Night Visitor

Recently viewed The Night Visitor 1989) on Tubi. The story revolves around a class clown and a local deviant who witnesses a murder, but nobody believes him. He embarks on an investigation and uncovers potential ties to satanic activities, raising questions about his own safety.

Directed by Rupert Hitzig (Backstreet Dreams) and featuring a cast that includes Derek Rydall (Death Wish 4), Allen Garfield (Beverly Hills Cop 2), Kathleen Bailey (Witchtrap), Brooke Bundy (A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Child) and Henry Gibson (The Burbs).

While the main cast, as mentioned above, is recognizable and delivers commendable performances, the dynamic between Richard Roundtree (Shaft) and Michael Pollard (Scrooged) alone makes the movie worth watching. Both of them bring their characters to life, with a cameo appearance by Shannon Tweed ("Dead Sexy") adding some eye candy. However, the acting feels inconsistent, particularly with the main character seeming to try too hard, and Pollard's partner not quite hitting the mark. Some other characters are somewhat annoying, and there are not enough horror elements to generate excitement. The kills in the film are passable, and it wraps up with a classic 80s ending.

In conclusion, The Night Visitor is a relatively average addition to the horror genre, but it does have some good performances and characters. I would rate this a 5/10 and suggest giving it a watch at least once.

This is a classic two week shoot genre flick that is fun all the way around. For the genre, the directing by Hitzig is great, and the show is stolen by a small part done by Jovanni Brascia as a john. Everyone studying film, should watch this to see how the basics work, when you have no or little budget. It is done remarkably well and the cast is stellar. Based on what is in this film, Rupert Hitzig is a man we will hear a lot about.

The compulsive liar teenager Billy Colton (Derek Rydall) witnesses the murder of his sexy and prostitute neighbor Lisa Grace (Shannon Tweed) by his history teacher Willard (Allen Garfield). Willard is an unknown Satanist wanted by the police for killing prostitutes with his brother. Like in the fairytale, nobody but his girlfriend believes in Billy. He looks for help with the former friend of his deceased father, the retired Detective Devereaux (Elliott Gould), and they two decide to investigate his teacher's house. But his snoopy girlfriend Dolan (Kathleen Bailey) has had the same idea and is captured by the twisted brothers.

"Night Visitor" is the first movie I have watched in 2004 and uses elements of horror and suspense, like in "Rear Window" and "Fright Night". Indeed it works well on video and entertains. At least three points deserve to be highlighted and commented. The first one is the beauty of Shannon Tweed, impressively sexy in the role of a call girl. The second is the ridiculous character of the great actor Elliott Gould. I do not know how he accepted such a role. The other point is the lack of continuity from about thirteen to sixteen minutes. Bill visits Lisa and gets a beer in his right hand. When Tony arrives, he waives goodbye to Lisa with empty hands. When he arrives home, he has the can of beer again in his right hand and is wearing a type of dark blue coat. When he arrives in his room, he is wearing only the light blue shirt that was beneath the coat. Very funny mistakes. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Nunca Chame o Demônio" ("Never Calls the Demon")

Note: On 21 Jul 2000, I saw this film for the first time.

On 03 Jun 2022, I saw this film again.

It's the solid performances from some recognisable faces that lift this all too typical boy-who-cried-wolf theme in this inconsistent low-budget satanic thriller. What strike me the most was how the storyline is so close to Tom Holland's terrific vampire film 'Fright Night (1985)', but it comparison it does lack the charm and thrills of that film. Vampires no more, but Satanists are the flavour. The hysterically unusual pairing of a wearily scorning Allan Garfield and playfully loony Michael J Pollard was a hammy blast as the two Satanist brothers. Derek Rydall and Teresa Vander Woude make for appealing teen leads that get caught up in the devilish mess. Richard Roundtree's no-bull performance is lean, but potent as the detective on the case and Elliott Gould is amusing as a retired detective who comes out of retirement to help out the teenagers. In support roles the ravishing Shannon Tweed and eventual porn-star Teri Wiegel added some sexual energy. Henry Gibson also pops up. Director Rupert Hitzig hones in a workable display and keeps it on the move, even if his jump tactics inadequately fail. Anyhow the predictably implausible and contrived screenplay seems to be playing it for camp laughs, than actual chills. Just wait for the chainsaw and shotgun clash! It's like it's made up of a bunch of comical errors and eccentric passages, but one or two sequences install some welcoming suspense. But really, the humour does overplay it. And what was the idea of that corn-riddled, over extended ending accompanied with a howling song. It was awful! The whip-lashed musical score drums up the repetitive chanting ala 'The Omen' style, but it doesn't come near Goldsmith's classic piece.

A pair of satanists drive around in an old black Cadillac, picking up hookers to sacrifice. A high school student who's always telling tall tales (I was late to school because my mother burned her hair when her hairdryer exploded!) tries to get closer to a female friend, and meets a sexy older woman who moves in next door.

The high schooler witnesses a murder, and even though when the police show up the body is there as described, murdered when and how he described, they don't believe him when he says who the killer is. I found that a bit hard to believe, even given his penchant for making up stories.

A bit randomly, his best friend is a smartass named Sam Loomis, like Donald Pleasance's character in Halloween.

The satanists (of which there are only two) kill some women in their car, and some in their house. They don't seem to actually have any satanic powers.

There's a few recognizable faces in the movie. Michael J. Pollard plays a sort of character he's played before, a man with the mind of a child. Henry Gibson shows up briefly as a police consultant on satanic crimes. Richard Roundtree plays a cop, as he has a thousand times. Elliot Gould is a family friend who the student tries to enlist.

The movie never really takes off at any point. The ending concludes things, and then follows with a musical montage and a freeze-frame which struck me as silly.