Going into this film, I didn't know anything about it, other than Savini did the effects, which is, of course, the reason I watched. Up until this point, this under-discussed film wasn't even on my radar and I only came upon the title recently. Glad to see it's finally available uncut.However, speaking of uncut, which is always the most important issue to me when watching any film, I found the effects to be rather subdued and maybe, given the nature of the film, that's the point.Jane is a news anchor. Her little sister, Tracy, was abducted and sexually abused at a young age, leaving her with unusual mental scars that affected her sight, speech, and hearing. Tracy lives with Jane in a large high-rise apartment complex near the bay. Recently, a weirdo has been stalking women, raping them, and, perhaps simultaneously, strangling them. A similar stalker is found in the film, Don't Answer the Phone, however, Eyes of a Stranger is a better overall film, even with subdued gore and sexual violence. The unusual aspect of this film is not only does Jane and the killer live in the same complex, she suspects him while he isn't even aware of her, other than perhaps knowing she's on the news. She is not one of his intended victims, he doesn't follow or call her. So, in a crazy twist, she starts calling him, smoking a cigarette as if she's just done the deed, all the while taunting him on the phone in the same manner he's done to several of his victims.It's a fun cat and mouse game, where at times it seems as if there are two cats. The rape scenes are not overly aggressive and a few cut throats and a gunshot wound are all we get from Tom Savini. However, I do recommend this one if you want something a little different, and, perhaps, a little more realistic. The killer isn't your typical hack and slash, like so many 80's killers. He's just a guy. Someone you pass every day or maybe you bought insurance from him. That makes it scarier. Enjoy.

1981 was a big year for Slasher fans. The Friday the 13th and Halloween franchises both released a sequel, My Bloody Valentine hailed from our northerly neighbors in Canada, and a young Jason Alexander starred in The Burning. Movie-goers that year also experienced the likes of The Prowler, Happy Birthday to Me, Just Before Dawn, Graduation Day, and Final Exam. With the release of so many films with a similar premise, the question of "who came first" barely applies. One thing is for certain however; the early 1980's encapsulated some of the best films within the sub-genre and Eyes of a Stranger existed with the rest of the pack all the while.The film opens with a young woman who receives several disturbing phone calls by a threatening yet psychic-sounding stranger. She files a claim with the police department but due to a high volume of similar calls, her concerns are taken lightly. This negligent act leads to a most heinous crime; the woman, in addition to her boyfriend, are intruded upon and slain by a masked marauder. Female news anchor Jane Harris, all-too-familiar with the crimes, suspects that the unknown assailant resides in her high-rise apartment complex. Jane must find a way to produce enough evidence to substantiate her claims, compelling enough to captivate the interest of her boyfriend David; a defense lawyer who approaches the situation with reluctance. Are her theories outlandish? Or will her curiosity result in her demise?Current retiree from the world of special effects makeup, Tom Savini, was a big name in the industry back in the 1980's. Not only was he a regular in George Romero's crew but he lent a skilled hand and a keen eye to various Slasher films of the era – most prominent would be his work in Friday the 13th, followed up by Maniac which was also released in the same year. The year of 1981 was particularly successful for Savini as Eyes of a Stranger, The Burning, and The Prowler would all benefit from his artistic touch. Originally, Eyes of a Stranger received an R rating which rendered many of the gory effects absent from the final release. This exercise of taming a film to abide by society's sense of morality was a standard practice in the industry during this time. Now that audiences have experienced the likes of Saw and Hostel it seems as though censorship boards are more lenient on certain forms of brutality.Eyes of a Stranger would be director Ken Wiederhorn's second horror movie, as later endeavors materialized with the likes of Return of the Living Dead Part II from '88 and 7 episodes of Freddy's Nightmares. This short tenure was the extent of Ken's foray into horror. In comparison to other no-names in the Slasher game, Ken managed to string together a nice little story with Eyes of a Stranger – everything works out by-the-numbers and stays within the guidelines of mystery and suspense. I'd be speaking untruthfully if I were to say that it's an entertaining entry; no twists or turns or freakish elements to speak of, it merely sits complacently and unwinds to a rather dull finish. Thankfully the screenplay carries itself strongly and frivolous details with laughably bad dialog won't be found for miles.Lauren Tewes, the actress who played Jane Harris, led a semi-successful career before and after her involvement in Eyes of a Stranger. Quite possibly her most prominent role was her involvement with the late 70's television show The Love Boat. After an intense struggle with cocaine abuse she was replaced by another actress in 1984. She began the withdrawal process in 1980 with the help of a counselor but due to her poor performance at the work place she was let go. She managed to recover after a highly publicized affair and continued onward as a successful TV actress. Eyes of a Stranger is what I'd like to categorize as a safe movie. It offers the viewing audience the facts, laid out on the table, and runs straight to the finish line without any hesitation. Some might say that such a description sounds appealing and while they may be partially right it doesn't allow itself to plateau into stardom. If I could draw a likeness to this film I'd say that it could be a distant relative of Maniac. In comparison, Maniac offered a more sinister and dark approach into the killer's psyche and played upon nightmarish elements – whereas Eyes of a Stranger presents the killer in a fully lit room with little intrigue or likability (although the notion of liking a serial killer in a movie is absurd, it happens!). I've given similar reviews to films in the past when I say that this particular title could be played in the background while more pressing matters are attended to. It's not unwatchable or pathetic; the acting is believable and the characters react logically for a change but who really wants to see that? There's a reason why Slasher films specifically dumb down the level of intelligence of the players featured – it gives us, the viewers, a chance to be fully aware of what lurks around the corner even if the lead actor or actress does not. Once you remove that element you're simply watching the villain get bested with little to no effort at all – and in reality, that's not very appealing.

