The Stepfather is an excellent movie, I especially liked the lead actor playing Jerry. His performance set the whole feel of the movie, with his outbursts of rage until he finally snaps. He is also very intelligent, when he snaps he sets up a entire new life in another town before he kills his family. The story is Jerry has become the stepfather in a family of a beautiful, young widow and a lovely daughter. Unfortunately, Jerry has a very strict definition of the perfect family and his new family just may not be making the cut. When his family starts disappointing him, he's is willing to kill for the American Dream. A great movie, not really a horror as such, but more of a psychological thriller that makes you think.
146 Reviews
Effective n creepy thriller aided by a top notch performance.
Fella_shibby21 April 2021
I first saw this in the early 90s on a vhs.
Revisited it recently.
A psychotic serial killer and a master of disguise, Jerry Blake is obsessed with having an ideal family. He changes his identity and job and is always on the lookout for a new widow so that he can start a new family. Whenever any new family members do not comport with his expectations, he spirals into a spell of madness and attempts to brutally murder them. Inspite of being aware that his new stepdaughter doesn't like him, he tries hard to make it look like a complete happy family in front of neighbors. Blake is unaware that his last victim's/wife's brother is on his trail.
The brother of the last victim who is on the trail looks like Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
Terry O'Quinn's acting is the highlight.
The direction n script is also well done.
The film moves at a good pace and it has ample amount of tension, suspense n creepiness. Am i the only one who found the movie a bit darkly comical too.
The scene where Jerry Blake puts one anonymous innocent moustachioed fella's photo in the envelope. I laughed out loud.
Jerry Blake's facial expressions aft seein his own photo in the mail.
The time Blake is caught off guard in the basement venting out some steam.
The way the doctor gives him a fake call as a prospective buyer jus to meet him.
I found all these darkly comical.
Jill Schoelen was 24 at the time, but she's playing a 16 year old in this movie and her nudity was a put off n uncalled for.
Revisited it recently.
A psychotic serial killer and a master of disguise, Jerry Blake is obsessed with having an ideal family. He changes his identity and job and is always on the lookout for a new widow so that he can start a new family. Whenever any new family members do not comport with his expectations, he spirals into a spell of madness and attempts to brutally murder them. Inspite of being aware that his new stepdaughter doesn't like him, he tries hard to make it look like a complete happy family in front of neighbors. Blake is unaware that his last victim's/wife's brother is on his trail.
The brother of the last victim who is on the trail looks like Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
Terry O'Quinn's acting is the highlight.
The direction n script is also well done.
The film moves at a good pace and it has ample amount of tension, suspense n creepiness. Am i the only one who found the movie a bit darkly comical too.
The scene where Jerry Blake puts one anonymous innocent moustachioed fella's photo in the envelope. I laughed out loud.
Jerry Blake's facial expressions aft seein his own photo in the mail.
The time Blake is caught off guard in the basement venting out some steam.
The way the doctor gives him a fake call as a prospective buyer jus to meet him.
I found all these darkly comical.
Jill Schoelen was 24 at the time, but she's playing a 16 year old in this movie and her nudity was a put off n uncalled for.
Jerry Blake - Scare Factor High
Rainey-Dawn23 January 2016
I haven't seen this film in years - I'm glad to get a chance to watch it again. It is a good horror film overall.
Terry O'Quinn is fantastic as Jerry Blake - his performance is amazing. He "MADE" this film - and made it scary. This one rates fairly high on my personal scare factor scale. The character Jerry Blake is one twisted, cunning, evil and vile man. This guy is definitely off his rocker - not a man you would ever want to be around.
The story is not all that bad, interesting, but this film is worth watching for Terry O'Quinn alone. The rest of the cast is good as well. Generally speaking, horror movie fans should like this film - it is creepy slasher thriller.
7/10
Terry O'Quinn is fantastic as Jerry Blake - his performance is amazing. He "MADE" this film - and made it scary. This one rates fairly high on my personal scare factor scale. The character Jerry Blake is one twisted, cunning, evil and vile man. This guy is definitely off his rocker - not a man you would ever want to be around.
The story is not all that bad, interesting, but this film is worth watching for Terry O'Quinn alone. The rest of the cast is good as well. Generally speaking, horror movie fans should like this film - it is creepy slasher thriller.
7/10
"Hey! I Thought This Was Supposed To Be A Party!"...
azathothpwiggins8 August 2018
THE STEPFATHER begins with an introduction to the title character, Jerry Blake (Terry O'Quinn). Jerry is looking a bit disheveled, in a full beard. He's also covered in blood! Pictures on the walls of his home tell us that he has... well, he had a family. The scene in his living room makes it quite clear that Jerry has put an end to that, and is moving on. This all happens in the first three minutes!
Enter Susan (Shelly Hack), Jerry's new wife, and her daughter Stephanie (Jill Schoelen). While Susan can't believe how fortunate she is to have found such a perfect man as Jerry, Stephanie is having difficulty with the change. She also notices something a bit off about her new "dad". Is Stephanie just being insecure? What could possibly be wrong with a stepfather wanting the perfect family? Wellll, his last family certainly found that out!
Now, as time goes by, Jerry finds problems developing, and his dream might just be coming undone. Alas, his way of coping with such difficulties isn't very healthy. How long will it take for the nightmare to start? Meanwhile, Jim, Jerry's highly suspicious ex-brother in-law attempts to track Jerry down. He's got plans of his own for Jerry.
This is O'Quinn's signature role, and he plays it beautifully. Jerry is a semi-sympathetic role, and made me hope that his new situation would -somehow- work out, for everyone's sake. It is genuinely frightening to watch him mentally unravel, knowing full well what he's capable of doing. Ms. Hack plays the oblivious spouse, overlooking things, hoping it's all in her head. Ms. Schoelen is Jerry's foil, seeing through his false surface, knowing right off the bat that something just isn't right about this guy. When she gets a glimpse of him as he truly is, it confirms her prior fears. The question is, will anyone believe her in time?
This is a horror / suspense / thriller done to perfection. Jerry would be so proud...
Enter Susan (Shelly Hack), Jerry's new wife, and her daughter Stephanie (Jill Schoelen). While Susan can't believe how fortunate she is to have found such a perfect man as Jerry, Stephanie is having difficulty with the change. She also notices something a bit off about her new "dad". Is Stephanie just being insecure? What could possibly be wrong with a stepfather wanting the perfect family? Wellll, his last family certainly found that out!
Now, as time goes by, Jerry finds problems developing, and his dream might just be coming undone. Alas, his way of coping with such difficulties isn't very healthy. How long will it take for the nightmare to start? Meanwhile, Jim, Jerry's highly suspicious ex-brother in-law attempts to track Jerry down. He's got plans of his own for Jerry.
