Themes: Death of a Friend, Experiments Gone Awry, Robots and Androids
Main Cast: Matthew Laborteaux, Kristy Swanson, Michael Sharrett, Anne Twomey, Anne Ramsey
Release Year: 1986
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
With the over-the-top gruesomeness of The Re-Animator to compare it to, Wes Craven's Deadly Friend limps into the second tier, coming across as a Frankenstein tale lost on Elm Street. Paul (Matthew Laborteaux) is a teen computer genius who has recently moved to a new town. The quiet and peaceful milieu permits him to continue experimenting with his life's work -- a human-like robot named Bee Bee. But Paul becomes smitten with the comely girl next door, Samantha (Kristy Swanson). For Samantha, however, the small-town life is less than quiet and peaceful; she is the victim of an abusive father, who she dreams of killing. During an argument, her father pushes her down the stairs, and she lapses into a coma. Paul, with the help of local paperboy pal Tom (Michael Sharrett), decides to implant Bee Bee's microchips into Samantha's brain to re-animate her back to life. But Samantha, restored to life and with the strength of an inhuman robot, decides to exact vengeance upon her father and the rest of the townspeople who have done her wrong. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Richard Marcus - Harry; Frank Cavestani - Angry Resident; Charles Fleischer - "BB"; Joel Hile - Deputy; Russ Marin - Dr. Johanson; Merritt Olsen - CAT Scan Technician; Lee Paul - Police Sgt. Volchek; Tom Spratley - Neighbor; Faeth M.D. - William H./Doctor in Sam's Room; Robin Nuyen - Thief; Andrew Roperto - Carl Denton; Jim Ishida - Coroner
Credit
Wes Craven - Director, Michael Eliot - Editor, Patrick Kelley - Executive Producer, Charles Bernstein - Composer (Music Score), Michael Hancock - Makeup, John Loggia - Production Designer, Daniel Lomino - Production Designer, Philip H. Lathrop - Cinematographer, Robert L. Crawford - Producer, Robert M. Sherman - Producer, Daniel Patrick Kelley - Producer, Roy Barnes - Set Designer, Peter Albiez - Special Effects, Tony Cecere - Stunts, Terry J. Leonard - Stunts, Bruce Joel Rubin - Screenwriter, Diana Henstell - Book Author
