#PopCultureResolution -The Stepfather

The Stepfather

Director: Joseph Ruben

Length: 89 minutes

Cast: Terry O'Quinn, Shelley Hack, Jill Schoelen

Release Date: January 23, 1987

Synopsis: Jerry Blake (Terry O'Quinn) is a family man, but he happens to have a series of families, with each one on the receiving end of his murderous ways. When Jerry sets his sights on a lovely widow named Susan (Shelley Hack) and her headstrong daughter, Stephanie (Jill Schoelen), it appears that his brutal pattern of killings will continue. However, Stephanie begins to suspect that there's something wrong with the seemingly well-adjusted Jerry, and a violent confrontation is inevitable.

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The Stepfather is another 'based on a true crime' selection that made my list this year. It's (very) loosely based on the murders that John List committed but only in the simplest of terms. I was curious enough to add it to my list because I had good things, and it's pretty much a classic.

It's a solid, quick horror that I think will appeal to even those who are not horror fans. It has its horror filled moments but still manages to feel more like a thriller at times. Those who are not a fan of bloody scenes will still want to skip this one though because those are definitely still present.

The movie is at its most memorable when it focuses on Terry O'Quinn's Jerry. It's a fantastically unsettling performance. He manages to make whistling something that can send shivers down your spine. He excels are both the charming face that lures in women and the murderous opposite he eventually shows himself as. It's the performance, for me at least, that stands out in this movie.

The refreshing thing about these types of films is that they are the tightly packed, easily consumable pieces of entertainment. A majority run around the 90 minute range, especially if they are older, and that is because they know their audience. They know what the horror fan wants and that is on display in the screenplay here. It's a fast paced, tightly constructed story that feels even quicker than it actually is. Sometimes this works with the story being told and other times it leaves you wanting more. I did feel like some elements could have been fleshed out more, or expanded on, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is a strong example of what often works in this genre.

The Stepfather ends up being a solid watch with a central performance that is the key to the movie. This has been remade and has inspired plenty of other movies so I may be swayed to check out a few of those as well. As for the big question that I answer at the end of these - was it scary? Well, it depends. The idea of it is certainly scary. The ones that feel a little more plausible always are. There are certainly scary moments in it, but I would classic this as a more of a thriller that keeps you tense. throughout.