Main Cast: Kate Mulgrew, Rip Torn, James Naughton, Shawn Von Schreiber, Barbara Baxley
Release Year: 1982
Country: US
Run Time: 92 minutes
Plot
In this suspenseful made-for-television thriller a homicidal maniac kidnaps a young girl and a female television reporter and holds them hostage in the bowels of Grand Central Station. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Review
Sean Cunningham's first post-Friday The 13th film was shrugged off by most critics but it is better than its reputation might lead one to believe. The narrative's twists and turns aren't too difficult to predict but the lead characterizations and the colorful supporting characters keep the story interesting. Better yet, the cast is really top-flight: Kate Mulgrew is a classy and resourceful heroine, the same can be said for Shawn Von Schreiber (very poised in a challenging role for a child) and Rip Torn brings his full intensity to the role of the film's sleazoid villain. Sean Cunningham's direction is functional but effective: he's not quite a stylist but he gets solid performances all around, makes nice use of the atmospheric train station setting and hits the story's suspenseful beats with the right amount of punch. The end result is essentially the R-rated version of a made-for-t.v. movie but the craftsmanship is solid enough to make A Stranger Is Watching worth a look. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Stephen Joyce - Detective; James Russo - Ronald Thompson; Frank Hamilton - Bill Lufts; Roy Poole - Kurner; Jason Robards III; Stephen Strimpell; Maggie Task - Mrs. Lufts
Credit
Virginia Field - Art Director, Sean S. Cunningham - Director, Susan E. Cunningham - Editor, Lalo Schifrin - Composer (Music Score), Andrew Ciannella - Makeup, Barry Abrams - Cinematographer, Sidney Beckerman - Producer, Jack Grossberg - Producer, Connie Brink - Special Effects, Kim Ornitz - Sound/Sound Designer, Earl Mac Rauch - Screenwriter, Victor Miller - Screenwriter, Mary Higgins Clark - Book Author
Three years after Steve Peterson's wife, Nina, was raped and murdered in front of their 11 year old daughter Julie, she and his new girlfriend Sharon Martin are kidnapped by the same killer, the psychotic Artie Taggart. Imprisoning them in a bunker below Grand Central Station, he throws the police into a race against time to save the girls and catch the bad guy...
Film adaptation
In 1982 the film was adapted for the silver screen, starring James Naughton as Steve Peterson, Kate Mulgrew as Sharon Martin, Rip Torn as Artie Taggart and Shawn von Schreiber as Julie.
