Phone horror. A lesser known sub genre, if you can even call it that. I might be coining the term right now. Most people will know When A Stranger Calls and One Missed Call (Holy hell...) Hell, maybe we can even throw scream in there. But how many of them use the phone as an actual murder weapon? In 1982 Murder By Phone set out to create such a film.
It all begins when an innocent young woman answers a pay phone in a train station. Her eyes begin inexplicably bleeding. She is seemingly paralyzed until the fatal blow, a deadly shockwave sent through the phone, sends her flying. Her mysterious death catches the attention of her former environmentalist college professor. As the body’s continue to pile up, his suspicions lead him to a phone company that’s being a little too secretive for his liking.
Murder By Phone is probably one of the better phone horror films that I’ve come across. It’s nothing earth shattering and even at a short 80 minute run time it comes close to wearing out its welcome. But the concept of a killer using phones as his weapon is interesting enough to keep attention. The acting is passable as their aren't any eye rolling performances. The film takes itself seriously and succeeds somehow despite its absurd premise.
The true highlight of Murder By Phone are the spectacular death scenes. One may think "Yeah, you answer the phone and then die." But director Michael Anderson makes sure to add flying bodies and phone explosions to flare up these kills. The film does a great job of creating suspense by constantly having phones ring. I'm almost certain that pretty much every other scene opens with a phone ringing. Is it the killer? Or just an innocent phone call. Even one kill tricks you into believing that all is well. Murder By Phone isn't an overlooked classic or anything. But it's definitely worth your time for at least one watch.
Body Count:6
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