Torment (1986)

User Rating:

3.0/10   

Directors:

Samson Aslanian
John Hopkins

Writers:

Samson Aslanian (writer)
John Hopkins (writer)

Release Date:

April 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Crime

Tagline:

He can only kill you once, but he can terrify you forever.

Plot:

A detective sets out to capture a psycho who kills women, but the psycho turns the tables and goes after the detective's girlfriend. |

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Trapped | Police | Axe | Stalker

Cast

Taylor Gilbert	...	Jennifer
William Witt	...	Father
Eve Brenner	...	Mrs. Courtland
Warren Lincoln	...	Michael
Najean Cherry	...	Helen, Mrs. Courtland's housemaid
Stan Weston	...	Bogartis
Doug Leach	...	Officer Tilman
Lisa Ramirez	...	Dianne
Dan Kosloff	...	Barry
Paul McCarthy	...	Officer Gilchrist
Kent Minault	...	Fort Point Officer
Sherman Brown	...	Coroner
Alan Droyan	...	Uniformed Cop #1 (as Al Droyan)
Pepe McIlvaine	...	Uniformed Cop #2
Michael Orloff	...	Cab Driver

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Norway:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Aslanian-Hopkins Production

Soundtrack:

OH HONEY

A 70s-styled American version of a European Giallo Thriller

If you didn't notice the year this takes place (1985) due to the cars and clothes, you'd probably think this was a film from around 1970-74, and likely a European Giallo thriller, but it isn't one because it's 1985 and set in and around San Francisco. However, it owes much to the influences of Argento and the other Italian and European directors of this particular type of horror film, called the "yellow" (Giallo) cinema. These really are films of terror, not horror, and they are typically slow-paced and languid, with a minimal music track that doesn't get in the way, a normal human killer (normal meaning non-supernatural) with definitely twisted psychological motivations or obsessions. The actors are also minimal, with only limited numbers of characters, and they are often well-rounded character actors who rise to the occasion to put in above average performances. These films also have rather grisly killings with a fair amount of gore. This particular film meets all of these standards, with the exception being that it is only moderately gory. As has been said in other comments, if you are a fan of the gory modern fast-paced horror films with flat stereotypical characters, you might be bored by TORMENT, but if you like nicely done, plot-driven Giallo terror thrillers, this will not be wasted time for you.