Deadly Messages

I watched this movie initially assuming it was just Lifetime fodder and it started seeming like such. However, the plot became more and more interesting later as the mystery unfolded. The writer of the movie has given an original and quite plausible explanation to what happens to the lead character. The only things that I didn't like were the inclusion of some stereotypes thrillers tend to fall into (e.g. disbelieving cops), and the final scene, which was unnecessary and threw off the flow. 9/10

Now I'm looking this film up online to review I find that it was indeed 'made for TV' back 1985 (I had guessed that within the first few minutes of watching it!). That's normally a sign that you're not going to be getting much for your money - cheap sets, unknown actors and a lot of suspension of disbelief required to properly enjoy it. And, yes, it is all those things. But it's also got its charms!

It's about a young woman who finds an old ouija board and ends up getting the titular 'deadly' messages, which warn her of foreboding and lethal events ahead.

I haven't heard of anyone in the cast (I doubt the main villain from 'Robocop' counts as an 'A-lister'), the script is so-so and do be expecting anything in the way of special effects - there's both no need or budget for that. And yet I kept watching. I suppose this is an instance when you can tell the difference between a 'slow burning' story and a boring one. If this movie was just outright dull then the slow pace wouldn't lead to anything, whereas there was at least a decent attempt at crafting a genuine sense of mystery around the central character.

I actually wanted to know what was going on in her life and her past and I was glad I stuck with it to find out. You can't really judge 'Deadly Messages' against massive Hollywood productions - it's not in their league. But in terms of nice, easy-going little supernatural mysteries than you might happen to come across late night on TV, I have sat through much worse!

I read only a couple of other comments about this film, so, I'll volunteer my two cents, as well. 'Cept I'm not gonna disagree with the other reviewers - I, too, thought that this was an above-average flick. Laura realizes that she is locked out of her apartment and peers through a window. Maybe her housemate (who she doesn't know very well) will see her and let her in. Instead, Laura witnesses a guy choking the roomie. In a panic, she gets the fire department to respond to an alarm at her flat. The cops are also dispatched. In spite of Laura's story, the police can't find a body, or any signs of a forced entry or struggle; so, to them, Laura looks like a kook. To make matters worse, it's learned that it's not the first time when the co-tenant has dropped out of sight. One of Laura's diversions is to play with a Ouija Board. From it she receives information about what she saw, her address, and eventually, herself. Throughout it all, she has difficulty convincing a detective - even her boyfriend - of what she suspects and her own identity. Finally, she is confronted with it actually being HER story. The movie starts out kinda slow, but causes one's interest to increase as it progresses. I hope that the unsympathetic portrayal of the police is exaggerated. I guess it was part of the attempt to show frustration at being disbelieved - like: sure you were abducted by aliens. This dummy also appreciated one of the final scenes, wherein the pieces of the puzzle were nicely summed up by those involved. Not a lot else to praise or badmouth here. Bottom line is: it's time and/or reasonable bucks adequately spent.

Formula movie and you can pretty much figure the plot and who is who from the beginning. However it is well acted and with out an excess of gore.

After forgetting her key and not being able to get her room mate to answer the door of a third story apartment, Laura Daniels is gutsy enough to use the fire escape. You guessed it she witnesses a murder. Naturally with out clues the police do not believe her. Things start to snow ball as Laura plays with a Quiji board, and figures out she is being stalked. The whole thing would be over in 15 minutes if anyone would believe her. And there are plenty of `Stay in the Car' type scenes. The only thing I guessed wrong was there were no scenes with jumpy cats. Hopefully it will one day come out on DVD.

This is one of my favorite movies. I love watching it. I think Kathleen Beller is perfectly cast as the naive heroine.

The basic plot is that Laura Daniels, a young, single girl living with her lawyer boyfriend in converted hotel apartment building -- one day discovers an old Ouija board on the top shelf of a closet by accident. She decides to start asking it questions. And she starts getting strange messages from the board.

It appears, however, that the Ouija board's previous owner was murdered - and messages from beyond warn Laura that she may be next. All around her are quite dubious of her supposed messages from the beyond.

The movie captures your attention instantly. And there are wonderful character actors who later went on to greater TV fame playing roles in the movie.

I love that the wind howls, branches fall on cars and there are spooky odd characters along the way. And you can't go wrong with a mental hospital playing a role in a thriller! And I especially enjoyed the owners of the motel! Deadly Messages is a fun way to spend a lazy afternoon.