When a Stranger Calls Back | 
 enlarge | Director: Fred Walton (ii)
Actors: Carol Kane, Charles Durning, Jill Schoelen, Gene Lythgow, Gary Jones
Studio: Good Times Video
Category: DVD
Buy Used: $12.25
New (5) Used (14) Collectible (1) from $12.25
Rating:  48 reviews
Sales Rank: 25520
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Languages: English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 94 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
ISBN: 6305137382
UPC: 018713810267
EAN: 9786305137382
ASIN: 6305137382
Theatrical Release Date: April 4, 1993
Release Date: May 15, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: normal wear for stated condition, fast shipping--DVD-1
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| Customer Reviews: Read 43 more reviews...
 Improves on the original, but in other ways it's also very inferior January 10, 2008
Dave. K (Staten Island, Ny)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
When a Stranger Calls back was overall a well-done sequel that in some ways improves on the original, but in other ways it's also very inferior to the original. Like the original the opening act is simply brilliant. Each second the tension is raised until you are on the edge of your seat. While the opening act may not be as great as the original it is a very tense and edge of your seat thrill ride.
After the opening act in the original it does slow down and can be a little boring in some areas, but I still think its better than most people give it credit for. Here in When a Stranger Calls Back the middle sections aren't as slow paced, but the problem is it lacks the eerie feel of the original. For the first half of the movie you're still on that high from the opening act so even the slightest suspense scene will play out very well.
The one thing this movie does get right is I always felt the original should have been Jill Johnson's story with the stranger being more of a sub-plot. After the opening act instead of switching over to the stranger we stay with Julia played by the lovely Jill Schoelen who was tormented in the opening act. Returning is Carol Kane as Jill Johnson and Charles Durning as John Clifford; When a Stranger Calls back works well when the focus is on Julia, but works ever better when Jill is the main focus. This time around the stranger William Landis played by Gene Lythgow has a very small part and only appears a couple of times and mostly he's kept hidden.
Writer Fred Walton does a pretty good job with the screenplay, but there were some directions the movie could have gone. Jill appears around the 30-minute mark and in a main stay through the movie unlike the original where she only appears in the opening and closing act. While Walton does do a good job with the character I do feel a little more could have been done with her character. Overall the script is well written, but never reached its full potential.
As a director Fred Walton does an excellent job of creating suspense and tension. When it comes to opening acts I don't think you can find a better filmmaker. Once again he does such a great job with the opening act that the slightest little noise will freak you out. The pacing though after that does lack in some areas. As I stated before the middle sections aren't as slow this time around, but they aren't as creepy as the original. There were some problems in the 2nd half where the pacing does suffer. Despite When a Stranger Calls only running at about 93-minutes I do believe it could have lost a couple of minutes to help the pacing. The 2nd half isn't bad, but does sort of repeat itself at times.
Once again When a Stranger Calls Back is one of those sequels that improves on the original even if not as good. I liked the idea of the moving focusing more on Julia than the killer. It's an interesting character study seeing her nerves really shot and nobody really willing to believe someone is stalking her. I've always liked Jill Schoelen and she provides a solid performance. The best scenes are those with Carol Kane who once again is out-standing. Jill Johnson who should have been the main focus of the original has a much bigger role this time. Charles Durning who carried the original is great here, but reduced to pretty much doing the same thing as he did in the original film and it just doesn't work quite as well.
The final act was good, but lacked the suspense and tension of the opening act. While it does have some tense moments it could have worked a lot better, but I suppose overall it does deliver. The killer here isn't nearly as creepy as Roy Duncan, but overall he works well in a small role. Like I said When a Stranger Calls Back in some ways improves upon the original, but is also inferior. Towards the end the movie does trail off a little bit, but never really becomes boring; Overall a good sequel.
 Scary Scary Scary ! February 23, 2007
James Agnello (Maryland)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I agree with the other posts here , this is a superior made for TV what a surprise and to have Carol Kane back is just fantastic !
This idea of a young girl alone in the house the phone is dead and then theres a knock on the door , and the voice behind the door wants to use the phone and then it starts to send chills thus the movie goes into a rollercaster throughout .
Buy it or rent it I promise you you wont be disapointed .
One of the greatest suspense thrillers of all time September 24, 2006
Movie Fan (U.S.A.)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I use to watch this when I was young and the beginning use to scare the bezeesis outta me. Recently I saw it on ebay, and saw that it's an out of print dvd so i bought it, and watched it which I hadnt in years, i use to watch it alot when I was young, but to me (when i was only a kid) it was scary certain parts of the film then the rest was boring, which this movie is anything but, just not for kids. It's actually scarier now for me because as an adult I can really appreciate how frightening this film is because it's realistic, and realistic movies are the scariest ones. The acting is oscar worthy, Carol Kane is great once again after being the victim in WHEN A STRANGER CALLS. I think this film is brilliant, especially the original idea of the killer/stalker having a talent that he uses to his advantage, being a ventriliguist and having other skills like slipping in and out of a house without being seen, his mind games, his sadistic games that he enjoys so much, the power that he feels over his victim, poor julia, stalked by this maniac and the police just laugh at her. Another thing, this actor who we never really see, has the sexiest voice I've ever heard, which is probably one of the main reasons he got the part, it's his voice that makes it scary but erotic at the same time, when he keeps saying their name, JILL...........JILL. COME ON OUT JULIA. At first he sounded innocent and normal when he tells julia of his car breaking down, and I love the events that followed, the writing on the paper being erased, the note missing, the door unlocked in the back. Everything was planned, although he did intend to kill her because the doctor and wife come home and interuptted his "act" or he knew they were coming home at 11:30pm and wanted to stalk her in the future and finish what he started. He obviously got off on people's suffering. Very good film. We never really find out but you know he killed the kids. Especially when he told the landlord that kids had died and he wanted to find the mother, almost like a confession. Very creepy, suspenseful film. There are no flaws, perfect movie as far as I'm concerned, perfect suspense, and the movie lets you decide and figure everything out.
"It's dark...can't see...no phone..." July 30, 2006
Kona (Emerald City)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
This superior made-for-TV movie opens with high school student Julia (Jill Schoelen) babysitting two children. A knock at the door is the beginning of a night of unspeakable terror and murder. Five years later, Julia is now a college student, still scarred by that night. Someone, it seems, has been breaking into her apartment and trying to scare her. The police think she's making it up, but college crisis counselor Jill (Carol Kane) believes her, and tries to find out who is after her, aided by her friend (Charles Durning). Soon, Jill becomes the stalker's new target.
This movie is going to terrify you; I guarantee it, especially if you were once a teenage girl who babysat alone. I've seen the movie several times over the years, and I still have to mute the sound and close my eyes when the tension is too much. Credit for this thriller's success goes to director Fred Walton who also wrote the script. You feel like you ARE Julia, all alone and scared senseless, and the creepiness never lets up. Schoelen is convincing as the hapless teen and quirky Carol Kane is always fun to watch. The movie delivers genuine thrills and you won't easily forget it. Highly recommended.
A SUPERIOR SEQUEL!!! July 18, 2006
John D. Seneca (PLAQUEMINE, LOUISIANA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This sequel to When A Stranger Calls (1979) is a fantastic film with more suspense than the original!! It features fantastic performances from both Carol Kane and Jill Schoelen as well!!
Featuring a surprise ending that must be see to be believed!!
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