Spellbinder

Some of the commentators have ragged on this movie for it being predictable, and some parts of it are, but some parts of the ending really surprised me. Again, I saw this movie originally when I was about 19, so maybe what would be obvious now weren't so obvious to me back then. Anway, given the context of the late 80ies when Spellbinder was made there was all this talk about Satanism, most of which later proved to be just urban legend type of stuff, probably made the movie for me a little more spooky in the 80ies then say if someone just randomly saw it now. Anyways, the movie I thought had a pretty cool plot that had some surprises, the acting was good, Kelly Preston was hot, and the movie freaked me out a little back in the day, so I'm giving the movie 8 out 10 stars. I haven't found it on DVD yet, if I did I would buy it and add it to my collection.

"Spellbinder," set in Los Angeles in the late 1980s, is one of the most intelligent horror films of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the very best made in the 1980s. Tim Daly plays Jeff Mills, a decent, hardworking, old-fashioned lawyer from the midwest who believes he'll never find love. One night, he rescues a beautiful woman (Kelly Preston) from being beaten up by her boyfriend. Falling under her spell, Jeff is plunged into a world of witchcraft (no political correctness here)and Satanic cults, with an ending that will haunt you long after the television has been switched off. The acting in this film is superb (Audra Lindley's performance as Miranda's terrifying mother alone is worth the price of this rental). Due in large part to the wonderful script and story, "Spellbinder" succeeds in perfectly walking that fine line between classic horror and psychological horror. I can't recommend this film highly enough. If ever a film deserved wider exposure, it's this one. I can't wait for the DVD.

I really enjoyed Spellbinder! It's a good mix of Thriller, Suspense, Horror, Witchcraft with a plot twist at the end that was unexpected the first time I viewed it. Spellbinder has a great cast, including Timothy Daly (Wings), Kelly Preston (Mrs. John Travolta), Rick Rossovich (Top Gun), and Audra Lindley (Mrs. Roper from 3's Company). It's definitely worth the rental price if you like horror and thriller movies. :) As of today (May 7, 2001) it looks like this title is not currently available on VHS or DVD (what a shame!)

An unjustly neglected horror entry. Right from the start, it has the narrative pull of a good mystery; there are intriguing characters and one genuinely sensual sex scene. In the second half, it seems to be getting more ordinary, but then comes up with a stunning twist, worthy of an Agatha Christie. Overall, a well-acted, atmospherically directed, smart, creepy little thriller. (***)

Around the late 1980s, the ailing MGM studios made or acquired a number of movies that they didn't give much of (if any) a theatrical release. This pickup is one of them, and it's pretty easy to see why for several reasons. It's a pretty flat-looking movie for one thing - while it has elements that got it an "R" rating, aside from those elements the movie feels like it was made for television. The script has a number of problems as well. It does have an ending that is somewhat expected (though is somewhat hard to swallow when you think back of every event that happened before it), but most of the movie is a bunch of boring chat. Worse of all, actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is wasted, given only three or so brief scenes. A movie so unremarkable for the most part, one has to wonder why it was thought to be worth making.