Must See Movie...

Great Film overall

An Exercise In Nonsense

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

"Eyes of a Stranger" follows a Miami television news anchor (Lauren Tewes) who grows increasingly disturbed by a series of brutal sex killings in the area. Her paranoia leads to an ardent protectiveness of her vulnerable blind-deaf sister (Jennifer Jason Leigh), and she becomes convinced a male neighbor is responsible for the murders.For an early-eighties slasher entry, "Eyes of a Stranger" has a pretty darn good opening that seems to promise a nasty, unrelenting horror flick. As much as it seems to be borrowing from its contemporaries (it shares many things in common with other entries, such as "Don't Answer the Phone," and "He Knows You're Alone," as well as 1974's "Black Christmas"), the film's opening scene and first murder sequence are startlingly effective and brutal. The first half remains compelling, with an ambiguous subplot concerning the sisters making sparse entries into the narrative—but as it reaches its halfway point, the film begins to slightly devolve.It's not a fatal devolution by any means—this is still a very watchable film—but the tightfistedness and intrigue begins to dissipate as the audience becomes familiarized with the villain. The flip side is that the exposure allows John DiSanti's performance some room to breathe, and he manages to evoke a fairly frightening antagonist. Lauren Hewes is solid as the feminist lead, and Jennifer Jason Leigh makes her first major screen role in the film as Hewes's disabled sister, a role that also flourishes in the second act. The film's conclusion is a bit anticlimactic by most accounts, and this also detracts a bit from the picture, but it's not enough to cause a serious implosion.Overall, "Eyes of a Stranger" is a mixed bag. It is conceptually unoriginal, and there is a sense of unevenness between its first and second acts, but it's also relatively well-shot and the performances from all are above the standard. It also boasts some unexpectedly disturbing, effective murder sequences that are likely to catch the audience off guard. 6/10.

There's a real weirdo in this film. No, not the overweight, speccy guy who breaks into women's houses at night to rape and murder them, who also puts decapitated heads in aquariums. His problems are well-documented... Leave him alone.I am referring to the blonde news reporter who lives nearby, and finds out the identity of this serial killer. Desperate to protect her disabled sister who lives with her and hasn't been able to see, hear or talk since she was assaulted at a young age by another pervert, what does our reporter do? Phone the police? OF COURSE NOT!! She BREAKS into the maniac's house to try and gather evidence, and leaves him mysterious PHONE-CALLS telling him she knows his guilt. This second action is particularly perplexing... seeing as she's on the TV news every night, didn't she think he might be able to recognize her voice?Well he does of course, which leads him to her apartment, and a showdown with the news reporter's traumatized sibling. Thank goodness for that conveniently placed jug of hot coffee! Then, sister arrives JUST in the nick of time with a Colt. BANG BANG!! You're dead. That should be the end... But whaddoya know... the sister's ordeal has jogged her back to reality!! SHE CAN SEE, HEAR AND TALK AGAIN!! HURRAY!! A NATION CELEBRATES!! Apart from me, I roll my eyes, and start to wonder about my direction in life... 4/10

I remember watching, "Wait Until Dark", and it dealt with creepy people. Well, in "Eyes of a Stranger", it takes creepy to a whole new level. In Miami, Florida, there's a creepy caller roaming around. Not only he's making obscene calls he's raping and killing as well. A bar worker gets sexually assaulted and by this behemoth, after he cuts off his head with a cleaver. Following up on the case is a headstrong reporter (Lauren Tewes, "The Love Boat") who is tracking down this maniac while she does her best to protect her sister(Jennifer Jason Leigh) who was blinded and deafened from a vicious attack years earlier. Jane has suspicion on a neighbor who was changing his shirt in a hurry. Her hunches were right, and she doesn't mess around. For her sister, her past injuries turned out to be temporary, when the serial killer came after her. Lauren Tewes did a great job as Julie, the cruise director, on "The Love Boat". In this movie, she didn't play around. Jennifer Jason Leigh did very well, in her debut as the blinded sister Tracy. A very good movie, must see! 4 out of 5 stars

Going into this film, I didn't know anything about it, other than Savini did the effects, which is, of course, the reason I watched. Up until this point, this under-discussed film wasn't even on my radar and I only came upon the title recently. Glad to see it's finally available uncut.However, speaking of uncut, which is always the most important issue to me when watching any film, I found the effects to be rather subdued and maybe, given the nature of the film, that's the point.Jane is a news anchor. Her little sister, Tracy, was abducted and sexually abused at a young age, leaving her with unusual mental scars that affected her sight, speech, and hearing. Tracy lives with Jane in a large high-rise apartment complex near the bay. Recently, a weirdo has been stalking women, raping them, and, perhaps simultaneously, strangling them. A similar stalker is found in the film, Don't Answer the Phone, however, Eyes of a Stranger is a better overall film, even with subdued gore and sexual violence. The unusual aspect of this film is not only does Jane and the killer live in the same complex, she suspects him while he isn't even aware of her, other than perhaps knowing she's on the news. She is not one of his intended victims, he doesn't follow or call her. So, in a crazy twist, she starts calling him, smoking a cigarette as if she's just done the deed, all the while taunting him on the phone in the same manner he's done to several of his victims.It's a fun cat and mouse game, where at times it seems as if there are two cats. The rape scenes are not overly aggressive and a few cut throats and a gunshot wound are all we get from Tom Savini. However, I do recommend this one if you want something a little different, and, perhaps, a little more realistic. The killer isn't your typical hack and slash, like so many 80's killers. He's just a guy. Someone you pass every day or maybe you bought insurance from him. That makes it scarier. Enjoy.