Stranger in Our House (1978) (TV)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Wes Craven

Writers:

Glenn M. Benest (writer)
Lois Duncan (novel)

Release Date:

31 October 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Tonight, the world premiere of a chilling story of witchcraft, demons and the supernatural!

Plot:

A teenage girl's life is turned upside down after her cousin moves into her house, and as time goes by, she begins to suspect that she may be a practitioner of witchcraft.

Plot Keywords:

Girl | Witchcraft | Demon | Attempted Murder | Sleeping Woman

Cast

Linda Blair	...	Rachel Bryant
Lee Purcell	...	Julia Trent
Jeremy Slate	...	Tom Bryant
Jeff McCracken	...	Mike Gallagher
Jeff East	...	Peter Bryant
Carol Lawrence	...	Leslie Bryant
Macdonald Carey	...	Professor Jarvis
Fran Drescher	...	Carolyn Baker
James Jarnigan	...	Bobby Bryant (as James Jarnagin)
Kerry Arquette	...	Anne
Sierra Pecheur	...	Nurse Duncan
Billy Beck	...	Sheriff
Patricia Wilson	...	Mrs. Gallagher
Frederick Rule	...	Mailman
Helena Mäkelä	...	Beverly Hills Lady (as Helena Makela)

Also Known As:

Summer of Fear (Europe: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violence.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:15 | UK:12 | UK:X (original rating) | Finland:K-14 (1989) (VHS) | Finland:K-15 (2005) (DVD) | Netherlands:12 | Australia:M | Norway:16 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Hidden Hills, California, USA

Company:

Finnegan Associates

Trivia:

After having a successful television run on both NBC and CBS, the film was re-titled "Summer of Fear" and given a theatrical release in Europe.

Quotes:

Julia: [finds a picture of Rachel's boyfriend Mike] Is he your solid feller?
Rachel Bryant: I guess so ...

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: Stranger in Our House" (1998)

Re-discover Wes Craven in his earlier work!

In the 70's and 80's this film was shown a multitude of times for late-night TV. I had seen it several times, and am amused that it has now been re-packaged, to dupe a whole new generation. Yet, it is not a bad movie, if you can get past the special effects.

Yes, Linda Blair has that weird perm-thing going on; she is the daughter who suspects something is amiss with her cousin, played by Lee Purcell. The happy family as well as Ms. Blair's horse become haunted by something demonic- something unsettling. Carol Lawrence plays Blair's mother, and there is an amusing scene where Purcell flirts with Jeff East, Ms. Blair's father.

As this story was written by Lois Duncan, upon whose stories "I Know What You Did Last Summer" as well as "Killing Mr. Griffin" were turned into film, one can at least enjoy the story; and Wes Craven does an interesting job of directing this. I was never a huge fan, (I must admit that "Candyman" is a guilty pleasure) but recently saw "The Hills Have Eyes", and he does have nuance and depth which deserve mention.

Even if you are not a true horror fan, this film can be categorized as fear/suspense. If you like Wes Craven, you will definitely find this interesting, and the 70's nostalgia is an added plus!.