Overweight ugly creep Stanley Herbert (John DiSanti) is attacking, raping and killing women all over Miami. Newscaster Jane Harris (Lauren Tewes) gets involved in it because her younger sister Tracy (Jennifer Jason Leigh) was rendered blind and mute by an attack as a little girl. Unknown to Jane, Herbert lives very close to her and Tracy may be his next victim...Trash. There are two rapes and beatings of women that are shown and they're just disgusting to see. Heck, the first one is within the first 15 minutes! DiSanti is a terrible actor (I couldn't figure out what exactly he was trying to do in a few scenes), the film has a boring script and becomes a chore to watch. Only a few things save this from being totally worthless. It has Leigh in her film debut and she's great. Surprisingly even Tewes was good in her role. Also director Ken Wiederhorn has some really nice suspenseful touches added to the film that make some of it fun to watch (especially when Tewes goes to DiSanti's apartment). So it's pretty terrible but not completely without merit. Also I caught the 2007 DVD which reinserts some of the gore that was cut for an R rating back in 1981. Obviously that's the one to get.

Eyes of a Stranger (1981) ** (out of 4) A rather lame "slasher" has Lauren Tewes playing a TV reporter who begins to think that the serial killer stalking women is her neighbor (John DiSanti). This is a very strange movie as it never seems to know what it's trying to be. On one hand it really plays and feels like a made for TV flick but then again there are some rather sleazy murders, which includes some graphic violence and some nudity. Tom Savini was behind the special effects but I've read that this film started out as a straight psychological thriller and then Savini was called in after the success of Friday the 13th. I'd be curious if Savini came in after the original film was completed because there's really no rhyme or reason behind the special effects. Some of the murder sequences are rather tame while others happen off screen. If you make a slasher then the murders don't happen off screen. Then there are other murders, which you can clearly tell Savini is behind them but then again these sequences seem out of place as if they were filmed later and then edited back into the movie. No matter how they were really done or when, they do look good. Overall I found the film too slow and boring to really be that good and some of the blame has to go towards the director even though the first murder sequence manages to build some tension. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays the blind/deaf/mute sister and does a pretty good job in her first film. I wasn't too thrilled with Tewes who I felt was bland in the lead. DiSanti was an interesting choice for the killer but he doesn't have much to work with. The film could be called a remake of Rear Window and even a rip of various DePalma movies, which this seems to try and copy. Either way the movie never really takes off.