This is O'Quinn's signature role, and he plays it beautifully. Jerry is a semi-sympathetic role, and made me hope that his new situation would -somehow- work out, for everyone's sake. It is genuinely frightening to watch him mentally unravel, knowing full well what he's capable of doing. Ms. Hack plays the oblivious spouse, overlooking things, hoping it's all in her head. Ms. Schoelen is Jerry's foil, seeing through his false surface, knowing right off the bat that something just isn't right about this guy. When she gets a glimpse of him as he truly is, it confirms her prior fears. The question is, will anyone believe her in time?
This is a horror / suspense / thriller done to perfection. Jerry would be so proud...
A breath of fresh air in a stale genre
Leofwine_draca30 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Occasionally a low-budget B-movie style film will break ranks and become a minor hit. This can be said of THE STEPFATHER, a film made in the late #80s craze for horror-at-home style thrillers which bombarded the box office, including amongst their rank fare such as FATAL ATTRACTION. Where THE STEPFATHER succeeds is in a script which prefers subtlety over in-your-face blood and guts shocks, and a story which doesn't spoon-feed the audience and remains tight and complex. Running at just over eighty minutes, every scene is designed to further the plot in some way making for a very satisfying experience, with plot development occurring all the time so it stays interesting.
The film also benefits from a career-best turn from the widely unrecognised Terry O'Quinn, who played a number of stereotypical bad-guy roles back around this period but who never got the recognition he deserved perhaps in light of this movie. O'Quinn is magnificent as the friendly, mild-mannered family guy who also happens to be a psychotic killer on occasion and the scenes in which he loses his cool are riveting. It's amazing the abrupt turn O'Quinn makes from being a seemingly peace-loving father one moment to a knife-wielding psychopath the next, very cold and chilling. The supporting cast is also a good one, with the other actors and actresses giving wisely subdued performances in order to make room for O'Quinn. Particularly good are Jill Schoelen as the curious stepdaughter who discovers the truth and Stephen Shellen as the hunter out for revenge. Only Shelley Hack is underused (and barely seen) as the wife who doesn't realise anything.
The film isn't gory but then it shouldn't be: another strength of THE STEPFATHER is the realism of it, and lots of splashing blood would have dissolved the atmosphere it builds up. I liked the strong characterisation and the psychology behind O'Quinn's warped persona which is scarily understandable and the tight script which leaves no room for plot holes. THE STEPFATHER is a breath of fresh air in a stale genre, an offbeat and unpredictable movie which grips from beginning to end and focuses on the human mind as a source of horror instead of a silly scaly monster, thus making the terrors "closer to home" as it were.
The film also benefits from a career-best turn from the widely unrecognised Terry O'Quinn, who played a number of stereotypical bad-guy roles back around this period but who never got the recognition he deserved perhaps in light of this movie. O'Quinn is magnificent as the friendly, mild-mannered family guy who also happens to be a psychotic killer on occasion and the scenes in which he loses his cool are riveting. It's amazing the abrupt turn O'Quinn makes from being a seemingly peace-loving father one moment to a knife-wielding psychopath the next, very cold and chilling. The supporting cast is also a good one, with the other actors and actresses giving wisely subdued performances in order to make room for O'Quinn. Particularly good are Jill Schoelen as the curious stepdaughter who discovers the truth and Stephen Shellen as the hunter out for revenge. Only Shelley Hack is underused (and barely seen) as the wife who doesn't realise anything.
The film isn't gory but then it shouldn't be: another strength of THE STEPFATHER is the realism of it, and lots of splashing blood would have dissolved the atmosphere it builds up. I liked the strong characterisation and the psychology behind O'Quinn's warped persona which is scarily understandable and the tight script which leaves no room for plot holes. THE STEPFATHER is a breath of fresh air in a stale genre, an offbeat and unpredictable movie which grips from beginning to end and focuses on the human mind as a source of horror instead of a silly scaly monster, thus making the terrors "closer to home" as it were.
Great Cyberpath Psycho Killer Movie
Steve_Nyland2 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Yeah I remember the America's Most Wanted profile on serial murderer John List, the uptight freak who used to mow his lawn wearing a shirt & a tie, and would relax at the end of the day by changing into a different shirt & tie. Eventually murdered his family when he got tired of dealing with the bills, assumed a new identity, took up with a new clan in a new town and more or less disappeared for 20 years standing right there in front of you. One has to wonder how many other times something like that has happened and it's more prevalent than you'd think.
The term used these days is CYBERPATH (Google it sometime), usually describing sociopaths who use the internet as a way to ingratiate themselves into the lives of others and leech off them. There literally are scores of professional grifters who go from one domestic situation to the next, living like parasites off unsuspecting women (and men: con artists can be women too) who were maybe looking to fill an empty spot in their lives. Social networking websites and online dating services have made it all too easy for people to anonymously seek out new situations -- the preferred target/victims are usually divorced or widowed and all too happy to take up with the Mr. Perfect who appears out of nowhere to sweep them off their virtual feet.
After a few weeks the odd behavior starts to raise eyebrows. They turn out to not do or work where they say they did -- if they even have a job at all -- become increasingly secretive and angered when confronted with inconsistencies, building a web of lies that eventually becomes too convoluted for even the liar to keep track of. Usually they are working new targets while wearing out their welcome, often visiting with these new sources of income/sex/subsistence under the guise of work related travel while keeping up appearances back at home. And when the stuff hits the fan and the lies are revealed they are out the door & set up with a new place to live and grift some more until its time to move on again, rinse and repeat ... Sound familiar? You very well could be the victim of a cyberpath too and not even know it. I almost was, which is why I read up about it and learned enough to recognize the core behavior of a sociopathic leech.
THE STEPFATHER covers all those bases, just without the secretive online life & locked out cellphones. The scenario the film establishes is even more possible today then it ever was with the added movie thriller touches like disguises, brutal murders, psycho killer histrionics, and "Lost" actor Terry O'Quinn is very credible as the psychopathic perfect family man Jerry. One troubling aspect of the movie is how it went out of its way to set up hottie actress Jill Schoelen (who was 23 at the time of production) as a 16 year old girl and then trots her out for an infamous naked shower scene that instantly transforms the movie from an all too likely urban thriller into an exploitation film.
