The Stepfather (1987)
Genre: Thriller / Horror
Duration: 89 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Joseph Ruben
Stars: Terry O'Quinn, Jill Schoelen and Shelley Hack
IMDb score:
6,7 (20.609)
Releasedate: 22 January 1987
The Stepfather plot
"He wanted a perfect family in a perfect town. But they couldn't measure up... Neither could the others..."
Jerry becomes a family stepfather when he marries a beautiful widow with a teenage daughter. But Jerry is quite attached to strict and strict values of family life. If his family doesn't live up to this and disappoints him, he is willing to kill for the ideal family life.
Actors and actresses
Jerry Blake
Stephanie Maine
Susan
Dr. Bondurant
Jim Ogilvie
Al Brennan
Karen
Paul Baker
Art Teacher
Mrs. Leitner
Reviews & comments
scorsese
-
- 13235 messages
- 11125 votes
Good film about a teenage girl who doesn't get along with her new stepfather. A simple but effective story for a film like this. Well constructed and a bit exciting here and there. In any case, the film transcends the average slasher. Terry O'Quinn does a great job in the title role and puts his character down nicely psychotic.
As far as I can remember one of the first thrillers I've ever seen, and partly because of this 3.5 stars.
Translated from Dutch · View original
yeyo
-
- 6358 messages
- 4628 votes
This film takes it very far in his suburbia hatred: the stepfather is a kind of parasite who lives in seemingly perfect families in interchangeable villages (which he takes from a '10 best American towns' brochure, also note that repeated crane shot in the autumnal panorama) nests. A house needs a father, right? Who else will rake the leaves in the front yard? All the American rituals like swinging, carving the Thanksgiving turkey, and making corny speeches at neighborhood parties are presented as fear-inducing, and the teenage daughter's gut feelings against her mother's newfound happiness also seem to be solely related to an aversion to corny (a mere sight of a stern looking new psychiatrist is enough not to give that poor person a chance). Meanwhile, some levis-wearing slacker in his camaro races against time to save the ladies from their suburban nightmare. Cutting down the birdhouse (with a chainsaw!!!) therefore seems to be the ultimate plea for chaos and decadence. Jedoch: Just one scene earlier, we see a foaming NRA mom in full gear firing a gun and saving her daughter. I don't know, Second Amendment, people.. 
Translated from Dutch · View original
Point of View
-
- 160 messages
- 888 votes
I'm generally quite into 80s thrillers, but The Stepfather unfortunately didn't interest me.
Far too well-behaved and predictable and, apart from the acting of Terry O'Quinn, mainstream genre fare that is best forgotten quickly. Furthermore, the makers have 'borrowed' a lot of facets from the two years before that appeared Blackout (1985) - IMDb And those who want to know where else Joseph Ruben got the mustard for this film, then browse the internet for the story of John List (VS 1925-2008).
Finally: that someone who has been leading double lives for years, and gets away with it due to his meticulous planning and execution, can nevertheless make a mistake, I would like to go along with that in terms of logic. But that this person does a double-take and asks himself out loud 'Who am I here?', that's really asking too much [i]suspension of disbelief[/i ]. As a denouement, this is really to cry on. Laughing, that's for sure 
Translated from Dutch · View original
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