Friday, July 23, 2010

Dollar Bin Film:Visiting Hours





[Obligatory disclaimer:I HATE WILLIAM SHATNER!]


Seriously, I despise Mr. Priceline Negotiator, but as a writer on dbh, it is my duty to be objective when it comes to reviewing movies. It's the right thing to do. Having said that, mercifully Mr.Shatner does not have a whole lot to do in this 1982 film directed by Jean-Claude Lord. The focus instead is on Academy Award-winner Lee Grant who plays a t.v. commentator and campaigner of women's rights.


After a rather heated discussion with an attorney prosecuting a woman who murdered her abusive husband, she becomes the victim of an attacker(played by semi-legendary Michael Ironside). She survives and winds up in the hospital, only to be pursued by her misogynistic stalker. The body count rises as his hunt continues.


This movie seems to have been lost in the early-80's slasher shuffle. I really don't know why. Unlike many horror films of the time, we get a decent backstory as to why the killer has a hatred for women, though it is rather obvious. The cat-n-mouse game is done rather well. The gore is somewhat minimal, this movie preferring to build suspense rather than hack-n-slash.


The acting is pretty good, hell even Shatner manages to go light on the ham for this one(My guess was he was saving that for the then upcoming Star Trek II at the time.KHANNNNNN!!!!!). The ending is a bit long winded and predictable but other than that, Visiting Hours is a lost gem worth a view.

8/10

3 comments:

Tower Farm said...

Wait a minute..."a decent backstory as to why the killer has a hatred for women, though it is rather obvious. The cat-n-mouse game is done rather well. The gore is somewhat minimal". This all sounds like reasons NOT to like the movie. No backstory, sloppy cat-n-mouse, and too much gore sounds better to me!

JM

Eric Polk said...

I should have clarified more I guess. This movie unlike alot of horror films at the time,actually built some sort of suspense. I enjoy Friday the 13th and the rest of the early-80's films, but the older I've gotten, the more I want to wait for the blood gratification. It's like the pretty girl in school who teases and then consents.

Unknown said...

I haven't seen this one. Personally, I love William Shatner. He's campy, he's a ham, and he knows it and makes it work for him. I like that!