Don't Answer the Phone (1980)

Hollywood Strangler

Cast:

James "I was in the Undertaker and his Pals?" Westmoreland is Lt. Chris McCabe
Ben Frank is Sgt. Hatcher
Flo Lawrence is Dr. Lindsay Gale
(as Flo Gerrish) Nicholas "Darkman got rid of me..." Worth is Kirk Smith
Denise Galik is Lisa

What the IMDBsays:

A deeply disturbed photographer and Vietnam veteran, named Kirk Smith, terrorizes Los Angeles by going around strangling lingerie-clad young women in their homes while taunting Lindsay Gale...

Plot:

Killer stalks a nurse. The city is in terror after the last 5 murders. The next day, "Ramon" calls the station's call-in show, Doctor Lindsay Gale.

The police investigate the current victim's apartment.

Kirk is pumping iron

Doctor Gale is seeing one of her patients: Carol. Later, Carol leaves and is unaware she's being followed by Kirk who breaks into her house.

Doctor Gale briefs the police about the call-in killer. Let, the cop working the case montage ensue. Gale is fighting with McCade over seeing her patient's files.

Kirk picks up a model, Sue Ellen, on the street and takes her to his studio for a photo session. Kirk strangles her.

The next day, the police find Sue Ellen's body.

Kirk sells his photos to a sleazy magazine editor. Later, he is on the streets and picks up another girl, Denise. He has her call Doctor Gale and strangles her on the call. He gets from her pimp.

Docotor Gale tells McCade about the calls.

The cops search for Denise's pimp.

Later, Doctor Gale is trying to talk one one her patient's from jumping off a building. McCade manages to get her down safely. Lindsay and McCade finally get to realize they like each other.

Next day, Kirk stops by a model's house and stangles her and the her housemate.

The cops check by the magazine editor who tells them about Kirk. They head out to invesitigate Kirk's house but jump the wrong house.

Gale arrives at her housre unaware that Kirk is there.

McCade and his partner reach the right house and find that Kirk has been taking picturures of Doctor Gale. McCade rushes off to her place.

Lindsay tries calming Kirk down. Let the psycho-babble ensue until McCade versus Kirk ensues. Kirk is shot and handcuffed. McCade checks on Lindsay when Kirk breaks out of the handcuffs.

McCade versus Kirk until he shoots Kirk several times.

What I say:

The 1980s and 1990s had a number of serial killer movies like Copycat, Manhunter, Seven, and Silence of the Lambs. Well, the end of the 1970s had started a number of slasher movies like: Don't Go in the House, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, Don't Open the Door, and Don’t Open the Window.

Don't Answer the Phone is the typical low-budget cheezy crazed killer loose in the city movie. It is about 90 minutes which is a little longer than the usual 1980s cop-show episode. With all the current forensic crime shows like CSI, NCIS, and their spinoffs have spoiled us when seeing how little the 1970s and 1980s shows actually have in them. 2 episodes of Hunter would be more entertaining than whatever Don't Answer the Phone provides.

This is not the movie that is going to inspire anyone to think how great the characters are especially with the Nicholas Worth's's Kirk is a guy that is definitely not quite connected to sanity with his little rants to his father who isn't there. It's safe to say that Psycho's Norman Bates isn't in any danger of losing his creditation or reputation.

Quotable Dialogue
"You must learn to assert for yourself."
"Now, we've got him on petty theft as well as murder."
"That's a programming first."
"This is for your troubles."
"Adios creep."
Morals of the Story
Psychics can read minds from photos.