He Knows You're Alone (1980)

User Rating:

3.9/10   

Director:

Armand Mastroianni

Writer:

Scott Parker (writer)

Release Date:

12 September 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Every girl is frightened the night before her wedding, but this time... there's good reason!

Plot:

A young bride-to-be is being stalked upon by a serial killer. She gets help from a former lover, but will they manage to escape?

Plot Keywords:

Bride | Serial Killer | Police Investigation | Nipples | Jogging

Cast

Don Scardino	...	Marvin
Caitlin O'Heaney	...	Amy Jensen
Elizabeth Kemp	...	Nancy
Tom Rolfing	...	Ray Carlton (the killer)
Lewis Arlt	...	Det. Len Gamble
Patsy Pease	...	Joyce
James Rebhorn	...	Prof. Carl Mason
Tom Hanks	...	Elliot
Dana Barron	...	Diane
Joseph Leon	...	Ralph (the tailor)
Paul Gleason	...	Det. Frank Daley
James Carroll	...	Phil
Brian Byers	...	Bernie
Curt Hostetter	...	Tommy
Robin Lamont	...	Ruthie

Also Known As:

Blood Wedding

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (cut) (1981) | Australia:R | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Iceland:(Banned) | Iceland:16 (cut)

Filming Locations:

Fox Theatre, Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

In the DVD commentary Mastroianni said that horror fans frequently confuse this film with 1979's _When A Stranger Calls (1979)_ because of their similarly threatening titles. Mastroianni also said ironically 'He Knows You're Alone' and 'When A Stranger Calls' were both playing at a New York theater at the same time once. He said that the theater marquee read 'When A Stranger Calls He Knows You're Alone' as if it was all one big movie title.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Amy and Nancy are sitting on the couch talking and drinking wine, Nancy pours wine into Amy's glass almost filling it. The amount of wine in the glass then varies between shots.

Quotes:

Detective Len Gamble: What do you have?
Detective Thompson: A tailor, murdered with a pair of scissors.
Detective Len Gamble: Does anyone else work here?
Detective Thompson: The dead guy's wife.
Detective Len Gamble: Find her, she may be able to help.
Detective Thompson: And what are you going to be doing?
Detective Len Gamble: Sleeping, I've had a long drive!
Detective Thompson: You're a big help!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006)

Soundtrack:

IT'S THE NIGHT AGAIN

Effectively chilling early slasher.

One of the earlier followers of Halloween was this solid slasher, that certainly took its share of inspiration from Carpenter's masterpiece.

In Staton Island, NY a murderer is targeting brides-to-be. Will lovely Amy who's set to be married in just weeks become the killer's next victim?

He Knows You're Alone is an enjoyable slasher with a game cast (most notably the always charismatic Scardino). Of course this film is mostly remember as the acting debut of the wonderful Tom Hanks, who was said to have been so likable that the script was changed as to not have his character killed off.

Hanks aside, this film does have it's share of entertainment. The opening theater scene (which would later inspire the opening of Scream 2) is still one of the most gripping introductions for any slasher film. The stalking sequences are suspenseful, especially the climactic chase through the basement of the morgue. A nicely creepy atmosphere runs throughout the film too. Yet, unlike some slasher flicks this one is light on gore.

All in all, He Knows You're Alone is a good entry from the slasher heyday that genre fans should enjoy.

** 1/2 out of ****