Don't Answer the Phone (1980)

"We can't rely on all this mumbo-jumbo science crap." - Lt. McCabe

The cops are trying to catch a psychotic serial killer.
Starring: Flo Lawrence, Nicholas Worth, James Westmoreland, Ben Frank

Link to IMDB

Lindsay

There's a new serial killer in Los Angeles that is targeting young women, and the police are clueless in their effort to stop him, but we get to see who the killer is right away. He's a demented Vietnam veteran and when he's not busy strangling ladies, he likes to call Dr. Lindsay Gale's talk radio show to harass her with strange stories.

Lt. McCabe and Sgt. Thatcher are the two detectives trying to stop the killer, and their investigation leads them to Lindsay when one of her patients is murdered. She's eager to help with the case by providing a profile on the killer's state of mind, but the detectives are hoping to put the killer in a grave, not the mental hospital.



Posing as a fashion photographer, the killer is able to lure women into secluded places where he can strangle them, and he's efficient enough to have no fear of getting caught.

The title of the movie might get you thinking that the psycho is going to be calling Lindsay's radio show all the time, and this will help her uncover clues about his identity while the cops are busy following the evidence... Well, there is a little bit of that, but the premise that I was expecting is barely explored.

McCabe                             Thatcher

Instead, we just spend a lot of time hanging-out with the killer while he wanders around mumbling to himself or stalking ladies. The movie drags on and on with a whole lot of nothing. The deaths are really far apart with very little happening in between.
There is one crazy scene where he kills a lady while on the air with Lindsay, but that's pretty much the only connection to any "phone danger."

"I killed and raped them all, and no one can stop me." - The Killer

The movie attempted to be a gritty crime thriller, except it's far too boring to be successful with that idea, but I did find myself enjoying the bounty of unintentional humour. There's a lot to laugh at, especially the ultra-cheesy dialog and the killer's demented, exaggerated performance.
It was also funny to see how inept and unprofessional Lindsay and the cops are, it's like the writers had no idea what psychiatrists and cops actually do for a living.

Despite finding some laughs at the accidental absurdity, this is far too slow and dull to really care about.

Does the movie deliver on the Don't...
1 out of 10
Answering the telephone has nothing to do with danger, and very little to do with the plot.

Be sure not to miss:
- The music is often really upbeat synth tunes that are neat, but very out of place.
- "Mom, Dad, THE DRUGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU!!"
- Chuck Mitchell has a small role.

Internet review:
"More like, don't watch this movie!" - SuperDan

Should I watch it?
Don't.

Where can I find it?
Here on YouTube.

Don't Answer the Phone gets...