Too Scared to Scream (1984) User Reviews

A Farily Interesting Crime-Thriller

[Rainey-Dawn · 6/10 · 24 April 2015]

'Too Scared to Scream' was fairly interesting to me... worth a one time watch - kept me watching until the end. It's not what I would call a horrible film - but I would not call it a top-notch film either - mediocre.

Most of the people in this film are "odd" or "weird" - not just our prime suspect. The film does have a surprise ending (in it's way). So if you like crime-thrillers then you might like this film.

This is a 'slasher' film - but not in the stereo-typical way (you know, kids in the woods, no cops or terrible cops around, and a killer slashing away sex-crazed young adults - this film is NOT that way). This is a police detective film that is after a 'slasher'.

6/10

Tense and better than you might expect

[gridoon · 6/10 · 8 February 2002]

Purists or experts might disagree, but I believe "Too Scared To Scream" is an earnest attempt by the filmmakers to create an American version of the Italian "giallo" thrillers. Although the violence isn't particularly graphic, the film plays like a murder mystery in which you think you know who the murderer is, but you can't be sure until the last frame. It does have its flaws (some obvious red herrings, some ridiculous "fake scares"), but it offers a few tense moments, an unexpected (if far-fetched) conclusion, and good performances by most of the cast (especially by the man who plays the chief suspect). A good choice for mystery fans. (**)

Curiously fascinating slasher-trash!

[Coventry · 6/10 · 3 January 2018]

There's something curiously fascinating about the obscure and almost entirely forgotten mid-80s slasher entitled "Too Scared to Scream". In the blessed year 1985, director Tony Lo Bianco (primarily an actor and probably best known for his role as Lonely Hearts Murderer Ray Fernandez in "The Honeymoon Killers") seemingly attempted to make a mix of two specific exploitation sub-genres that were at the end of their glory days. I may just be imagining things, of course, but yours truly spotted in "Too Scared to Scream" a tribute to both the Italian Giallo and those typical New York 42nd Street Grindhouse trash flicks. The similarities with the Giallo are mainly to be found in the plotting department, as the film deals with a sadist killer who preferably slaughters lewd women when they are completely undressed and his/her favorite weapon is a giant butcher knife! There also are several (poor) attempts at plot twists, red herrings and even a surprise ending that is far-fetched and downright hilarious. As the icing on the cake, the investigation is led by a grumpy detective almost as misogynist as the culprit self. The link with the 42nd Street Grindhouse cinema obviously lies within the New York filming locations and its portrayal of the city. Very much like in modest classics such as "Maniac", "Ms. 45", "Night of the Juggler" and "The Exterminator", this film is like an anti-tourist campaign for the city of New York! Nothing you see here will ever make you want to go city-tripping in the Big Apple! The cast is full of unlikable people and many scenes play at raunchy, neon-lit districts. The horror action mostly takes place at a wannabe fancy hotel, the Royal Arms, where apparently unrelated residents turn up savagely murdered. The script desperately wants us to believe that the killer is the eccentric night porter / aspiring Broadway actor Vincent Hardwick, but I don't think anyone is gullible enough to believe he's the one. In spite of many flaws and too many boring parts, "Too Scared to Scream" is nonetheless enjoyable if you're a fan of eighties slashers and/or the above-mentioned exploitation sub-genres.

Mannix, Tarzan's Jane and Mayor Vaughn in one slasher movie!

[eddy-28 · 12 September 2004]

Rating: *** out of five

Too Scared to Scream is actually a better slasher movie from the 1980's than many would expect. Mike Connors (from TV's Mannix) plays a police detective with his partner (Anne Archer, in one of her first major screen roles) who try and solve puzzling murders that are happening at a sky rise apartment building in New York. There are a few suspects including the apartment building's gentle, kind doorman (Ian McShane) who lives with his mute, paralyzed mother (Maureen O'Sullivan, who played Jane in the Tarzan films). Other suspects include a fashion designer (Sully Boyer), and countless persons in and around the building. The film has aged poorly, and the script could have used some more originally and maybe a larger budget since it was not picked up by a major distribution studio, but Tony Lo Bianco's solid direction and fine acting and special effects and suspenseful musical score make this film a tense shocker. Supporting actors include John Heard, Ruth Ford, Leon Issac Kennedy, Carrie Nye and even Murray Hamilton, who we remember as Mayor Vaughn in Jaws. Charles Azonvour sings the film's song "I'll Be There" in the opening sequence.

