Michael Biehn is great as the stalker. Those who think his victim must be young and attractive, or even of a sex the stalker finds sexually attractive, know nothing about stalkers. They're one reason so many celebrities start to act crazy. I did think it odd she didn't have more security, but maybe this phenomenon wasn't as well understood at the time. I liked this movie, although it dragged at times, and the ending was poor.
shareYes, this was...1980? Even when the Rebecca Schaeffer was killed by a stalker in 1989 it was shocking. In 1980, I think this kind of thing was happening so infrequently and/or was so misunderstood that each episode would be regarded as "unthinkable", if you know what I mean.
Remember, Lauren Bacall was actually appearing on Broadway at the time. I imagine she would have seen the script before it was shot. It seems fairly realistic in many of the details...oh, I'm being purely speculative now. I'll stop.
EDIT: stalking laws weren't put into place until the Schaeffer incident http://www.franksreelreviews.com/shorttakes/shaeffer/shaeffer.htm
"It's as if God created the Devil...and gave him...JAWS"
I like the fact that you mentioned the fact that the object of a stalking is not necessarily the sex the stalker finds attarctive. Because even though Biehn's character stalks Lauren Bacall, he is shown later in the film in a sexual encounter with a male who he ends up killing.
shareDouglas was looking for a body to fake his own death: sex was not his goal. The man he picks up is a reasonable facsimile of Douglas (Beihn). It was all planned:he had hidden the razor knife and had gasoline at the ready on the roof. Overall, Douglas comes across as impotent, like Clegg in THE COLLECTOR (65).
What makes you think he wasn't bi?
shareBiehn was great in this film and I liked that you mentioned the fact that the object of his affection doesn't necessarily have to be sexually attractive to him. Douglas Breen was clearly gay and seemd to hate it and I think that had a lot to do with his obsession with Sally. I think the reason Sally didn't have a lot of security was because she really didn't think she needed it. She really thought Douglas was harmless throughout most of the movie,despite the bodies that were piling up around her. Sally had to be "dumbed down" a little to make the story work. It's kind of a silly movie, but I love it and list it among my "guilty pleasures."
shareDouglas is not gay, although its pretty effeminate for him to prefer a woman twice his age. He might have been called queer by the other boys back in school but he was willing to let a gay guy get on him so he could make another killing
shareI remember parts of this film from years ago, and it scared me big time!!!
Michael Biehn is one of the few actors who can play a good guy and a bad guy convincingly.
If you want to see him in an even more chilling role, check him out in "Deadly Intentions" as a crazy doctor.
"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."
Douglas isnt gay, just needed a body to fake his death. Did this scene remind anyone of RED DRAGON??
shareRead the novel. It's pretty clear in Breen's letters that he's not gay.
shareYou know I find it interesting that here on this board hardly anyone considers that he might have been bisexual.
shareWhat makes you think he wasn't bisexual?
shareMakes you think
share