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Sadly Over-hyped

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I think I would give this movie 3 stars out of 4, since what is good about it is often very good. However, the violence is shockingly explicit and gratuitous, which very nearly derails the picture. In fact, it is so needlessly explicit one is tempted to turn away from the screen in order to avoid it. Lauren Tewes is shockingly good in the lead role, so good that I now wonder why she didn't get more opportunities to shine. Jennifer Jason Leigh is also excellent, and I have to admit I forgot it was her until near the end of the picture. The identity of the killer is revealed early on, so the only suspense comes when Tewes begins to think she knows his identity and then begins to follow and taunt him. Some of this was compelling, but a lot of it was so unlikely that I had to laugh on occasion. At one point Tewes finds herself in the killer's apartment when he suddenly returns, and the way she extricates herself from this predicament is so unlikely that I laughed out loud(entering another apartment directly below and then casually walking out with the inhabitants eating at their table? Really?). The great film critic Gene Siskel gave this movie 2.5 stars out of 4, saying that without the gratuitous violence he could recommend the film without reservation as a well-made urban thriller. I agree with him, but for those who like these slasher-type movies, I believe this is by far the best. It's genuinely creepy and scary much of the time.

I remember watching, "Wait Until Dark", and it dealt with creepy people. Well, in "Eyes of a Stranger", it takes creepy to a whole new level. In Miami, Florida, there's a creepy caller roaming around. Not only he's making obscene calls he's raping and killing as well. A bar worker gets sexually assaulted and by this behemoth, after he cuts off his head with a cleaver. Following up on the case is a headstrong reporter (Lauren Tewes, "The Love Boat") who is tracking down this maniac while she does her best to protect her sister(Jennifer Jason Leigh) who was blinded and deafened from a vicious attack years earlier. Jane has suspicion on a neighbor who was changing his shirt in a hurry. Her hunches were right, and she doesn't mess around. For her sister, her past injuries turned out to be temporary, when the serial killer came after her. Lauren Tewes did a great job as Julie, the cruise director, on "The Love Boat". In this movie, she didn't play around. Jennifer Jason Leigh did very well, in her debut as the blinded sister Tracy. A very good movie, must see! 4 out of 5 stars

Going into this film, I didn't know anything about it, other than Savini did the effects, which is, of course, the reason I watched. Up until this point, this under-discussed film wasn't even on my radar and I only came upon the title recently. Glad to see it's finally available uncut.However, speaking of uncut, which is always the most important issue to me when watching any film, I found the effects to be rather subdued and maybe, given the nature of the film, that's the point.Jane is a news anchor. Her little sister, Tracy, was abducted and sexually abused at a young age, leaving her with unusual mental scars that affected her sight, speech, and hearing. Tracy lives with Jane in a large high-rise apartment complex near the bay. Recently, a weirdo has been stalking women, raping them, and, perhaps simultaneously, strangling them. A similar stalker is found in the film, Don't Answer the Phone, however, Eyes of a Stranger is a better overall film, even with subdued gore and sexual violence. The unusual aspect of this film is not only does Jane and the killer live in the same complex, she suspects him while he isn't even aware of her, other than perhaps knowing she's on the news. She is not one of his intended victims, he doesn't follow or call her. So, in a crazy twist, she starts calling him, smoking a cigarette as if she's just done the deed, all the while taunting him on the phone in the same manner he's done to several of his victims.It's a fun cat and mouse game, where at times it seems as if there are two cats. The rape scenes are not overly aggressive and a few cut throats and a gunshot wound are all we get from Tom Savini. However, I do recommend this one if you want something a little different, and, perhaps, a little more realistic. The killer isn't your typical hack and slash, like so many 80's killers. He's just a guy. Someone you pass every day or maybe you bought insurance from him. That makes it scarier. Enjoy.

