Party Line (1988)

Party Line has the weirdest killer couple I've ever seen. They're pathetic brother (Garrett so funny here, and we even see him get to wear a dress) and hot sexy sister (Weatherly) who lures her victims in through a sex hotline. The men, or any man would go crazy for this bit of trim, make out with her and we leave it up to good old Leif, mentally controlled by the sister, to do the killing. Hot on an obsessed tail with another case, cop, Hatch (Ghettoblaster) is teamed up to his disliking, with a woman on this new case, that killer hotline involved. As with these macho cop characters, here's just another one, a rule breaker, who thinks he has style, low key actor, Hatch, so cool in this. In spite of other negative reviews, this movie is a lot of fun, and plays out as not a bad quality b thriller, and Leif and our sultry hot Shawn who may'be love each other a bit too much, are just priceless. A chubby and cute babysitter, an intended victim, helps out our two cops, after the last male victim was an acquaintance of the babysitter, in more ways in one, as trying to come on to this cute girl, sexually. The middle aged guy, should of known better,in both case. One film, worth a watch (don't believe the bad hype) I found, in a quite surprisingly, if quizzical, bad light.

You feeling lonely, well pick-up the phone call the "Party Line" to live-out you undesirable fantasies as you can talk, or just listen and then maybe hook-up on this single-dating service line. The concept abound can really touch a nerve, because how authentic it is and how a fad so popular and addictive could spin dangerously out of control in not knowing what you're really getting in to. This gimmick is what drives the story, but the low-budget produced "Party line" is something fairly patchy and trashy, as it falls somewhere in between a detective film and seedy slasher outing, and when it's focusing on the former it's quite stodgy but with the latter it's rather riveting… as eventually the two would tie in together.Two disturbingly crazed siblings (who have a very strange, perverse relationship); like to participate in a chat hot-line, luring their eventual victims to meet up with them. A well-worn, rogue detective happens to come across one of the sibling's murders and then is reluctantly assigned to the case with the aid an aspiring, by the book female assistant of the Distract Attorney. Whenever the story was dealing with the brother and sister relationship, it brought up some kinky and demented shades of jealousy and affection. Even the past events of their parents intrigues (especially one scene involving Garrett and a wedding dress) -- as this could be the attribution to their murderous impulses, but the script only window-dresses it by never truly balancing it out. Leif Garrett plays it cold, but underneath that persona he's feebly unstable in his fear of being alone as a meek mummy's boy but he's overshadowed by the formidably headstrong, but racy Greta Blackburn. However the sub-plot involving the hard-bitten detective (who wants to be like Eastwood's dirty Harry --- as just look out for the movie poster of "Sudden Impact" in his home) and Distract Attorney assistant is simply black and white. These moments in the film are laboured, despite the best efforts of Richard Hatch and Shawn Weatherly. Also showing up in nothing but a minor role is Richard Roundtree. The script keeps a serious tone throughout, but can go over-the-top and cause some giggles with unusual developments, contrived circumstances and a rushed wrap-up. The direction is predictably textbook looking like a made for TV feature, but killing it is the sluggish pacing and working its way in is an oozing jazz flavoured score. Watchable, but token stalk n slash thriller at best.

Leif Garrett stars as a crazed serial killer who kills men that his sister lures back to there home through a party line. Sometimes entertaining mystery/horror film with an intriguing premise, is ruined because of slack direction and a sleazy script not to mention a bad ending. The cast tries its best. Rated R; Violence, Sexual Situations, Nudity, and Profanity.

A strange case, this movie. It's at its best when it explores the perverse (past and present) family ties that bind Leif Garrett and Greta Blackburn (and she's has a powerful, sexy presence). But the script keeps intercutting their story with that of a misfit cop (a real Dirty Harry wannabe) and an ambitious female assistant DA who are searching for the killer that is slashing his/her victims' throats with a razor. As you have probably already guessed, the film has too much plot, too many supporting characters (what's Richard Roundtree doing here?) and too many plot coincidences. You could do a lot worse, though. (**)