Then you read more & learn that the film was actually written in part by a woman, along with noted crime writer Donald E. Westlake, perhaps best known for the novel "The Hunter" which provided John Boorman with his source material for his 1967 neo-noir classic POINT BLANK. For some reason the writers & producers felt it necessary to suggest jailbait nudity, but then again horror movies always have been expected to have elements in them that were uncalled for or meant to shock or disturb. It is only recently that they have become more sanitized & predictable, substituting graphic dismemberment for more disturbing suggestions. Think of how relatively bloodless the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was in comparison to just your basic SAW movie to see what I mean.
In any event this is still a crackerjack little thriller, expertly staged with some great shock sequences, never boring and tightly written enough to recommend it even if openly wondering what the real intentionality at work was behind certain scenes. The one place where I thought it mis-stepped was in the scene where the young daughter oversees an over the top meltdown by the psycho and isn't believed by anyone when she reveals what she saw. You'd think her mom would have taken it a bit more seriously at any rate, but then again that's one of the aspects about the 2009 era real life cyberpath stories which is all too common: Nobody questions what they want to believe in, and all too often people are just not what they seem even after you think you've known them for 20 years. Creepy.
7/10
The term used these days is CYBERPATH (Google it sometime), usually describing sociopaths who use the internet as a way to ingratiate themselves into the lives of others and leech off them. There literally are scores of professional grifters who go from one domestic situation to the next, living like parasites off unsuspecting women (and men: con artists can be women too) who were maybe looking to fill an empty spot in their lives. Social networking websites and online dating services have made it all too easy for people to anonymously seek out new situations -- the preferred target/victims are usually divorced or widowed and all too happy to take up with the Mr. Perfect who appears out of nowhere to sweep them off their virtual feet.
After a few weeks the odd behavior starts to raise eyebrows. They turn out to not do or work where they say they did -- if they even have a job at all -- become increasingly secretive and angered when confronted with inconsistencies, building a web of lies that eventually becomes too convoluted for even the liar to keep track of. Usually they are working new targets while wearing out their welcome, often visiting with these new sources of income/sex/subsistence under the guise of work related travel while keeping up appearances back at home. And when the stuff hits the fan and the lies are revealed they are out the door & set up with a new place to live and grift some more until its time to move on again, rinse and repeat ... Sound familiar? You very well could be the victim of a cyberpath too and not even know it. I almost was, which is why I read up about it and learned enough to recognize the core behavior of a sociopathic leech.
THE STEPFATHER covers all those bases, just without the secretive online life & locked out cellphones. The scenario the film establishes is even more possible today then it ever was with the added movie thriller touches like disguises, brutal murders, psycho killer histrionics, and "Lost" actor Terry O'Quinn is very credible as the psychopathic perfect family man Jerry. One troubling aspect of the movie is how it went out of its way to set up hottie actress Jill Schoelen (who was 23 at the time of production) as a 16 year old girl and then trots her out for an infamous naked shower scene that instantly transforms the movie from an all too likely urban thriller into an exploitation film.
Then you read more & learn that the film was actually written in part by a woman, along with noted crime writer Donald E. Westlake, perhaps best known for the novel "The Hunter" which provided John Boorman with his source material for his 1967 neo-noir classic POINT BLANK. For some reason the writers & producers felt it necessary to suggest jailbait nudity, but then again horror movies always have been expected to have elements in them that were uncalled for or meant to shock or disturb. It is only recently that they have become more sanitized & predictable, substituting graphic dismemberment for more disturbing suggestions. Think of how relatively bloodless the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was in comparison to just your basic SAW movie to see what I mean.
In any event this is still a crackerjack little thriller, expertly staged with some great shock sequences, never boring and tightly written enough to recommend it even if openly wondering what the real intentionality at work was behind certain scenes. The one place where I thought it mis-stepped was in the scene where the young daughter oversees an over the top meltdown by the psycho and isn't believed by anyone when she reveals what she saw. You'd think her mom would have taken it a bit more seriously at any rate, but then again that's one of the aspects about the 2009 era real life cyberpath stories which is all too common: Nobody questions what they want to believe in, and all too often people are just not what they seem even after you think you've known them for 20 years. Creepy.
7/10
A much younger and deranged Terry O'Quinn is presented than we have become accustomed to in his latter years
Ed-Shullivan25 June 2021
A serial killer with multiple personalities who won't take no for an answer leads us through his life as a guy named Jerry Blake (played by a younger Terry O'Quinn with hair) the seemingly perfect husband and stepfather but we soon realize that he has a dark side that invariably wants to come out and commit mayhem.
It has a good supporting cast with Jerry's new wife Susan Maine played by Shelley Hack, and her daughter Stephanie played by Jill Schoelen. Jerry has just left his last family behind dead on the floor and he whistles his way into a new town meeting his new wife and stepdaughter as if he is the perfect husband and stepfather.
There is a detective on the case who has come up empty, and the deceased mother that Terry has just murdered has her brother searching for the killer of his sisters family. There are some tense moments in the film and I won't spoil the ending for anyone. Suffice to say it is worth a watch. I give it a respectable 6 out of 10 IMDB rating.
It has a good supporting cast with Jerry's new wife Susan Maine played by Shelley Hack, and her daughter Stephanie played by Jill Schoelen. Jerry has just left his last family behind dead on the floor and he whistles his way into a new town meeting his new wife and stepdaughter as if he is the perfect husband and stepfather.
There is a detective on the case who has come up empty, and the deceased mother that Terry has just murdered has her brother searching for the killer of his sisters family. There are some tense moments in the film and I won't spoil the ending for anyone. Suffice to say it is worth a watch. I give it a respectable 6 out of 10 IMDB rating.
Great Performance, Bad Script
GathofBaal3 December 2002
Terry O'Quinn is excellent here. He has a definite menacing presence, and his subdued behavior around people only heightens the shock of his raging outbursts. However, the mediocre script ruins what could have been a great film. As a character study of O'Quinn, this would have been chilling and effective. But it makes for a mediocre thriller. O'Quinn plays a psychotic man obsessed with perfection, and the ideal "American Dream". Inevitably, his family disappoints him, so he creates a new identity, kills them and moves on. The scenes with Jerry are strong and frightening, but the film becomes formulaic when we're introduced to Jim, who amazingly discovers a vital clue to his whereabouts in a few minutes of poking around. The police missed this? Too many dumb plot points and the predictable finale spoil it. O'Quinn's performance deserved a better film.
