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Don't Answer the Phone is yet another film from the late 70s and early 80s about a psychotic, demented, socially awkward killer who brutalizes women because of his "problems" - whatever those problems might be. This time around we have a muscular, fat Vietnam vet who was never good enough for his father butcher pretty girls just after they have stripped from their little clothing. Nicolas Worth plays the wheezing, maniacal killer with a bizarre almost interesting quality. He is not a good actor yet is able to hold your attention throughout. I wish I could say something pleasant about the rest of the cast, but none of the rest are very competent. The police detectives who are looking for Worth - one which falls in love with the pretty radio psychiatrist that can shed light on the killer's identity - were particularly bad. The girls are pretty but the misogynistic flair devoted to their deaths is particularly degrading and unpleasant. The film is at least not overtly gory and had me interested until the end. The story was compelling enough and Worth is worth a look if nothing else.

If you are a hopeless misogynist, this is the film for you. If you enjoy seeing women abused, tormented, tortured, humiliated and finally strangled, with the camera right in their face so that you won't miss one single second of their fear and pain, then run right out and rent this movie. If you like cheap, porno movie soundtracks, complete with the early 70s wocka-ch-wocka riff, you'll love this film. If you admire poker faced heroines, whose facial expression NEVER CHANGES whether she's having sex, trying to save a suicidal girl or fending off a serial killer, then this film is a must-see.

This film could have been good. Maybe not great, but at least halfway decent. But that's what happens when you swap subtlety for unrelenting, in-your-face sadism: you get crap. Believe it or not, I do not NEED to see EVERY SINGLE VICTIM die a brutal, agonizing death. I'm perfectly happy with crime scene photos or an after-the-fact discovery of the body. I don't enjoy watching people being terrorized, crying while their clothes are ripped off and/or screaming in fear as they're slapped and called derogatory names while their incredibly disgusting assailant grins and laughs.

You know a movie is bad when the only halfway decent performance comes from the guy playing the killer. The rest of the cast are much like mannequins from the worlds seediest department store: they never come to life and aren't at all interesting. The entire movie appears to have been shot through the eyes of a nasty, dirty old man who never bathes and whose only girlfriend was inflatable. It's shamelessly filthy, ugly and cheap. A better title might have been: "Don't Waste Your Time."

This was obviously meant to be a standard late-70s total-waste-of-time movie, an excuse to show topless women squirming and thrashing while being strangled, but Nicholas Worth turns it into a must-see. Actors-in-training and stage-vocalists, especially, can learn from his vocal prowess and from the way he uses his size. He is a huge, hulking basso with the ability to near-totally relax his inhibitions, and he uses his entire range, from resonant, snarling low tones, through a thundering midrange up to a piercing, blubbering whimper at the very top which has to be heard to be believed. He should have been an opera-singer. He could have sung Wagner.

The women dress beautifully in late 1970s casual summer-wear, and they get undressed equally beautifully by Worth's character, after (sometimes before) he strangles them to death. (One of them is future PLAYBOY-centerfold Pamela Jean Bryant.) As the other reviewer said, James Westmoreland (Detective McCabe) and Flo Gerrish (Doctor Lindsay Gale) act extremely badly; however, Ben Frank (Detective Hatcher) delivers some very funny lines with excellent cheesy deadpan. Like when McCabe tells him that the strangler has stolen some of the victim's clothes, and he replies: "That's great! Now we got him on petty theft, as well as murder!" Also, Chuck Mitchell, one of the few actors even bulkier than Nicholas Worth, plays a small part as a porno publisher. (If Mitchell looks familiar, it's because he played the Warden in PENITENTIARY and the title character in PORKY'S.)

These folks have created a masterpiece in spite of all their best efforts to the contrary.

To get a movie made is not an easy thing to do, let alone get it distributed. Many things could have been done better but knowing the situation it's amazing this was made in the time it was. With the small amount of money they had to make it with. There was the Actor's strike at the time the movie was made. As well as an all too familiar lack of gas situation going on at the same time. So lighten up, it was a hoot if you like the kind of scary movie that has an edge to it, you will get a kick out of it. Break through film that used real locations rather than studio sets. First film to use the hand held camera work, and it was great in that genre. Many films followed using the hand held camera, so this is to the director's credit. You just have to love this kind of creepy, nasty horror film to get through it.

Don't buy the DVD. It has been heavily cut. If you have previously seen this movie, the DVD will seriously disappoint you. Check your local video store for the original VHS tape if you want to your own copy of this film.

If you haven't seen this movie, rent it. It only appeals to a small group. It is standard fare of the late 70s to early 80's horror movies. Mindless killer terrorizes town (Hollywood). Police can't buy a clue.