calls (2006) | Blu-ray | 01 | — | — | 4 December 2014 | None | Umbrella Entertainment |
See also
References
- ^ a b "When a Stranger Calls (1979)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ a b "When a Stranger Calls Back". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ a b "When a Stranger Calls (2006)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ a b Maslin, Janet (October 12, 1979). "Screen: A Killer Returns in 'When a Stranger Calls':Killer on Little Cat Feet". The New York Times. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ a b Dee, Jake (May 10, 2019). "The F*cking Black Sheep: When a Stranger Calls Back (1993)". JoBlo. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ a b Holcomb, Brian (November 7, 2019). "'When a Stranger Calls Back' Betters its Spooky Predecessor". Pop Matters. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ a b Lê, Paul (February 4, 2020). "'When a Stranger Calls': Misbegotten Remake or Worthwhile Gateway Horror?". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ Cockwell, Sean (June 26, 2019). "When a Stranger Calls (1979)- Review". My Bloody Reviews. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ DeFellipo, Michael (May 20, 2011). "When A Stranger Calls Back Review". Horror Society. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ Martin, Todd (June 19, 2019). "Film Review: When a Stranger Calls Back (1993)". Horror News. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ Cockwell, Sean (May 24, 2019). "When a Stranger Calls/When a Stranger Calls Back Gets Standard Edition Blu-ray Release on 1 July 2019". My Bloody Reviews. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ Leydon, Joe (February 3, 2006). "When a Stranger Calls". Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ Doupé, Tyler (April 6, 2023). "How 'When a Stranger Calls' (2006) Fixed the Biggest Issue With the Original". Dread Central. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ Gingold, Michael (February 4, 2019). "Review: When a Stranger Calls (2006)". Fangoria. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ Rockoff, Adam. Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, 1978-1986, retrieved June 29, 2016.
- ^ a b "When a Stranger Calls (1979)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "When a Stranger Calls (1979)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ When a Stranger Calls at the American Film Institute Catalog. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ a b "When a Stranger Calls Back". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ a b "When a Stranger Calls (2006)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "When a Stranger Calls (2006)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "When a Stranger Calls (1979)". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "When a Stranger Calls (2006)". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "Cinemascore :: Movie Title Search". Cinemascore.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.