Creepy movie, wish there were more of these! Spoilers
Sburt4-11 October 2004
Warning: Spoilers
One of the best openings I have ever seen! Terry O'Quinn changes out of his bloody clothes and takes a shower. He changes into a suit and walks down stairs as nothing has happened. He just murdered his family.He puts the phone back on the hook and walks outside. He picks up a news paper and walks on his way through the perfect looking neighborhood. He gets involves with a new family. Jill Schoelen the new stepdaughter doesn't like Jerry Blake (Terry O'Quinn).You see Jerry Blake wants the perfect family and Stephinie(Jill Schoelen) thinks he is too fake and old fashion. Jerry buys Stephinie a dog and mentions how he had a dog when he was young and he was Rin tin tin to him. In another scene Jerry is watching Mr Ed on TV. He even has the perfect Thanksgiving with family that the Rockfellows could have been jealous of and builds a birdhouse. Jerry has another side to him, flipping out in the basement, throwing around his tools. Freaking out when Stephinie kisses a boy she likes. A really good scene is when Jerry decides the family with Shelly Hack is not working, he had quit his job and Shelly Hack tried calling him but they said he quit, Hack Confronts O'Quinn on this and he says wait a minute who am I here? and Hack says "Jerry" and he hits her hard with the phone and says thanks honey. here are a bunch of good one liners as well from O'Quinn. Jill Schoelen went on to make Popcorn and When a Stranger calls back.
This film is now labeled a cult classic...
MarieGabrielle18 April 2006
watch it and see why. Terry O'Quinn is excellent as "The Stepfather" - Jerry Blake; the nemesis of his newly acquired daughter, portrayed by Jill Schoelen. Shelley Hack plays the unsuspecting mom, who does not realize what O'Quinn is capable of.
This film came out in 1987, and it is amusing to see the references to family values and security- all quaintly defined in small town suburbia. Jerry Blake (O'Quinn) is the new realtor in town, a perfect neighbor and family man; but something is awry- Dr. Bondurant is killed and strange occurrences crop up.
If you have never seen this film, it is a worthwhile suspense/thriller; there are also some beautiful scenes of the Pacific Northwest- you will enjoy this film for Halloween.
This film came out in 1987, and it is amusing to see the references to family values and security- all quaintly defined in small town suburbia. Jerry Blake (O'Quinn) is the new realtor in town, a perfect neighbor and family man; but something is awry- Dr. Bondurant is killed and strange occurrences crop up.
If you have never seen this film, it is a worthwhile suspense/thriller; there are also some beautiful scenes of the Pacific Northwest- you will enjoy this film for Halloween.
Father knows best.
hitchcockthelegend18 October 2013
The Stepfather is directed by Joseph Ruben and collectively written by Carolyn Lefcourt, Brian Garfield and Donald E. Westlake. It stars Terry O'Quinn, Jill Schoelen, Shelley Hack, Stephen Shellen and Charles Lanyer. Music is by Patrick Moraz and cinematography by John W. Lindley.
Why can't they leave me alone?
Joseph Ruben's film is firmly ensconced in the land of B horror cultdom, and rightly so. Some horror fans may be disappointed at the lack of brutal killings actually shown on screen, but looking beyond that expectation there beats the heart of a cynical picture. The American Dream shed of its bloody veneer, the film plants an ambiguous serial killer in the normalcy of the family life that he so craves, that is until his vision of Americana family life is not met and his dark half comes to the fore.
It's a cunning picture, keeping the killer's back story shaded in grey, and Ruben smartly keeps tension simmering away to keep viewers anxiously waiting for the stepfather to crack. O'Quinn is excellent as damaged dad, intense, measured and charmingly normal when required, and then not over the top when he cracks and rants. Around him he is backed by strong turns from Schoelen, Hack and Lanyer, while Ruben's direction and Lindley's colour photography bring a credible feeling to the plot.
A running sub-plot involving Shellen's grieving brother doing detective work feels a bit superfluous at times, while a nude shower scene with Schoelen is totally unnecessary. Don't get me wrong, Schoelen has a lovely body and is a very pretty girl, the actress aged 24 at the time, but she's playing a 16 year old! It just comes off as pointless titillation in a film that didn't need such tricks. Small irritants aside, The Stepfather is intelligent horror and still holding up now in this age of torture and hackville sub-genres. 7.5/10
Why can't they leave me alone?
Joseph Ruben's film is firmly ensconced in the land of B horror cultdom, and rightly so. Some horror fans may be disappointed at the lack of brutal killings actually shown on screen, but looking beyond that expectation there beats the heart of a cynical picture. The American Dream shed of its bloody veneer, the film plants an ambiguous serial killer in the normalcy of the family life that he so craves, that is until his vision of Americana family life is not met and his dark half comes to the fore.
It's a cunning picture, keeping the killer's back story shaded in grey, and Ruben smartly keeps tension simmering away to keep viewers anxiously waiting for the stepfather to crack. O'Quinn is excellent as damaged dad, intense, measured and charmingly normal when required, and then not over the top when he cracks and rants. Around him he is backed by strong turns from Schoelen, Hack and Lanyer, while Ruben's direction and Lindley's colour photography bring a credible feeling to the plot.
A running sub-plot involving Shellen's grieving brother doing detective work feels a bit superfluous at times, while a nude shower scene with Schoelen is totally unnecessary. Don't get me wrong, Schoelen has a lovely body and is a very pretty girl, the actress aged 24 at the time, but she's playing a 16 year old! It just comes off as pointless titillation in a film that didn't need such tricks. Small irritants aside, The Stepfather is intelligent horror and still holding up now in this age of torture and hackville sub-genres. 7.5/10
Terry O'Quinn makes his mark
raegan_butcher25 June 2006
This is one of the best thrillers to emerge from the 1980s. It has assured direction from Joseph Reuben. An excellent script by Donald E. Westlake.And an absolutely mesmerizing performance from Terry O'Quinn, who invests his character with enough repressed fury to make most screen psychos look like Mr Rogers.
The film starts out with a real sense of style as O'Quinn washes his bloody hands in a bathroom sink then proceeds to alter his appearance drastically before walking downstairs to his murdered family; its a startling and creepy beginning and the rest of the film is as stylish and well done. I think its biggest strength is the well-developed psychopathology of Terry O'Quinn's character. His behavior actually makes sense in terms of his madness. This is a refreshing change of pace from most films of this type, where the killers have zero motivation and are just plot-devices.
The film starts out with a real sense of style as O'Quinn washes his bloody hands in a bathroom sink then proceeds to alter his appearance drastically before walking downstairs to his murdered family; its a startling and creepy beginning and the rest of the film is as stylish and well done. I think its biggest strength is the well-developed psychopathology of Terry O'Quinn's character. His behavior actually makes sense in terms of his madness. This is a refreshing change of pace from most films of this type, where the killers have zero motivation and are just plot-devices.
