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The Chair

  • 1988
  • R
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
3.6/10
280
YOUR RATING
The Chair (1988)
Horror

A psychologist, a psychiatrist and a prison warden open up a long-closed prison, unaware that the ghost of an electrocuted convict haunts it.A psychologist, a psychiatrist and a prison warden open up a long-closed prison, unaware that the ghost of an electrocuted convict haunts it.A psychologist, a psychiatrist and a prison warden open up a long-closed prison, unaware that the ghost of an electrocuted convict haunts it.

  • Director
    • Waldemar Korzeniowsky
  • Writers
    • Montieth Illingworth
    • Graham Yost
    • Carolyn Swartz
  • Stars
    • James Coco
    • Trini Alvarado
    • Paul Benedict
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    3.6/10
    280
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Waldemar Korzeniowsky
    • Writers
      • Montieth Illingworth
      • Graham Yost
      • Carolyn Swartz
    • Stars
      • James Coco
      • Trini Alvarado
      • Paul Benedict
    • 13User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos2

    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top Cast23

    Edit
    James Coco
    James Coco
    • Dr. Harold Woodhouse Langer
    Trini Alvarado
    Trini Alvarado
    • Lisa Titus
    Paul Benedict
    Paul Benedict
    • Warden Edward Dwyer
    Gary McCleery
    • Rick Donner
    Stephen Geoffreys
    Stephen Geoffreys
    • Roach
    Ron Taylor
    • Tiny
    Mark von Holstein
    • Mazzini
    Calvin Levels
    Calvin Levels
    • Wilma
    Brad Greenquist
    Brad Greenquist
    • Mushmouth
    Paul Calderon
    Paul Calderon
    • Pizza
    Antonio Aponte
    • Romeo
    Jihmi Kennedy
    • Walkman
    Mike Starr
    Mike Starr
    • Wilson
    Jamie Tirelli
    Jamie Tirelli
    • Luis
    Daryl Edwards
    Daryl Edwards
    • Bob
    Willie C. Carpenter
    Willie C. Carpenter
    • Al
    Clark Morgan
    • The Power Inspector
    Jack Betts
    Jack Betts
    • Detective
    • Director
      • Waldemar Korzeniowsky
    • Writers
      • Montieth Illingworth
      • Graham Yost
      • Carolyn Swartz
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews13

    3.6280
    1
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    10

    Featured reviews

    1mainec

    Avoid, avoid, avoid

    When I went down to the video store to rent this movie I looked at the back of the film and read the short description of the movie. It looked kind of cool and had a somewhat interesting story so I decided to rent it.

    In the introduction of the movie you see people cleaning out an old prison and in the background you hear this blues/soul music. This was the first hint that the movie was bad.

    If I wanted blues I would have rented The Blues Brothers, but I wanted a horror movie so the tune felt all wrong.

    To sum this up. The movie was bad and not really a horror movie. More of a drama/thriller. I have three carefully chosen words for this movie. Avoid, avoid and avoid.
    3HumanoidOfFlesh

    Really cheesy.

    "The Chair" is another set in prison horror film,which reminds me "Prison"(1988).I loved "Prison",but this one is pretty bad.The performances are mostly awful,the special effects are cheesy beyond belief and there's absolutely no suspense.The gore is also absent,so horror fans will certainly be disappointed with "The Chair".However if you have some time to waste,check it out-you have been warned!!!The plot:Twenty years later there was a riot in prison.During it one of the wardens was electrocuted.Now he is back for revenge...
    3lost-in-limbo

    Fizzled!

    An idealistic psychologist Dr. Harold Woodhouse Langer re-opens an abandon prison to hopefully change the mindset of some hardened criminals. Warden Edward Dwyer thinks very little of the program, but begins to be haunted by the prison's horrific past which he personally knows about. Soon the prisoners break into fear with the strange things going on, but Dr. Langer doesn't believe them.

    Soon after the Renny Harlin's 1988 horror flick film 'Prison', came this very cheap, uneven and non-effective prison supernatural horror yarn. It never breaks away from the overall silliness, to storm up anything that resembles thrills. The problem was I don't know if it was trying to be humorous or not, because of how quirky the story and performances came across. Too bad it wasn't funny either. What was the deal of that over-extended opening sequence with that weepy blues song? I had to check the video again to make sure I was watching the right film, because it felt totally out-of-place. This can be said the same for Eddie Reyes' makeshift (carnival sounding) music score, which would go out of its way to butcher some scenes. What drag it out was that it had a slim, ponderous plot that takes ages to get going, and when it does its rather anticlimactic. The talky script might want to be character-based, but it couldn't have been anymore redundant and vapid in detailing the characters and their plights. Batty acting amuses, with the likes of Paul Benedict, Mike Starr and Stephen Geoffreys. Holding her own is Trini Alvarado. Director Waldemar Korzeniowsky clumsily stages it with nothing but routine tools and techniques. The special effects are sparse, but the execution is goofy. I could've gone without it. Very weak.
    5nikkivisser

    all those men and one woman,one young beautiful woman.

    i was hoping trini would be more hornier and suggestive.her character was the only woman in a men's prison.men who haven't had the pleasures of the flesh in years.she could've had any man she wanted but never did.this was a missed opportunity for skin and sex.she could've been in the showers, naked and soap dripping between her breasts .i was hoping trini would be more hornier and suggestive.her character was the only woman in a men's prison.men who haven't had the pleasures of the flesh in years.she could've had any man she wanted but never did.this was a missed opportunity for skin and sex.she could've been in the showers, naked and soap dripping between her breasts .
    1dagirl7

    **thumbs down**

    I remember borrowing this movie when I couldn't find anything else I wanted.I've rented quite a few bad videos and The Chair was one of them.I didn't follow it too well and come to think of it I didn't even end up watching the whole thing.

    So videos are like books,what you see on the cover isn't always what you get.

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    Related interests

    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      James Coco's final movie.
    • Quotes

      Warden Edward Dwyer: [on Warden Callahan's electrocution] I've seen plenty of executions... but I've never seen any like his was, his skin boiling... one eye forced out of his head... that smell of burning flesh

    • Connections
      Referenced in Rewind This! (2013)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 1989 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Den elektriska stolen
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Angelika Films
      • Urban Entertainment Group
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $3,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 40m(100 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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