1981 was a big year for Slasher fans. The Friday the 13th and Halloween franchises both released a sequel, My Bloody Valentine hailed from our northerly neighbors in Canada, and a young Jason Alexander starred in The Burning. Movie-goers that year also experienced the likes of The Prowler, Happy Birthday to Me, Just Before Dawn, Graduation Day, and Final Exam. With the release of so many films with a similar premise, the question of "who came first" barely applies. One thing is for certain however; the early 1980's encapsulated some of the best films within the sub-genre and Eyes of a Stranger existed with the rest of the pack all the while.The film opens with a young woman who receives several disturbing phone calls by a threatening yet psychic-sounding stranger. She files a claim with the police department but due to a high volume of similar calls, her concerns are taken lightly. This negligent act leads to a most heinous crime; the woman, in addition to her boyfriend, are intruded upon and slain by a masked marauder. Female news anchor Jane Harris, all-too-familiar with the crimes, suspects that the unknown assailant resides in her high-rise apartment complex. Jane must find a way to produce enough evidence to substantiate her claims, compelling enough to captivate the interest of her boyfriend David; a defense lawyer who approaches the situation with reluctance. Are her theories outlandish? Or will her curiosity result in her demise?Current retiree from the world of special effects makeup, Tom Savini, was a big name in the industry back in the 1980's. Not only was he a regular in George Romero's crew but he lent a skilled hand and a keen eye to various Slasher films of the era – most prominent would be his work in Friday the 13th, followed up by Maniac which was also released in the same year. The year of 1981 was particularly successful for Savini as Eyes of a Stranger, The Burning, and The Prowler would all benefit from his artistic touch. Originally, Eyes of a Stranger received an R rating which rendered many of the gory effects absent from the final release. This exercise of taming a film to abide by society's sense of morality was a standard practice in the industry during this time. Now that audiences have experienced the likes of Saw and Hostel it seems as though censorship boards are more lenient on certain forms of brutality.Eyes of a Stranger would be director Ken Wiederhorn's second horror movie, as later endeavors materialized with the likes of Return of the Living Dead Part II from '88 and 7 episodes of Freddy's Nightmares. This short tenure was the extent of Ken's foray into horror. In comparison to other no-names in the Slasher game, Ken managed to string together a nice little story with Eyes of a Stranger – everything works out by-the-numbers and stays within the guidelines of mystery and suspense. I'd be speaking untruthfully if I were to say that it's an entertaining entry; no twists or turns or freakish elements to speak of, it merely sits complacently and unwinds to a rather dull finish. Thankfully the screenplay carries itself strongly and frivolous details with laughably bad dialog won't be found for miles.Lauren Tewes, the actress who played Jane Harris, led a semi-successful career before and after her involvement in Eyes of a Stranger. Quite possibly her most prominent role was her involvement with the late 70's television show The Love Boat. After an intense struggle with cocaine abuse she was replaced by another actress in 1984. She began the withdrawal process in 1980 with the help of a counselor but due to her poor performance at the work place she was let go. She managed to recover after a highly publicized affair and continued onward as a successful TV actress. Eyes of a Stranger is what I'd like to categorize as a safe movie. It offers the viewing audience the facts, laid out on the table, and runs straight to the finish line without any hesitation. Some might say that such a description sounds appealing and while they may be partially right it doesn't allow itself to plateau into stardom. If I could draw a likeness to this film I'd say that it could be a distant relative of Maniac. In comparison, Maniac offered a more sinister and dark approach into the killer's psyche and played upon nightmarish elements – whereas Eyes of a Stranger presents the killer in a fully lit room with little intrigue or likability (although the notion of liking a serial killer in a movie is absurd, it happens!). I've given similar reviews to films in the past when I say that this particular title could be played in the background while more pressing matters are attended to. It's not unwatchable or pathetic; the acting is believable and the characters react logically for a change but who really wants to see that? There's a reason why Slasher films specifically dumb down the level of intelligence of the players featured – it gives us, the viewers, a chance to be fully aware of what lurks around the corner even if the lead actor or actress does not. Once you remove that element you're simply watching the villain get bested with little to no effort at all – and in reality, that's not very appealing.