Scream for Help

Between Death Wish II and Death Wish 3, Winner made this quickly forgotten thriller with a no name cast. It has the same over the top approach as his much more famous works, with so many memorable scenes and dialogue written by Tom Holland, best known for Fright Night and Child's Play. It's easily one of the most watchable bad movies of the 80's, so it's a huge shame that this is not on DVD. I would buy it immediately and play it for everyone i know. If you like R rated politically incorrect Nancy Drew mysteries that were made by your perverted uncle.... If you like Lifetime Original Movies on crack... If you want to see an even more outrageous version of The Stepfather, then this movie is for you.

I like this movie a lot. True, it's not a cinema classic, but as a "B" horror film, it rates a B+. The story, acting, and direction are much better than most films of this sort.

My biggest complaint with the film is the music, which is often out of sync with the film, and at other times shrill to the point of being annoying.

The actors do a fine job, particularly Sisto, in the sleasy, white trash role. The young actress who stars in this film is quite effective, and I have to wonder why she didn't get a career boost, after this one.

I'd like to purchase this film, if it is ever released on DVD.

This is fantastic trash from one of the most accomplished trash directors, Michael Winner . It is "The Girl Who Cried Wolf" and that wolf is her stepdaddy (David Brooks). Like most of Winner's work, it is loud, as subtle as a sledgehammer, full of nasty expletives and downright mean-spirited. If that's not a hard enough sell for you, it's also filled with sleazy sex and there's a sexual assault.

Say what you want about the man, but Winner does deliver. He attacks his genre work with enthusiasm and a healthy dollop of offensiveness. He's not afraid to alienate more sensitive viewers and he never goes for suggestion when a lurid close-up will do.

The idea of showing everything from the perspective of a young girl is a good one and it's novel to watch little Rachael Kelly, as Christie Cromwell, riding around on her bike as she pokes her nose into her stepdaddy's sordid affairs.

The film's final half hour is a rocket ride of sleaze, violence and brutality and testament to Winner's blazing talent for garish overstatement.

You'll be a better human being if you miss this, but a lesser trash monger.

If anyone is familiar with filmmaker Michael Winner's work, then "Scream for Help" shouldn't come as a surprise. Made smack in the middle of "Death Wish II" & "Death Wish 3". Those easily offended should steer clear. But then again, this ruthlessly trashy picture does catch you off guard numerous times. You could play a drinking game. Get the shot glasses ready, whenever you hear the word "kill". This is a lot. Yeah, as you can see, it's not one to take too seriously, even though it feels like the entire cast is giving their dramatic all.

Tom Holland's disjointed material is campy despite the context (family abuse) being frightening, but Winner's execution is where the laughs come from. Subtle is not how to describe it. It's so outrageously delirious, excessive and in-your-face making it eye-bogglingly strange and unrealistic. Was Winner sniggering behind the camera? But that's where the fun comes from.

The story creatively follows that of the dogged teenage girl's viewpoint by mixing elements of the boy who cried wolf meets Nancy Drew turned home invasion with exploitative touches. Then there's the odd, if graceless lifetime style coming of age inclusions. It's all over the place, but for some reason it gives it such a frenetic, unpredictable energy after being thrown straight into the action. Helping this out was the spirited performance of Rachael Kelly. Watching her go about her business always in the same manner can get rather humorous when not jarring. Her dialogues and reactions are priceless, but still you got admire her commitment. She would give Terry O'Quinn's "The Stepfather" a real run for his money. David Allen Brooks is perfect as the calculating, sleazebag step-father.

One thing that was hard to admire though, was that loud, obnoxious music score. Winner must be sniggering again? Outside of those intrusive guitar riffs, it felt out-of-pace. Winner's leering, straight-forward style makes use of it b-grade budget where amongst the sordid details he does install some intense passages. And how about that ending?!

Why does everyone bash this movie so much? What's wrong with the acting? What's wrong with the music? I thought it was nicely done, and became one of my favorite thrillers over the years. A teen girl suspects that her step dad is trying to off her mom so he can inherit her millions. The girl turns into a Nancy Drew type and starts tailing him over a period of days to see if she can get some dirt on him. She discovers he's having an affair and becomes the girl who knew too much as the step dad begins to go after her. It all leads to an awesome climax set in the family home, as the step dad and his lowlife cohorts hold the mother and daughter hostage. But the young schemer devises a way to thwart her captors and really turns the final half hour into an exciting finish. Beware though, the film is very graphic, both sexually and violently, but it's kept at a reasonable level (like two shots of Lorre topless, only one shot of Clark's gigantor boobs). As far as all the cast bashing goes, I really don't understand it. To begin with, Kelly is a beautiful, gifted actress whose career really should've taken off with this. Ok, so I had a crush on her, but still she carries the film perfectly. Brooks is sauve enough to pull off the step dad role and when he turns sinister in the end, he's great. Sisto nails his grungy, dirtbag character nicely, and Lorre is a gorgeous manipulator/femme fatale. Your only problem will be obtaining the film, which is very obscure and difficult to track down at video stores. But if you should find it, it should have no problem holding your attention, even if you (for whatever reason) laugh at it like these others have. Though I wont blame you for rolling your eyes at the sappy end credits song.