Proficiently made psychological thriller with a convoluted story. The troubled Ginny (Melissa Sue Anderson) attends college and hangs with a popular clique, the members of which mysteriously begin disappearing. They are actually being murdered in inventive ways by a gloved killer. This assailant remains unidentified, but it is someone who is known to the victims...
The complex story generally sustains viewer interest and builds effective levels of intrigue, though the constant heavy handed red herrings through the film soon lose their effectiveness. Ginny's impending birthday, the posse of students and the murder methods firmly place this film in the Halloween-Friday the 13th cycle. This film diverges slightly by being set over several days, by emphasizing several older characters rather than focusing on only the teens, and by slowly revealing the backstory via unfolding flashbacks late in the proceedings rather than in the more common prologue. It is also less bloody than others in the cycle, and doesn't dwell on scenes of terrified teens being pursued and slashed by the assailant.
Some formal reviews complain that despite his billing Glenn Ford appears only briefly in a throwaway role as Ginny's psychiatrist. Actually he probably has the most screen time aside from Anderson and Tracey Bregman (as Ginny's best friend Ann - somewhat a rich bitch), has quite a bit to do, and appears over several scenes. Ford plays his scenes well lending the film some class. Lawrence Dane as Ginny's father likewise does solid work. Sharon Acker does a hair-raising high-camp turn as Ginny's crazed social climbing mother. Her manic performance in the revelatory flashbacks is great fun and fits in perfectly.
The younger characters are also well played and attempts are made to flesh out their characters in their relatively brief scenes. The aforementioned Tracey Bregman stands out among this crowd. Bregman seems to be adding hints of menace to her character of Ann. No wonder she went on to such a successful career in television soap operas.
The complex story generally sustains viewer interest and builds effective levels of intrigue, though the constant heavy handed red herrings through the film soon lose their effectiveness. Ginny's impending birthday, the posse of students and the murder methods firmly place this film in the Halloween-Friday the 13th cycle. This film diverges slightly by being set over several days, by emphasizing several older characters rather than focusing on only the teens, and by slowly revealing the backstory via unfolding flashbacks late in the proceedings rather than in the more common prologue. It is also less bloody than others in the cycle, and doesn't dwell on scenes of terrified teens being pursued and slashed by the assailant.
Some formal reviews complain that despite his billing Glenn Ford appears only briefly in a throwaway role as Ginny's psychiatrist. Actually he probably has the most screen time aside from Anderson and Tracey Bregman (as Ginny's best friend Ann - somewhat a rich bitch), has quite a bit to do, and appears over several scenes. Ford plays his scenes well lending the film some class. Lawrence Dane as Ginny's father likewise does solid work. Sharon Acker does a hair-raising high-camp turn as Ginny's crazed social climbing mother. Her manic performance in the revelatory flashbacks is great fun and fits in perfectly.
The younger characters are also well played and attempts are made to flesh out their characters in their relatively brief scenes. The aforementioned Tracey Bregman stands out among this crowd. Bregman seems to be adding hints of menace to her character of Ann. No wonder she went on to such a successful career in television soap operas.