‘Alone… terrified… trapped like an animal. Now she’s fighting back with the only weapon she has… herself!’
The Seduction is a 1982 American psychological thriller feature film written and directed by David Schmoeller (Netherworld; Puppet Master; Crawlspace; Tourist Trap). It was produced by Irwin Yablans (Halloween, 1978) and Bruce Cohn Curtis (Hell Night). The Romantic Venture/Avco Embassy production stars Morgan Fairchild, Michael Sarrazin, Vince Edwards, Andrew Stevens, Colleen Camp, and Kevin Brophy.
Lalo Schifrin (Tales of Halloween; The Manitou; Eye of the Cat; et al) composed the soundtrack score and Dionne Warwick sang the title theme song.
The Seduction is released on Blu-ray on May 21 via Scream Factory. Extras are in progress and will be announced at a later date.
Plot:
Los Angeles-based anchorwoman Jamie Douglas (Morgan Fairchild) seemingly has it all: a glamorous career on a top-rated news show, a luxurious house in the hills, and a devoted young fan named Derek (Andrew Stevens).
However, when Jamie rebuffs his romantic advances, Derek becomes a stalker who plays out an increasingly psychotic courtship with the frightened newswoman. Soon, he is threatening every part of her life, secretly watching even her most intimate moments and her tough-talking lover (Michael Sarrazin) can’t console her.
A by-the-book cop (Vince Edwards) can’t protect her either. But Jamie is far from helpless. She’s ready to fight back with all the weapons at her command…
Reviews:
Aside from Stevens, who gives a surprisingly solid performance as the psycho, the other primary actors (Fairchild included) are left to flounder their way through this mess […] The bulk of the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of Schmoeller, whose poor direction and script manage to bring out the absolute worst in his performers…” The Bloody Pit of Horror
“A sudsy, terribly written, horribly acted time capsule of the early ’80s era of blow-drying and huge sunglasses. Amid the froth, however, there is one inspired scene where Stevens sneaks a dark message onto the news teleprompter. Fairchild’s hysterical (in every sense of the word) on-air breakdown is an unqualified highlight.” Horror 101 with Dr. AC
” …it’d like to be a Hitchcock type thriller, but it doesn’t have the class, or the devilish plot twists to pull that off. … It fails as a slasher movie or even an exploitation flick- think Knots Landing crossed with Straw Dogs (with added lip gloss) […] The Seduction is a 24 carrot yawner- a fore-runner to all those Shannon Tweed movies and nothing else.” Hysteria Lives
“There is also an extraordinary hypocrisy to the film. It is in large part set up around a prurient appealing to the same voyeuristic desires in its audience that it condemns in Andrew Stevens’ character on screen. Much time is spent languishing over the naked or near-naked body of Morgan Fairchild and a large part of the appeal the film has is set up around seeing this...” Richard Scheib, Moria
“When The Seduction finally stops the teasing, and gets down to the action, it’s not bad at all. But unfortunately, we’re only talking the last ten minutes of the movie. When Fairchild prepares to battle Stevens (by first getting naked for us—thank you—and then slipping into a slinky black negligee with full makeup), The Seduction at last kicks into gear.” Movies & Drinks
“The Seduction is a glossy vanity production. But it’s hardly an effective thriller. The performances are wooden, the pacing slipshod, and much of the action seems focused on getting Fairchild to undress. None of it’s ever very good, but to be fair, it’s also not the absolute bottom of the barrel.” The Terror Trap
“Fairchild was good as the terrorized TV star and wasn’t shy about skinny dipping in her pool or taking baths. Stevens was suitably twisted as the tormented voyeur who stops at nothing to win the object of his affection. He also bought a sense of vulnerability to the character…” The Video Graveyard
“Why the heck is it even called The Seduction? Stevens doesn’t seduce Fairchild, he stalks her. I guess you could make a case that Fairchild seduces him in order to lure him to her house so she can get her revenge, but I’m not convinced. ” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum
Cast and characters:
- Morgan Fairchild … Jamie Douglas
- Michael Sarrazin … Brandon – The Reincarnation of Peter Proud; Frankenstein: The True Story; Eye of the Cat
- Vince Edwards … Maxwell – Return to Horror High
- Andrew Stevens … Derek – The Fury
- Colleen Camp … Robin
- Kevin Brophy … Bobby – Hell Night
- Wendy Smith Howard … Julie
- Woodrow Parfrey … Store Salesman
- Betty Kean … Mrs. Caluso
- Joanne Linville … Dr. Weston
- Marii Mak … Lisa (as Marri Mak)
- Richard Reed … Floor Manager
- Bob DeSimone … Photographer (as Robert De Simone)
- Michael Griswold … News Anchorman
- Marilyn Staley … Newscaster
- Diana Rose … Mrs. Wilson
- Shailar Schmoeller … Ricky Wilson
- Marilyn Wolf … Waitress
- Jeffrey Richman … Technical Director
- Cathryn Hartt … Teleprompter Girl
- Brinke Stevens … Sauna client (uncredited)
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The post The Seduction – USA, 1982 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.