Serving the public is a brutal job.

[lost-in-limbo · 5/10 · 6 September 2009]

Tony Lo Bianco (more known for his acting, especially in one of my Larry Cohen favorites 'God Told Me too') directs a mechanically snug and customary stark urban-set murder mystery thriller that throws in a dose of gratuitous nudity and psychotic violence that also has it dipping in to the low-brow exploitative market. Nonetheless it still demonstrates a low-budget made-for-television feel (due to Bianco's plain, but enduring style), even though its brimming with a toughly rough grittiness brought across by its seamy backdrop. After being drowned out by a wretch song through the beginning credits (yep it's rather bad!), it actually gets better to cement an conundrum of mystery led by an convincingly collected, but dreary Ian McShane as the detective's chief suspect the doorman of the apartment building where the viciously random murders are occurring.

The problem here is that the material just paints him too obviously as a red herring to be the one, but the twist (and you know its coming) to who is the actual killer had me fooled (and it's an exaggeratedly ill-advised revelation that comes from nowhere and had me thinking of a late 80s slasher effort), as I had someone else in my sights as the culprit. The busy, pictorial layout has numerous character dramas (with even the police getting involved) and suspicious dabbling that can cause the lumpy pace to lull about at times with distracting details that don't really add anything and go on to undermine its attempts of consolidating tension. Not helping either was the constant use of false jumps and lead ups, which more often lead to the real one. It's the cryptic nature of the story along with the soberly first base performances by the likes of Mike Connors, Anne Archer, Leon Iassc Kennedy, John Heard, Val Avery, Carrie Nye and Phyllis Hyman in a colorful cameo that make-up for its wayward spells. However it opens up with lasting suspense in the dying stages, but the deaths for most part appear off-screen and those we do see are theatrically staged with sudden, but clunky force. The musical score is old-fashioned, but over-cooked which makes it hard to switch-off.

Not perfect, but this old-hat, stone-cold premise manages to truly hold you there for it's outrageous, if tatty final.

Too bored to scream

[mm-39 · 4/10 · 22 April 2002]

Well, the film is not that bad, I would give it a four. It has a few interesting scenes in it, and shows a lot of nudity to cover its low budget. Nothing great here, but watchable. It is like a Manix rerun, I would watch it out of boredom. In the end I give it a 4/10.

Another really lame slasher flick.

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 1/10 · 3 October 2001]

Apart from two scenes of gratuitous nudity there's absolutely nothing to recommend here."Too Scared to Scream" is completely lifeless,dull and bloodless outing in the slasher genre.The acting is awful,the pace is extremely slow and the final motif of a knife-wielding killer is so painfully stupid that it has to be heard to be believed.Anne Archer in her first role is incredibly wooden,and there is almost no blood and gore to be seen here.So don't be fooled by other reviews-this is one of the worst,most boring slash'em all flicks I have ever seen.1 out of 10.You'll regret seeing this your all life!

80's slasher, hold the cheese

[nick121235 · 7/10 · 4 October 2018]

Great little 80s slacker flick with many nods to Psycho. No cheese so it may get a little dry at times for the standard slasher fanatic, but if you can stand a more serious type of horror, go for it. But make no mistake- this isn't art either.

Mannix - RATED R

[mls4182 · 3/10 · 6 June 2021]

This film will leave you too bored to yawn. I gave it three stars for the always fabulous Yvonne Talton Kersey. Another half star for Victoria Bass's uh, assets. Other than that it is low grade trash. Mike Connors produced and gave himself a job - at our expense. Poor Maureen O'Sullivan looks embalmed. Anne Archer is awful as always.

Enjoyable!

[markovd111 · 6/10 · 15 April 2020]

If you are looking for a good horror movie, go away. If you are looking to be scared, again, go away. But if you are looking for a nice way to spend the afternoon with an OK, cliched, but somehow still enjoyable and charming crime story with unusually high amount of nudity, you will like this. It has everything you would expect, from cheesy scenes to genre staple old and experienced detective leading the investigation. I give it 6.5/10! I think it's an OK movie which I could watch again, if I by chance stumble upon it on TV... I recommend it for some casual fun :)

What you would expect from a TV slasher movie...

