Invitation to Hell (1984) (TV)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Director:

Wes Craven

Writer:

Richard Rothstein (writer)

Release Date:

24 May 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A family moves to a suburban town only to be hastled into joining a suspicious health spa.

Plot Keywords:

Spa | Health Spa | Scientist | Health Club | Good Versus Evil

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Robert Urich	...	Matt Winslow
Joanna Cassidy	...	Patricia 'Pat' Winslow
Susan Lucci	...	Jessica Jones
Joe Regalbuto	...	Tom Peterson
Kevin McCarthy	...	Mr. Thompson
Patty McCormack	...	Mary Peterson
Bill Erwin	...	Walt Henderson
Soleil Moon Frye	...	Chrissy Winslow
Barret Oliver	...	Robbie Winslow
Nicholas Worth	...	Sheriff
Virginia Vincent	...	Grace Henderson
Greg Monaghan	...	Pete
Lois Hamilton	...	Miss Winter
Cal Bartlett	...	Stepson
Anne Marie McEvoy	...	Janie

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 | Germany:16

Company:

Moonlight Productions

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: A pull wire is visible when Matt Winslow shoots Tom Peterson with a laser beam, throwing him back.

Wes Craven's commentary on big business?

Hey now, after having lived in "Silicon Valley" (San Jose, Santa Clara, Mtn. View area south of San Francisco) for 23 years, and having spent a good deal of that time working for electronics companies, I saw something in this movie that didn't occur to me when I first watched it back in 1984 when it was on TV. What occurred to me is that selling your soul to the Devil for success in business was not a far cry from what life is like there. I'm not sure that Wes Craven really knew much about that but maybe if he did this was his commentary on that lifestyle. Lifestyles of the rich and soul-less. Susan "I Never Won An Emmy" Lucci plays the owner of Steaming Springs Country Club, a place where the "beautiful" people come to hob nob, and it's ever so exclusive. Membership is a tad on the expensive side though. Just your soul, and success is sure to come. Along comes Robert Urich and family from somewhere in the midwest to settle down and start a new life. They've never had much before and his wife allows success to go right to her head by buying all new furniture and changing their house into a showcase of ugly trashy furniture. Not to mention she and the kids run down to the Country Club and "sign up". Now this is not one of Wes Craven's best movie, by far, but it's still entertaining and maybe it even has a sly commentary on the lifestyles of the rich and wannabee's in Silicon Valley, where everyone thinks they're a superstar no matter how little talent they possess. Worth seeing at least once, and is probably better than "Don't Look Down", but I guess that's only a "Wes Craven Presents"....