As far as horror films go, "Invitation to Hell" is pretty laughable. It seems like the Wes Craven was trying to create something in the likeness of an episode of the "Twilight Zone" but the story is very poorly told to the point of hilarity. The plot is difficult to explain, but it concerns a family that moves to a new town and are enamored with their new neighbors, until it turns out that there's something demonic going on at the local spa. Many plot elements have no payoff or are introduced very badly, leaving the audience scratching their heads. Early in the film we learn that our protagonist is working on a space-suit that can withstand extreme temperature and is meant for space travel. It also has the ability to recognize life-forms and inform the person wearing the suit if it human or not human (using SCIENCE!). When it becomes apparent that something is wrong with the people around him, I figured that this suit must have been created with some nefarious purpose in mind, because why else would it have such specific abilities? Did they anticipate to meet humans on Venus, where the suit is meant to travel to? I would imagine that if they saw ANYTHING moving on that planet, it would be easy to identify it as not being human because you know... humans are from Earth? Logically, the suit must have been made to allow humans to travel to hell! Actually no, it's just a coincidence that we have a suit that can detect non-humans and is able to travel to extreme temperatures. When we have a need to figure out who is a real person and who is an impostor and have to travel to the bowels of hell, just go ahead and borrow that convenient device, it's easy! The poorly written story goes further, with the head villain being given vaguely established powers that are used only when it's most dramatically convenient. The special effects are good for what they are (it's a made for TV movie from 1984) and if you are looking for something to make fun of, you'll have a good time. Otherwise, stay away! (On VHS, April 20, 2012)

The Winslow family -- honest, morally upright dad Matt (a fine and likable performance by Robert Urich), sweet mother Patricia (a radiant portrayal by the ever lovely Joanna Cassidy), son Robbie (Barret Oliver), and daughter Chrissy (cute Soleil Moon Frye of "Punky Brewster" fame) -- move to an affluent California suburb to start a new life for themselves. Matt suspects that the local popular country club run by the alluring Jessica Jones (deliciously played with sinister sexiness by Susan Lucci) that everyone belongs to is harboring some kind of dark and deadly secret. Can Matt rescue his family from the club's wicked spell? Noted horror director Wes Craven, working from a compelling script by Richard Rothstein, relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, neatly grounds the fantastic premise in a plausible everyday suburban reality, and does an adept job of creating and sustaining a spooky and uneasy mysterious atmosphere. Moreover, the narrative offers a neat critique about the quintessentially 80's upwardly mobile yuppie obsession with power, success, and material gain that folks will literally sell their souls to obtain. The able acting from a sound cast rates as another substantial asset: Urich makes for an engaging hero, Lucci has a ball with her juicy femme fatate role, plus there are commendable turns by Joe Regalbuto as Matt's jolly, ambitious friend Tom Peterson, Kevin McCarthy as stern, but hearty CEO Mr. Thompson, Patty McCormack as Tom's perky wife Mary, and Nicholas Worth as a menacing sheriff. The climax with Matt venturing into hell to save the ones that he loves is quite gripping and exciting. Dean Cundey's glossy cinematography and Sylvestor Levay's shivery synthesizer score are both up to par. A solid and satisfying film.

A classy film pulled in 2 directions. To its advantage it is directed by Wes Craven. On the downside the TV film budget shows what could have been so much more with a larger budget. It moves along as Susan Lucci draws Robert Urichfamily into her clutches and trying to persuade him into the secret of her health club. His latest invention, a spacesuit which can analyse people or things becomes unexpectedly useful in his new neighbourhood. Anyone seeing this should pay attention to Susan Lucci. Her looks and performance had an unexpected repercussions a few years later. The actor, scientist and parapsychologist Stephen Armourae is a fan of this film and wrote a review of this film. Lucci became subject of a portrait by him followed as the basis for works of a sitter called Catherine. Lucci and Barbara Steele's portrait in 'Black Sunday' were used as references for the Catherine portraits which were immediately withdrawn by Armourae. Probably due to a personal nature between the artist and Catherine. So by seeing both films we can get an insight into another story and the appearance of unknown woman that would make an interesting film.

Better than the typical made-for-TV movie, INVITATION TO HELL is blessed with excellent casting (Urich, Lucci, Cassidy, McCarthy, pre-Murphy Brown Joe Regalbuto, Soleil Moon-Frye) and a high concept update to the familiar Faustian plot. Urich is likable as always and Lucci is particularly fetching and devilishly over the top in the mother of all femme fatale roles. Definitely a product of the 80s from Lucci's occasionally too big hair to the synth-heavy soundtrack to the pre-internet boxy computers. Kind of a hybrid version of STEPFORD WIVES and THEY LIVE, the movie commits early to its apocalyptic Miltonesque vision and horror fans will likely not have many complaints until the soppy, maudlin denouement. 7/10