[Angelus-16 · 5/10 · 9 December 1999]

This TV-ish stalker flick has a few entertaining moments but is mostly marred by boring dialogue and useless scenes that don't mean anything. A gloved killer knocks off the rich and arty residents of a Manhattan skyrise bringing in a couple of detectives who suspect British poetically-charged doorman McShane who's mute, wheelchair bound mother reminds us of 'Psycho' a tad... The okay premise is wasted by misusing the setting and barely touching on the supporting characters resulting in a total lack of sympathy for anyone, and when the killer is finally revealed, it borders on prejudice... A little more imagination would have been nice.

Engaging and we'll executed.

[garzillo13 · 9/10 · 10 April 2019]

By today's (2019) dubious standards this is an excellent slasher film with good acting, plausible attractive actors and pleasing backgrounds and environment. The people are well groomed adults. Not a gaggle of sloppily clad teens. Very good casting. Though a simple story line, it's not boring by any means. A relief to see an 80's movie with real people in an urban setting and a creepy psycho killer. Tony LoBianco's directing only enhances this thriller.

What a cast!

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 16 October 2020]

If a slasher film can have a pedigree, which in this film's case comes from its cast, let this be one of them. Seriously, there are some heavy hitters on hand here!

Detective Dinardo (Mike Connors, Mannix) is on the case in New York City, where those who live in a fancy apartment building are those who are dying horribly. All fingers seem to point in the direction of a doorman (an impossibly young Ian McShane), so Dinardo does what any good cop would do. He puts a rookie named Kate (Anne Archer) into harm's way.

Other than some TV work, this was the first major acting that Maureen O'Sullivan had done in the twelve years since The Phynx. Further boosting this movies megawattage of stardom are Leon Isaac Kennedy (Penitentiary, as well as an early trailblazer of the porn leak thanks to a film he made with his then-wife Jayne Kennedy), Ruth Ford (who would know of high-living NYC apartments as her two spaces inside the Dakota were valued at $8.4 million when she died in 2009), John Heard (everything from Home Alone to C.H.U.D.), Carrie Nye (who in addition to being in The Seduction of Joe Tynan, was married to Dick Cavett), Murray Hamilton (whose resume is vast, but all you need to do is mention his work as the mayor of Amity), character actor Val Avery and Sully Boyer (The Entity, Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws).

This is Tony Lo Bianco's only directing job, as he is better known in front of the camera, starring in movies like The Honeymoon Killers, Mean Frank and Crazy Tony and God Told Me To). Also known as The Doorman, it's part of that subset of late 70's and early 80's slashers that depict the juxtaposition between the high rise and the low scum of end of the century - and the world - NYC. You can easily pair this with The Fan, Eyes of Laura Mars or even The New York Ripper.

Too stupid to laugh.

[mark.waltz · 3/10 · 4 July 2020]

Remember the ending of "Murder By Death" where Truman Capote lashes into the murder mystery writers for the details about their writing that he hated? All of them and more pop up in this cheapie slasher film that somehow made it into secondary theaters and probably right onto cable as soon as its brief theatrical run ended. Several years before she had to deal with a knife wielding Glenn Close in "Fatal Attraction", Anne Archer had to deal with a knife wielding homicidal maniac in this, going as far as to move into the luxurious residential Manhattan hotel where a friend of hers was brutally murdered. Detectives Mike Connors and Leon Issac Kennedy set out to protect her, especially when she befriends number one suspect Ian MacShane, seen putting on stage make-up in the opening scene and taking care of invalid mother Maureen O'Sullivan who will only speak to him.

This film just gets more convoluted as it goes on, but there are a few entertaining bits about it, particularly the fashion show where uppity designer Carrie Nye commands the scene in her inimitable Tallulah Bankhead like mannerisms. Too bad she didn't get to share a scene with O'Sullivan; The very same year, both veteran actress (Nye of the stage, O'Sullivan of the screen) appeared together on the soap opera "Guiding Light" where Nye's murderous real estate agent had O'Sullivan's character snuffed out before she could reveal secrets. "Killing Jane from the Tarzan movies made me feel like I had shot Bambi's mother!", Nye said in an interview that year. Too bad she couldn't have done something to get a better script, although Nye's dialog is perhaps the wittiest and best in the script.