Freaky satire of "Father Knows Best"
moviesleuth224 January 2010
Talk about your domestic issues! Someone's been watching too many 1950's sitcoms, and woe betide anyone who doesn't fit into that image of perfection! After the death of her father one year ago, Stephanie Maine (Jill Schoelen) has been getting into a lot of trouble at school. Part of the reason she's like this is that she's creeped out by her all-too-perfect step-dad, Jerry Blake (Terry O'Quinn). Everyone, especially her mother (Shelley Hack), thinks he's the ideal family man, but Stephanie knows better.
Although there is no real humor in this film (there's a clever one liner, but it's not especially funny, nor is it meant to be), this is a satire of the "American Family Ideal." You know what I mean, a white picket fence, a mom and a dad, 2.5 kids, and a dog and a cat. No one really has this, and if they do, it's never the image that is portrayed in magazine ads. Unfortunately, no one told this to Jerry. He wants that so-called perfect family. At first, he seems like a godsend. But if that image is shaken, then he becomes the step-dad from hell.
The premise is sound, but it's the execution that's lacking. The pacing is erratic, and the set-up is non-existent. We never get a sense of who Jerry is. To be sure, we know he's a psychopath (this is, after all, a horror movie). But there's little showing of how he wants his family to be. A thriller needs this kind of thing to give us a sense of the psychopath we are dealing with.
Apart from O'Quinn, who is very good, the acting varies. Jill Schoelen has moments of believability, but others where her performance doesn't work. Likewise, Shelley Hack is never believable. And both of them are guilty of doing some really stupid things (then again, this is a horror movie). Charles Lanyer is good as Stephanie's therapist who goes above and beyond the call of duty (not in the way you'd think, though). However, Stephen Shellen is horrible as David Ogilvie, the man who's racing against time to find Jerry before he slaughters his next family.
Joseph Rueben's direction is plastic. There's nothing special about how this film looks or how the story is told. It's a point and shoot approach, and that leaves it up to the actors (specifically O'Quinn) to induce suspense. There are a few legitimate shocks in this film, but to be honest, there are better options out there.
This film may be hard to find, and there's a reason for it.
Although there is no real humor in this film (there's a clever one liner, but it's not especially funny, nor is it meant to be), this is a satire of the "American Family Ideal." You know what I mean, a white picket fence, a mom and a dad, 2.5 kids, and a dog and a cat. No one really has this, and if they do, it's never the image that is portrayed in magazine ads. Unfortunately, no one told this to Jerry. He wants that so-called perfect family. At first, he seems like a godsend. But if that image is shaken, then he becomes the step-dad from hell.
The premise is sound, but it's the execution that's lacking. The pacing is erratic, and the set-up is non-existent. We never get a sense of who Jerry is. To be sure, we know he's a psychopath (this is, after all, a horror movie). But there's little showing of how he wants his family to be. A thriller needs this kind of thing to give us a sense of the psychopath we are dealing with.
Apart from O'Quinn, who is very good, the acting varies. Jill Schoelen has moments of believability, but others where her performance doesn't work. Likewise, Shelley Hack is never believable. And both of them are guilty of doing some really stupid things (then again, this is a horror movie). Charles Lanyer is good as Stephanie's therapist who goes above and beyond the call of duty (not in the way you'd think, though). However, Stephen Shellen is horrible as David Ogilvie, the man who's racing against time to find Jerry before he slaughters his next family.
Joseph Rueben's direction is plastic. There's nothing special about how this film looks or how the story is told. It's a point and shoot approach, and that leaves it up to the actors (specifically O'Quinn) to induce suspense. There are a few legitimate shocks in this film, but to be honest, there are better options out there.
This film may be hard to find, and there's a reason for it.
Hollywood Trashes 'Family Values'
ccthemovieman-15 June 2007
Overall, this movie was pretty entertaining and Terry O'Quinn was fascinating to watch in the lead role. That's why I gave it five stars, because the content and bias deserved nothing.
The message in this movie - and I am not exaggerating, folks - is that someone who espouses old-fashioned family values is nuts: in this case, a thoroughly-demented serial killer! Yup, to Liberal Hollywood, decency equates to insanity while perversion equals good. Having watched tons of movies, I wasn't shocked at this message but I was shocked how blatant it was presented. I mean, have a little tact! What Hollywood won't do to slam "family values."
Supposedly, this movie was "based" on a guy who killed his prior family and then remarried before getting caught. However, be cautious when you see that word "based" because it might mean that only one percent of it involves the real facts of a case. You can bet the screenwriters added their PC bias.
Anyway, O'Quinn carries the film, not just because he has the most interesting role, but he just does a great job with it, which I can't say for some of the females in here.
Supporting actors-aside, this would have been a better movie had the filmmakers' agenda hadn't been so obvious. Don't kid yourself: this story wasn't about some serial killer, it was all about Liberals slamming people who advocate some family morals. It was all about getting in yet more Left Wing propaganda.
The message in this movie - and I am not exaggerating, folks - is that someone who espouses old-fashioned family values is nuts: in this case, a thoroughly-demented serial killer! Yup, to Liberal Hollywood, decency equates to insanity while perversion equals good. Having watched tons of movies, I wasn't shocked at this message but I was shocked how blatant it was presented. I mean, have a little tact! What Hollywood won't do to slam "family values."
Supposedly, this movie was "based" on a guy who killed his prior family and then remarried before getting caught. However, be cautious when you see that word "based" because it might mean that only one percent of it involves the real facts of a case. You can bet the screenwriters added their PC bias.
Anyway, O'Quinn carries the film, not just because he has the most interesting role, but he just does a great job with it, which I can't say for some of the females in here.
Supporting actors-aside, this would have been a better movie had the filmmakers' agenda hadn't been so obvious. Don't kid yourself: this story wasn't about some serial killer, it was all about Liberals slamming people who advocate some family morals. It was all about getting in yet more Left Wing propaganda.
I just want this family to be happy
the_oak10 October 2003
The Stepfather has many memorable scenes. Terry O`Quinn portraits a very sick man, and this madness is made clear from the very start of the movie, when the (step)father has just killed his family and we are introduced to him as he removes his beard and in other ways alters his appearence to allow him to find another family and again become THE STEPFATHER. The most memorable scene for me is when he interrupts his step daughter on the porch kissing her date for the evening good night. The stepfather snaps, because he wants the family to remain static for ever, he is crazy. So then his wife comes down and she yells at the stepfather saying that he has ruined what they had built up. The expression on his face when hearing that is one of sheere terror. The stepfather is so fragile. The basement scene where the step daugther is getting something in the freezer and the stepfather rushes into the basement to let off some steem, not knowing she is there. It is all very scary.
