Special Effects

1984
R
1h 46m

IMDb RATING

5.4/10

1.4K

YOUR RATING

A director makes a movie based on a murder he committed.

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36 Photos

Drama Horror Thriller

A director makes a movie based on a murder he committed.A director makes a movie based on a murder he committed.A director makes a movie based on a murder he committed.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.4/10

1.4K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Top cast13

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Zoë Lund

Andrea Wilcox
(as Zoe Tamerlis)
…

Eric Bogosian

Neville

Brad Rijn

Keefe Waterman

Kevin O'Connor

Det. Lt.Philip Delroy

Bill Oland

Det. Vickers

H. Richard Greene

Leon Gruskin
(as Richard Greene)

Steven Pudenz

Wiesanthal

Heidi Bassett

Neville's Asst. Director

John Woehrle

Studio Executive
(as John Woerhle)

Kitty Summerall

Andrea's Roommate

Kris Evans

Cosmetician

Mike Alpert

Taxi Driver

Larry Cohen

Journalist
(uncredited)

Director
- Larry Cohen
Writer
- Larry Cohen
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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9:57

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
One of the head shots Neville and Detective Delroy look through is Dustin Hoffman as Dorothy Michaels in Tootsie

Goofs
Andreas hair changes from wavy to curly in each scene

Quotes
Reporter: What directors influenced you the most?
Neville: Abraham Zapruder.
Reporter: Who?
Neville: Honest Abe.
Reporter: How do you spell that?
Neville: J-F-K.

Alternate versions
The UK video version was cut by 30 secs and edits shots from the stranglings of Andrea and the blackmailer, as well as heavily reducing a scene of Neville watching film footage of Andrea's murder.

Connections
Featured in King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen (2017)

Soundtracks
Just A Face (But Just The Same)
Performed by David Snider and The Defiel Band
Music and Lyrics by Michael Minard
©1984 Minard Music Company-ASCAP

Larry Cohen's "Special Effects" is an average snuff-themed horror film.Eric Bogosian plays here an on-the-decline director who murders a starlet(brilliant Zoe Tamerlis,who sadly died in 1999)on camera and decides to use a dead ringer to make a film about the killing."Special Effects" is average-the script is mediocre and the action is dull at times.Still the snuff/murder scene(the strangling)is pretty nasty!The ending is also effective.All in all I'd recommend this film for undemanding horror fans-it's really nothing special,but if you want a passable time-killer...