Locations around Manhattan are greatly used to give this a visual treat, and they are pretty well utilized. Sharp eyes living in Manhattan today will recognize their favorite neighborhoods where the businesses may gave changed but the buildings have not. I believe that the Broadway theater where an arguing couple are picked up was where the original cast of "Nine" was. A shot of the West Village is also quite different as far as the businesses are concerned, and the park where MacShane takes O'Sullivan is recognizable as well. I didn't really hate this movie. I just found it cheesy and trite, and rather familiar in its many plot twist with an ending that was so silly that I just rolled my eyes rather than laugh at it as the bad song began to play over the closing credits.

All the World's a Stage

[BaronBl00d · 6 June 2001]

Tony Lo Bianco directs this thriller mystery like a conventional television show, only he loads it with bloody violence and lots of nudity. The result isn't really that bad. The first three-fourths, in point of fact, are very engrossing as we tag along with cops Mike Connors and his "buddy" Anne Archer as they try to unravel the identity of a killer killing in the Royal Arms, a swanky hotel in New York City. The deaths seem to be unrelated, and the ways in which each is killed is horrifying. The prime suspect is the evening doorman Ian McShane. McShane gives a fantastic performance as a dour, reserved, yet mentally unstable man who still lives at home caring for his invalid mother(played by Maureen O'Sullivan). Images of Psycho will resonate as you watch, but the film is in no way a reproduction of that classic film. The film, however, starts to fall apart as the mystery is finally revealed and logic takes a holiday. Agatha Christie could not(and probably would not) have dreamed up an ending like this film has. But despite its illogical conclusion, the acting, direction, and script are tight enough through most of the film to be very entertaining.

Good slasher flick

[Serenity3000 · 4/10 · 10 June 2018]

Too Scared to Scream is an 80s slasher film. There wasn't too many kills. This movie had a story line along with the serial killer. Rarely do you find a slasher film that is character driven. The movie does drag a bit and some dull moments, but overall, the story is engaging. There is a twist at the end and the killer is not the obvious suspect. My rating is 4 out of 10...slightly below average.

This is a very average to below average addition to the horror genre that I would recommend skipping

[kevin_robbins · 4/10 · 4 October 2022]

Too Scared to Scream (1984) is a movie that I recently watched on Amazon Prime. The storyline follows a serial killer in New York. A detective recruits a young lady as bait to try and flush the killer and uncover his identity. The killer may not be who they think...

This movie is directed by Tony Lo Bianco (Kaz) in his major motion picture directorial debut and stars Mike Connors (The Ten Commandments), Anne Archer (Fatal Attraction), Ian McShane (Dead Wood), Leon Isaac Kennedy (Lone Wolf McQuade) and John Heard (Home Alone).

This movie has more of a "who done it" element to it than a traditional horror feel. This had a European feel to it in a lot of ways (even though it isn't)and is a "made for TV" slasher with a little too much chit chat and not enough kills. There is a washer machine scene that's fun but most of the kills are very average. Many of the sequences and elements are dated. There is some 80s nudity and some classic horror music.

Overall, this is a very average to below average addition to the horror genre that I would recommend skipping. I would score this a 4/10.

Lots of screaming

[bigtrain45 · 4/10 · 24 August 2023]

The title is complete BS. Every victim or near victim screams her head off, even the policewoman played by Anne Archer. This is NYC in the gritty, filthy 80's. Peep shows in Times Square, fashion models by day, call girls by night. Deranged doorman quoting Shakespeare, his mute mother a study in barely controlled terror. The acting is mediocre, as is the writing. Plus, a young and lovely Anne Archer, Minus, a past his prime Mike Connors. Plus, a couple of the model/call girls get naked. Minus, one of their dirty old man clients nearly naked in the sauna. Overall, not terrible, and certainly not good, but reasonably entertaining.