Far from a classic many Horror fans make it out to be, but still an effective suspense thriller.
callanvass13 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I enjoyed The Stepfather, it was suspenseful and got the job done for me, but it is by no means any classic, by any stretch of the imagination. Terry O'Quinn is honestly the major reason to see this, his performance has to rank as one of the all time best as far as Horror performances are concerned. It does a great job of building up the mother and daughter|wonderfully played by Jill Schoelen| and especially building up the suspense, it was very well done. One of the benefits the original holds over the average remake is, it's not PG and doesn't hold back on the violence. There are some very gruesome images here, and while not overly gory it still hits home. I didn't care for the subplot of Stephen Shellen's character who was after Jerry due to him killing his sister, it dragged and I didn't like it at all. The most effective relationship is between The Stepfather and The Daughter by far. It was creepy and sent a couple of chills down my spine on a couple of occasions.
Performances. Terry O'Quinn should be inserted into the Horror Hall of Fame for his frightening portrayal here. He is this movie, and he has a perfect blend of instability and normality, his split personality routine was just great. Jill Schoelen often gets criticized for her performance, but I thought she was terrific. She was easy on the eyes, and she gave a very effective vulnerable performance. Shelley Hack is OK but definitely had her off moments as The Mother.
Bottom line. It's not a classic like many say, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. I'll definitely be watching this one again, it'll do the job for needed thrills.
7/10
Performances. Terry O'Quinn should be inserted into the Horror Hall of Fame for his frightening portrayal here. He is this movie, and he has a perfect blend of instability and normality, his split personality routine was just great. Jill Schoelen often gets criticized for her performance, but I thought she was terrific. She was easy on the eyes, and she gave a very effective vulnerable performance. Shelley Hack is OK but definitely had her off moments as The Mother.
Bottom line. It's not a classic like many say, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. I'll definitely be watching this one again, it'll do the job for needed thrills.
7/10
Its all in the Whistle!!
tylergerard16 October 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is the classic old time 80's horror/crime which I have watched several times and still will do. I think it was just as disturbing psychologically as it was for the murder scenes and I have watched horrors since I was about the size of a munchkin. I was not surprised at all they did a remake but nowhere near as good as the original, the acting and direction is all done very well and I think the script belongs to Terry O'Quinn (The Stepfather) who plays an excellent part and love his expressions and scheming looks on his face. If you like this kinda film then maybe Douglas Jacksons' The Paperboy will be right up your street. I give it a praising 7 out of 10. After all " Father knows best" Enjoy!
O'Quinn is the reason to see it
zetes2 November 2009
Small scale but well done horror flick that inspired two sequels and a remake. I desired to watch it mostly because it starred Terry O'Quinn of Lost fame. He plays the titular stepfather, a psycho who desperately longs for the perfect, 1950s TV-inspired family. He hooks up with established families as the mother's new husband, but turns violent as soon as the family hints at imperfection. The film starts off with him leaving his latest murder victims, and picks up with him just having married a widow (Shelly Hack) with a teenage daughter (Jill Schoelen). Schoelen hasn't taken the death of her father well, nor her mother's marriage to this new guy so soon afterward. She begins acting out at school, which irks O'Quinn toward murderousness. After she witnesses a secret tirade, and after seeing an article in the newspaper about the previous murders, she begins to investigate her new stepfather. The main reason to see this is for O'Quinn. His nutjob is almost at a Norman Bates-level of quality. A lot of the rest of the film is majorly flawed. Schoelen is cute and not a bad actress, but she can't pull off bad girl at all. And it never makes sense that the police never caught this guy.
Terry O'Quinn greatness
SnoopyStyle5 July 2021
Jerry Blake (Terry O'Quinn) cleans up after a bloody massacre of a family. One year later, he's in another town and married to another single mother Susan (Shelley Hack). Her daughter Stephanie (Jill Schoelen) still rejects her new stepfather. Stephanie is getting into trouble at school. Jerry's former brother-in-law Jim Ogilvie is still searching for him. His clean-cut outer image is cracking and Stephanie suspects him.
It's a step above a TV movie except for the blood and the brilliance of Terry O'Quinn. He elevates this far beyond its expectations. This is also tackling the superficial suburban nuclear family of the Reagan era. Above all else, it is Terry O'Quinn bringing his brand of hidden intensity. The brother-in-law is less compelling. I do wonder if the movie should do two separate battle with Stephanie. She can escape the first battle but he tracks her down for the second. The final battle needs a bit more work. This is a second tier horror but it's first tier Terry.
It's a step above a TV movie except for the blood and the brilliance of Terry O'Quinn. He elevates this far beyond its expectations. This is also tackling the superficial suburban nuclear family of the Reagan era. Above all else, it is Terry O'Quinn bringing his brand of hidden intensity. The brother-in-law is less compelling. I do wonder if the movie should do two separate battle with Stephanie. She can escape the first battle but he tracks her down for the second. The final battle needs a bit more work. This is a second tier horror but it's first tier Terry.
Wow, a classic!
paulclaassen25 June 2020
I really do love Terry O'Quinn. He is such an incredible, versatile actor. He is perfectly cast in the title role, the stepfather Jerry Blake. Terry delivers a chilling performance as a brutal killer with no conscience.
The Stepfather appears to be a loving man, serene and gentle. Yet, he lies without flinching, and kills without raising an eyebrow. The film illustrates so well that one can never judge a book by its cover - figuratively speaking, off course. People might not always be who (or what) they appear to be.
The film delivers good acting overall, and a very good script. Jerry's perfect new world starts falling apart when the brother of his previous victim decides to pursue the case, since no arrest was ever made. We see very different sides of Jerry, and Terry O'Quinn is simply fantastic here!
'The Stepfather' is creepy on a different level to most horror films from the same era. This has a psychological element to it that gets under your skin. Jerry is a very disturbed individual and this comes across very effectively as the film progresses. 'The Stepfather' truly is one of the better and more believable 80s horror films.
The Stepfather appears to be a loving man, serene and gentle. Yet, he lies without flinching, and kills without raising an eyebrow. The film illustrates so well that one can never judge a book by its cover - figuratively speaking, off course. People might not always be who (or what) they appear to be.
The film delivers good acting overall, and a very good script. Jerry's perfect new world starts falling apart when the brother of his previous victim decides to pursue the case, since no arrest was ever made. We see very different sides of Jerry, and Terry O'Quinn is simply fantastic here!
'The Stepfather' is creepy on a different level to most horror films from the same era. This has a psychological element to it that gets under your skin. Jerry is a very disturbed individual and this comes across very effectively as the film progresses. 'The Stepfather' truly is one of the better and more believable 80s horror films.
