DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE! (1980)

When I saw the Crown International Pictures logo, I expected the worst. But to my surprise, DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE! was actually not bad. In fact, it's the best Crown International feature I've ever seen--though that isn't saying much when you're talking about the studio that foisted THEY SAVED HITLER'S BRAIN on us.

It's the story of two police detectives tracking down a serial killer who can only ejaculate as he strangles a woman to death. The killer becomes obsessed with a radio talk-show psychologist, which leads to his downfall. 

Nicholas Worth, who played the killer, turned in a highly convincing portrayal of an unhinged man with severe PTSD--over both childhood trauma and combat in Vietnam. I also liked James Westmoreland as Detective Chris McCabe, the lead officer in the investigation, and Flo Gerrish as the beleaguered Dr. Lindsay Gale.

By today's standards, DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE! is rife with sexism and misogyny. But it was 1980, and I try not to judge the past by latter-day standards. I don't say it very often around these parts, but I liked this movie!