Director
Wes Craven
Cast
Matthew Laborteaux - Paul ConwayKristy Swanson - Samantha Pringle
Anne Twomey - Jeannie Conway
Richard Marcus - Harrison Pringle
Anne Ramsey - Elvira Parker
Charles Fleischer - voice of BB
In an interview back in 1989, Wes Craven says "I am in the business of intensity. That's what my films are about."
That intensity is definitely loud and clear in many of his movies such as, "The Hills Have Eyes," "Shocker," "The People Under the Stairs," and definitely, "A Nightmare on Elm Street." Wes Craven's 1986 movie, "Deadly Friend," tries to make its way into Craven's realm of intensity, but does it actually arrive there?
I was initially going to review "Deadly Friend" in this year's Halloween thread but it wasn't available when I was writing my seventh post in this series, "Deadtime Stories." "Deadly Friend" was my primary choice for that slot. But I couldn't get access to it on any platform, nor did I want to spend money rent it. None of my backup titles were available. So, I went with "Deadtime Stories." I didn't want to review it, but I was out of options.
However, as I was finishing up my commentary for "Pet Sematary," I saw that "Deadly Friend" was finally streaming on Pluto, I think. So, I'm getting to it at the last minute, and just in time for Halloween.
In this movie, Matthew Labyorteaux (from the TV series "Little House on the Prairie") plays Paul Conway, an intelligent teenager who works with computers and computer tech like a master artist works with paints or clay.
Among his prized achievements is an interactive intelligent robot he built named BB.
His attention is heavily diverted when a cute blonde named Samantha (Kristy Swanson) moves in next door.
Among Paul's top priorities is making sure BB stays out of his neighbor's, old Miss. Elvira Parker's (Anne Ramsey) yard. She's a cranky spinster who has threatened to blow it away with a shotgun if it ever makes its way onto her property.
Aside from that, Paul and Samantha become pretty friendly. Sadly, Samantha lives with an abusive alcoholic father, Harrison (Richard Marcus).
On Halloween night, Paul's buddy, Tom (Michael Sharrett), along with Paul, BB and Samantha pull a trick on Elvira.
 |
| Kristy Swanson as Samantha Pringle in "Deadly Friend." |
Elvira freaks out, grabs her shotgun, and fires off a few rounds at BB, hitting him each time.
Paul is devastated at seeing his robot pal laying motionless in Elvira's yard.
Later, in a drunken rage, Harrison gets abusive again with Samantha, and accidentally knocks her down some stairs. She hits her head against a wall hard enough to leave her brain dead.
She's kept on life support with no signs of recovery. Her dad makes the deicsion, a little too easily, to pull the plug on his own daughter.
Paul, however, has a plan. He thinks he can bring Samantha back by taking BB's microchip and implanting it in Samantha's brain. Being the scientist he is, Paul is certain he can pull it off. But he needs Samantha alive so he has to get to the hospital and operate on her without getting caught before the plug is pulled. It's a race against the clock.
Of course, Paul succeeds and Samantha is revived but acts more like a robot than a human being. Possessing BB's knowledge, she's out to seek murderous revenge on those who harmed BB and Paul starting with Harrison. Elvira, of course, is next!
After she kills, Paul has to stop her and get the old Samantha back.
"Deadly Friend" is quite a mix of dark humor, horror, and a bit of heart-throb. It mixes these genres together pretty well.
According to a January 5, 2022 Dread Central article, Craven wanted the movie to be a sc-fi romance story, which it clearly is. But the studios wanted some of his intense horror. So, they had him throw in some gore. The movie includes gore, and outlandishly so.
 |
| Kristy Swanson and Matthew Laborteaux. |
Kristy Swanson's performance is best before she becomes a robot-brained science experiment thanks to her lonely-hearted boyfriend.
She puts on that sweet girl next door motif rather well. After her character is put through the robot treatment, Kristy must have been told to look like a lost puppy or a deer in the headlights. I'm not blaming her, necessarily. She is clearly working as best she can with what she's given.
I think the biggest issue with "Deadly Friend" is studio interference. It's pretty darn clear too many hands where involved in this movie. With Craven's successful "A Nightmare on Elm Street," I'm willing to bet the studios wanted a success along those lines. "Deadly Friend" was meant to be a romantic sci-fi, and who wants that when it could be a money-making gore-fest like Elm Street.
It seems like the movie is trying to go in a certain direction but something is keeping it from getting to where in needs to go.
And then it's ending caps the story with a feeling that something important was left out. The ending makes no sense.
The movie feels too loose at the seems, and unable to get to a suitable conclusion. It's a Sci-Fi romance so it needs to end on a romantic note. But it doesn't.
I think the movie managed to score some fandom thanks to its cheesiness, dark humor, and outlandish plot despite its inconsistant tone, overall poor acting and incomplete feel.
The story changes tones quickly, and the creepiness lies mostly with the main character keeping Samantha in both his basement and attic for "side keeping." This movie could have been better than it is.
Despite Wes Craven's well-earned reputation as a master of horror, "Deadly Friend" could have been a memorable teen romance in either the horror or sci-fi genre. The final product, rather, is simply a movie that happens to have romance, and horror, and some science fiction. It touches upon themes of grief and obsession. But thanks to what the studios want in order to make a quick buck, "Deadly Friend" is another curiosity of the 1980s.
~
So, thar's another review series in the bag for yet another Halloween season. I'm already anxious to do another for next Halloween. In the meantime, I have some movies already in mind to watch and review for the upcoming new year.
Until then, happy Halloween! 👻🎃
No comments:
Post a Comment