First-rate thriller
preppy-310 October 2002
Nice guy (Terry O'Quinn) gets married to lovely wife (Shelley Hack) and her rebellious daughter (Jill Schoelen). He wants his family to be like "The Brady Bunch" or "Father Knows Best". However when his family doesn't live up to his expectations he brutally kills them, changes his identity and moves on to find another unmarried woman with kids. And he's getting tired of Hack and Schoelen...
Exceptional thriller. O'Quinn gives a top-notch performance as the killer. He's helped by a very intricate script. Those two combined make you understand why he kills and plays with your emotions--I found myself actually liking the guy (for a while). There isn't a lot of violence in this, but when it appears it's very sudden, extremely bloody and shocking.
The only liabilities here are Hack and Schoelen--they're pretty bad in their roles. But O'Quinn and the script more than make up for them.
A sadly forgotten thriller from the late 80s. Well worth catching.
Exceptional thriller. O'Quinn gives a top-notch performance as the killer. He's helped by a very intricate script. Those two combined make you understand why he kills and plays with your emotions--I found myself actually liking the guy (for a while). There isn't a lot of violence in this, but when it appears it's very sudden, extremely bloody and shocking.
The only liabilities here are Hack and Schoelen--they're pretty bad in their roles. But O'Quinn and the script more than make up for them.
A sadly forgotten thriller from the late 80s. Well worth catching.
Classic 80s
leolacasse9820 October 2018
"Wait a minute, who am I here?"
BA_Harrison2 April 2009
As a general rule, I don't quote dialogue from a movie in my comment summary (to me, it seems like the lazy thing to do), but the above line, as uttered by Terry O' Quinn towards the end of The Stepfather, is so perfectly delivered that I decided to make an exception. And this is just one of many genuinely chilling moments in this excellent 80s thriller that go to make it unmissable entertainment for anyone who loves scary movies.
The lovely Jill Schoelen plays troubled teen Stephanie, who has every right to be disturbed: her father died a year ago, and she suspects that her new stepfather, the seemingly perfect Jerry (O'Quinn), is a serial killer. Of course, Stephanie is right—Jerry IS a complete nutter: desperate to become part of a perfect American family, he marries widows and divorcées with children, but kills them when they fail to measure up to his exacting standards.
Jim Ogilvie, the brother of one of Jerry's past victims, is hot on the psycho's trail, but with Jerry becoming increasingly disappointed with his new stepdaughter, will Jim catch up with the maniac before another family is slaughtered?
Sharply written, with excellent direction from Joseph Ruben, and a brilliant central performance from O'Quinn, The Stepfather rarely puts a foot wrong. At a push, one might argue that Jerry's ability to adopt a new persona after each massacre is a touch too easy, but this is a minor quibble and doesn't affect the power of the film in any way. Schoelen is also superb, offering just the right balance of vulnerability and spunky bravado (plus we get to see her in the shower–hurrah!).
The Stepfather proved to be a minor success on it's original release, and inevitably spawned a sequel, but over the past two decades, it seems to have been forgotten by many (no-one at my place of work seemed to know anything about it). Now that a remake is in the pipeline, perhaps more people will choose to investigate the original; it's a film that certainly deserves to be rediscovered by the masses.
The lovely Jill Schoelen plays troubled teen Stephanie, who has every right to be disturbed: her father died a year ago, and she suspects that her new stepfather, the seemingly perfect Jerry (O'Quinn), is a serial killer. Of course, Stephanie is right—Jerry IS a complete nutter: desperate to become part of a perfect American family, he marries widows and divorcées with children, but kills them when they fail to measure up to his exacting standards.
Jim Ogilvie, the brother of one of Jerry's past victims, is hot on the psycho's trail, but with Jerry becoming increasingly disappointed with his new stepdaughter, will Jim catch up with the maniac before another family is slaughtered?
Sharply written, with excellent direction from Joseph Ruben, and a brilliant central performance from O'Quinn, The Stepfather rarely puts a foot wrong. At a push, one might argue that Jerry's ability to adopt a new persona after each massacre is a touch too easy, but this is a minor quibble and doesn't affect the power of the film in any way. Schoelen is also superb, offering just the right balance of vulnerability and spunky bravado (plus we get to see her in the shower–hurrah!).
The Stepfather proved to be a minor success on it's original release, and inevitably spawned a sequel, but over the past two decades, it seems to have been forgotten by many (no-one at my place of work seemed to know anything about it). Now that a remake is in the pipeline, perhaps more people will choose to investigate the original; it's a film that certainly deserves to be rediscovered by the masses.
Daddy is Home
getconedproductions095 August 2019
The Stepfather
Directed by Joseph Ruben. Written by Donald Westlake, Brian Garfield and Carolyn Lefcourt
Inspired by watching some old school Monstervision episodes on Youtube, my daughter said to me that we needed to watch The Stepfather. My thoughts exactly. Why the hell not?!!
Sometimes that is all it takes. I have only seen the remake of The Stepfather from 2009 which was awful and the sequel from director Jeff Burr which was more of the same. I thought it was more than time to watch the original. I have to say this is a very 80s movie when you watch it now. It is trying to evoke that smalltown 50s suburbia appearance which makes sense since the Stepfather of the title is looking to create that picturesque familial unit. The kind of perfection only seen on Leave It to Beaver.
In reality we know this is a fantasy. Human beings and human relationships simply do not work in this fashion. Once the fantasy starts to crack, that is when things get deadly. Jerry Blake wants everything to be in place. It just has to be to maintain the facade that his fragile psyche is holding onto.
The movie starts by showing you what kind of monster he really is. It shows the aftermath and by doing this every interaction he has with his family and others, it gives you that feeling of dread. Normally this sort of obvious display right there in the beginning would negatively shadow the proceedings. Not with The Stepfather.
I think a lot of that has to do with the superb performance that Terry O'Quinn gives. He has that fractured personality down pat and he has that effortlessly charming persona as well. He nails it. This movie would not work with anyone else in that role.
This is without a doubt worth a watch. It is a classic in this genre. Forget the remake and it's unnecessary PG-13 bullstuff. Forget even about the sequels. The original is the one worth seeing. I give this movie a B.
Inspired by watching some old school Monstervision episodes on Youtube, my daughter said to me that we needed to watch The Stepfather. My thoughts exactly. Why the hell not?!!
Sometimes that is all it takes. I have only seen the remake of The Stepfather from 2009 which was awful and the sequel from director Jeff Burr which was more of the same. I thought it was more than time to watch the original. I have to say this is a very 80s movie when you watch it now. It is trying to evoke that smalltown 50s suburbia appearance which makes sense since the Stepfather of the title is looking to create that picturesque familial unit. The kind of perfection only seen on Leave It to Beaver.
