The Stepfather
THE STEPFATHER (18)
D: Joseph Ruben
New World/Vista (Jay Benson)
US 1987
88 mins
Horror/Thriller
W: Donald E. Westlake [based on a story by Brian
Garfield]
DP: John Lindley
Ed: George Bowers
Mus: Patrick Moraz
Terry O'Quinn (Jerry Blake), Jill Schoelen (Stephanie
Maine), Shelley Hack (Susan Maine), Charles Lanyer (Dr. Bondurant)
A decent thriller which became a sleeper hit in 1987.
The story is a rather standard stepfather-from-hell horror movie, but better than those from the same mould due to the menacing performance from Terry O'Quinn. He plays a man so
obsessed with the archetypal American Dream family that he'll stop at nothing to get it, seeking relationships with newly-divorced women and recent widows with children only to murder them
when things start to fall apart.
It's refreshing for a slasher-style horror movie to
dedicate some attention into characterisation and a believable motive. It's just a huge shame that the story descends into cliché territory in the final act.
6/10