An 80's Crime Thriller Gem

[ladymidath · 6/10 · 13 April 2024]

It was nice seeing a young Ian McShane playing such a creepy but tragic character. The movie, a slasher American Giallo style slasher takes place in a high rise apartment building where the various tenants are being killed off in violent and bloody ways.

The cop, a typical macho man who seems to have nothing but contempt for 'wimmin' because they are all so weak with their wimmnly feelings, is investigating the murders with the help of his girlfriend who is also a detective.

He is convinced that a doorman is responsible for the murders. After all, he is quiet, quotes Shakespeare and cares for his invalid mother, so he must be guilty, right?

Wrong, but to the movies credit, I did not see the ending coming and that was a pleasant surprise. This is one of the better slasher movies despite all the 80s tropes, and there are a lot of them, but that is part of its charm.

All up, this is a good slasher with a strong crime/mystery streak through it. The acting and music helps build the tension and there are some good kills.

This is one worth watching if you like the movies of this decade.

Mild as a slasher, but interesting as a murder mystery.

[paulclaassen · 6/10 · 25 March 2024]

Everyone in the building loves Vincent (Ian McShane), the doorman, and the ladies in this plush apartment building is vying for his attention. He is handsome and charming. Something one of the characters said in the beginning of the film made me wonder about something that was confirmed later. (See if you can pay close attention.) He does seem psychologically unstable, though, especially when he is with his mother, who is wheelchair bound.

When a young model is murdered in her apartment, it is up to Lt. Alex Dinardo (Mike Connors) to piece together the puzzle and find the culprit. He is assisted by Kate Bridges (Anne Archer). When there are more murders, Kate goes undercover to lure the perpetrator.

Being an 80s slasher movie, you're guaranteed to see boobs. Yup, plenty female nudity to live up to the 80's sexploitation. The kill scenes were not as brutal as many of the 80s slashers and 'Too Scared To Scream' is more of a whodunit murder mystery thriller. There are subtle humour, which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed the chemistry between Alex and Kate (and thought Anne Archer was very good in her role).

There's an interesting twist of events in the final reveal, which I never expected. In general the movie was a nice surprise and I liked it. I just don't think I'm going to remember the film by its title.

Not a COMPLETE waste of time

[lazarillo · 7 November 2007]

This early 80's slasheresque movie is pretty bad really, but I kind of liked it for some reason. It involves a number of murders in a swanky high rise building. The killings are investigated by a male and female cop, and the main suspect is the reddest herring imaginable--a doorman and aspiring way off-Broadway actor. There is some blood, a lot of gratuitous nudity, and that sleazy urban ambiance of the early 80's also featured in movies like "Eyes of a Stranger", "Windows", as well as genuinely disturbing flicks like "Maniac" and "Nightmare in a Damaged Brain". It was one of the last of the gritty, downbeat 70's style exploitation flicks before the happy fascism of the Reagan era and before Rudy Guliani turned 42nd Street into Disneyland.

The movie was directed by obscure cult actor Tony LoBianca who appeared in "The Honeymoon Killers" and "God Told Me To". He never directed another movie, and I'm not sure how he ever came to direct this one. The female lead is Anne Archer, who was later in "Fatal Attraction" (and I'd rather watch this movie any day than that overrated and reactionary piece of crap). It's pretty hard to find (I bought a used PAL video in Buenos Aires for about 30 cents I think), but not a COMPLETE waste of time if you stumble across it.

Ordinary at best

[Wizard-8 · 24 August 2014]

"Too Scared To Scream" was filmed in 1982, but it apparently took three years for the movie to find a distributor willing to release it to theaters. Watching the movie, it doesn't take long to figure out why it took so long to be picked up for distribution. As other user commenters have pointed out, the movie (despite some nudity and foul language) has the appearance and feel of a made for television movie of the same era and lacks the "oompth" of a theatrical feature. The stalk and slash sequences come across as pretty tame, and no character seems to be particularly concerned that the body count is slowly rising. I will say the movie never gets boring, and it fooled me when it came to guessing who the murderer was... though on the other hand, the movie is never extremely involving, and I am usually terrible guessing who did it in murder mystery movies. It's odd that Mike Connors thought so much of this project that he not only acted in the movie, he produced it as well. You'd think that his years on the TV show "Mannix" would have him well trained as to what a good mystery was.