In reality we know this is a fantasy. Human beings and human relationships simply do not work in this fashion. Once the fantasy starts to crack, that is when things get deadly. Jerry Blake wants everything to be in place. It just has to be to maintain the facade that his fragile psyche is holding onto.
The movie starts by showing you what kind of monster he really is. It shows the aftermath and by doing this every interaction he has with his family and others, it gives you that feeling of dread. Normally this sort of obvious display right there in the beginning would negatively shadow the proceedings. Not with The Stepfather.
I think a lot of that has to do with the superb performance that Terry O'Quinn gives. He has that fractured personality down pat and he has that effortlessly charming persona as well. He nails it. This movie would not work with anyone else in that role.
This is without a doubt worth a watch. It is a classic in this genre. Forget the remake and it's unnecessary PG-13 bullstuff. Forget even about the sequels. The original is the one worth seeing. I give this movie a B.
Overrated, didn't do much for me at all.
poolandrews22 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The Stepfather starts as a man named Henry Morrison (Terry O'Quinn) leaves his home for the last time, a home in which his wife & children lie dead after he had killed them earlier. After travelling to a new town he now calls himself Jerry Blake & has found a new job as a real estate agent, Jerry has also found himself a new family. Jerry has married widow Susan Maine (Shelley Hack) but is having problems with her daughter Stephanie (Jill Schoelen) who resents Jerry & even has an intense dislike of him. After reading about the murdered family in a nearby town Stephanie becomes suspicious, especially after witnessing Jerry lose his temper on several occasions & decides to investigate further. Jerry becomes aware of Stephanie's suspicions & starts to realise that his 'perfect' family is falling apart, eventually Jerry decides he has to start again fresh & that he has to dispose of his current disappointing family...
This British & American co-production was directed by Joseph Ruben & seems to be considered a bit of a classic in some circles, I must admit that I have no idea why & thought The Stepfather was a throughly average film. It's quite hard to define The Stepfather within the confines of one genre, I was expecting a slasher style horror film but The Stepfather is probably more a psycho thriller in the vein of Fatal Attraction (1987) which was released the same year. Like it's big budget Hollywood blockbuster The Stepfather hinges on family values & just how important they are to us, in the case of Jerry Blake he will literally kill for the perfect family & the idyllic existence that we are all brought up to aspire to, while Fatal Attraction places emphasis on it's family life with Michael Douglas doing all he can to salvage it & that it should be cherished & respected The Stepfather goes in the other direction & weaves it's story around the idea that family values are outdated & the perfect family simply does not exist & trying to attain it will only end in tears & misery. While the two films take opposite opinions I think the truth lies somewhere between the two, there's nothing wrong with traditional family life but at the same time it's near impossible for things to be completely perfect. At just over 80 minutes long The Stepfather moves along at a fairly sedate pace, while it's not boring it's hardly exciting either. The character's are alright if a little dumb at times & there's a real lack of slasher conventions until the final ten minutes in which we get a knife wielding maniac, a gratuitous shower scene & a final girl who defeats the bad guy after a chase. The Stepfather is competently written, plotted & it's alright to watch but I don't really understand the great reputation it has, I thought it was strictly average & I wouldn't want to see it again any time soon.
The Stepfather looks alright, it has no great visual style but it's well made I suppose. Those looking for gore & novelty killings should stick with the likes of The Nightmare on Elm Street & Friday the 13th franchises & there's very little here. A guy is beaten with a plank of wood, a couple of dead bodies are seen, someone is shot & stabbed in the arm & that's about it. The script was apparently based loosely on the case of John List who killed in family in 1971 & remained on the run until 1989.
Supposedly filmed in 40 days in Washington & in British Columbia in Canada on what must have been a fairly low budget The Stepfather has good production values. The acting is alright, I keep reading how great Terry O'Quinn is in the role but I was less impressed, sure he's fine but I didn't enjoyed his performance particularly.
The Stepfather is a film with a great reputation & strong following but I must admit to being somewhat baffled by what people see in it, sure it's not terrible but I didn't think it was anything great either. Followed by Stepfather II (1989), Stepfather III (1992) & a more recent Hollywood remake The Stepfather (2009).
This British & American co-production was directed by Joseph Ruben & seems to be considered a bit of a classic in some circles, I must admit that I have no idea why & thought The Stepfather was a throughly average film. It's quite hard to define The Stepfather within the confines of one genre, I was expecting a slasher style horror film but The Stepfather is probably more a psycho thriller in the vein of Fatal Attraction (1987) which was released the same year. Like it's big budget Hollywood blockbuster The Stepfather hinges on family values & just how important they are to us, in the case of Jerry Blake he will literally kill for the perfect family & the idyllic existence that we are all brought up to aspire to, while Fatal Attraction places emphasis on it's family life with Michael Douglas doing all he can to salvage it & that it should be cherished & respected The Stepfather goes in the other direction & weaves it's story around the idea that family values are outdated & the perfect family simply does not exist & trying to attain it will only end in tears & misery. While the two films take opposite opinions I think the truth lies somewhere between the two, there's nothing wrong with traditional family life but at the same time it's near impossible for things to be completely perfect. At just over 80 minutes long The Stepfather moves along at a fairly sedate pace, while it's not boring it's hardly exciting either. The character's are alright if a little dumb at times & there's a real lack of slasher conventions until the final ten minutes in which we get a knife wielding maniac, a gratuitous shower scene & a final girl who defeats the bad guy after a chase. The Stepfather is competently written, plotted & it's alright to watch but I don't really understand the great reputation it has, I thought it was strictly average & I wouldn't want to see it again any time soon.
The Stepfather looks alright, it has no great visual style but it's well made I suppose. Those looking for gore & novelty killings should stick with the likes of The Nightmare on Elm Street & Friday the 13th franchises & there's very little here. A guy is beaten with a plank of wood, a couple of dead bodies are seen, someone is shot & stabbed in the arm & that's about it. The script was apparently based loosely on the case of John List who killed in family in 1971 & remained on the run until 1989.
Supposedly filmed in 40 days in Washington & in British Columbia in Canada on what must have been a fairly low budget The Stepfather has good production values. The acting is alright, I keep reading how great Terry O'Quinn is in the role but I was less impressed, sure he's fine but I didn't enjoyed his performance particularly.
The Stepfather is a film with a great reputation & strong following but I must admit to being somewhat baffled by what people see in it, sure it's not terrible but I didn't think it was anything great either. Followed by Stepfather II (1989), Stepfather III (1992) & a more recent Hollywood remake The Stepfather (2009).
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