Title: Silent Scream
Tagline: "Terror So Sudden There Is No Time To Scream."
Release Date: January 30th, 1980
Silent Scream is a 1980 horror film written by Jim and Ken Wheat, and Wallace E. Bennett, directed by Denny Harris[2] and starring Rebecca Balding, Cameron Mitchell, Barbara Steele and Yvonne De Carlo.[3] The film's tagline is "Terror so sudden there is no time to scream".
Plot[]
Four college students, unable to find on-campus housing, take up residence in Mrs Engels's (De Carlo) hilltop mansion, where she lives with her strange son, Mason (Reardon), and her daughter, Victoria (Steele), whom Mrs Engels secretly keeps hidden in the attic, a botched lobotomy having left her mute and homicidal. After one of the students is found dead, a police investigation is launched, which uncovers the history of the mansion and its owners, as the remaining students become endangered.
Notes[]
- The film had a tumultuous post-production process where a large portion of the film was re-shot.[5]
- Some exteriors of the film were shot at the Smith Estate in Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA.
- The film marks scream queen Barbara Steele's only 1980s film appearance, and was among the early cycle of slasher films to appear after the genre was popularised by Halloween and Friday the 13th.[6]
- The film was released theatrically by American Cinema Releasing in 1980.[7] It grossed an estimated $15,800,000 at the box office.[8]
- The film was released on VHS by Media Home Entertainment and Video Treasures.[9]
- The film was released as a special edition DVD by Scorpion Releasing Corporation.[10]
Villain[]
- Barbara Steele – Victoria Engels - a convalescent that suffers through mentally disturbed episodes as a result of a labotomy. Her family keeps her locked up as a freak in the attic.
Review[]
Credits[]
| Directed by | Denny Harris |
|---|---|
| Written by | Jim Wheat
Ken Wheat Wallace E. Bennett Denny Harris |
| Release date(s) | 1980 |
| Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $7.9 million (rentals)[1] |
- Rebecca Balding – Scotty Parker
- Cameron Mitchell – Lt. Sandy McGiver
- Avery Schreiber – Sgt. Manny Ruggin
- Barbara Steele – Victoria Engels
- Steve Doubet – Jack Towne
- Brad Rearden – Mason Engels
- John Widelock – Peter Ransom
- Juli Andelman – Doris Prichart
- Yvonne De Carlo – Mrs. Engels
- Jack Stryker – Police Chief
- Thelma Pelish – Housing Lady
- Tina Tyler – Victoria at 16
- Jason Zahler – Mason at 3
- Annabella Price – TV Rape Victim
- Joe Pronto – TV Rapist
- Joan Lemmo – Rooming House Lady
- Ernie Potvin – Boarding House Husband
- Virginia Rose – Boarding House Wife
- Ina Gould – Landlady
- Rachel Bard – Nurse in Psycho Ward