Blu-ray Review: Party Line (1988) is a slasher with police drama and erotic thriller plot points
Party Line (1988)—directed by William Webb—is a slasher film that incorporates police drama and erotic thriller plot points. In this underrated gem, brother and sister Seth (Leif Garrett) and Angelina (Greta Blackburn) live a secluded life in their parents’ Bel Air mansion. They share a dark, violent hobby of using sexually driven telephone ‘party lines’ to meet and lure victims into situations where they kill them. Lieutenant Dan Bridges (Richard Hatch) is assigned to track down the killers and bring them to justice. This film was made primarily for the video store market, which was booming in the late ‘80s. Although video stores have disappeared, this film is still fun to watch today. It has a fascinating story reflecting ‘80s pop culture, interesting characters, and stylish cinematography.
The concept of this film is very original. It forms a bridge between the slasher films of the ‘80s and the soon to rise erotic thrillers of the early-‘90s. There is also an underlying psychological theme. The story is told from a third-person omniscient point of view—the audience knows the identity of the killers from the start. However, the motivation for the murders is not apparent until the backstory is revealed later.
The acting in this film is good and the actors seem to be well-suited for their roles. Seth and Angelina are interesting characters whose personalities complement each other. Seth is a mild-mannered piano player, though emotionally unstable. Angelina is obsessed with physical fitness, and very self-conscious. Seth admires his sister’s shapely figure, and Angelina is aware of his attraction toward her. The two villains have a volatile relationship—one minute they love each other and the next minute they are at each other’s throats. Their violent behavior toward each other—and toward others—is the result of past family tragedies.
As the body count steadily rises, Lieutenant Dan, the protagonist of the story, is under pressure to find the killers. He is a good-natured cop, but he has a bad temper, which gets him into trouble. When his girlfriend is killed, Dan goes rogue and dispenses his own violent brand of justice.
The supporting characters are almost as interesting as the main characters. Captain Barnes (Richard Roundtree), keeps the police proceedings grounded. He knows that Dan is too good of a cop to be wasting his time working vice, trying to arrest a drug dealer named Gonzalez. It is Captain Barnes who assigns Dan to homicide to work on the case of the serial killers. Dan is paired up with Stacy (Shawn Weatherly), an investigator for the District Attorney’s office. Stacy is very dedicated to her profession, and is constantly having to fend off unwanted advances from her boss, Henry (James O’Sullivan), the District Attorney.
Other supporting characters include Jennifer (Patricia Patts), a babysitter who runs up a big telephone bill calling the ‘party line’ at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Simmons. Mr. Simmons (Terrence McGovern) has romantic feelings toward Jennifer, and neglects Mrs. Simmons (Shelli Place). After discovering the mysterious telephone number on his telephone bill, Mr. Simmons calls the ‘party line’ to investigate. His curiosity gets the better of him, and he ends up in a dangerous situation involving Seth, Angelina, and a lustful stranger named Sugar Lips (Karen Mayo Chandler).
As with the acting, the cinematography is good. John Huneck, the director of photography, did a good job creating the look of the film. When Seth and Angelina dance together at the night club “Fantasia,” their slow movements mimic the rhythm of the music. There is a fabulous shot when Angelina enters the trendy night club “Experience.” She struts past colorful geometric shapes on the wall as she walks toward her victim. Later that evening, when Angelina is dancing with another man, Seth sees them from across the room through a large geometric cut-out in the wall. This is a very atmospheric shot, and the viewer can feel Seth’s resentment toward his sister. The cinematography captures the colors and lighting of the night clubs so well that the viewer feels right there with the characters.
The quality of this 2019 Blu-ray/DVD release from Vinegar Syndrome is outstanding. The film was newly scanned and restored in 4k from its original 35mm camera negative. There are only two special features: (1) “Party Line Fever”—an interview with screenwriter Richard Brandes, and (2) the original theatrical trailer. It would have been nice to have more special features, such as a running commentary track. Still, the interview with Richard Brandes contains a lot of great discussion. Brandes grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He started on the acting side of the business, and got into writing as a way to create an opportunity for himself as an actor. Brandes appears briefly in the film as a man buying drugs from drug-dealer Gonzalez. Party Line is nostalgic for Brandes because it allowed him to start his professional writing career. Also, he pointed out that the film is a great time capsule of the era, depicting popular hair styles, clothes, and night clubs.
Party Line is a genre-blending oddity that is sure to please fans of slashers and erotic thrillers. Although ‘party lines’ were part of pop culture in the late ‘80s, the concept of this film remains entertaining. There is violence, sexuality, and seductive characters. This film was created for the video store market, which has since vanished, but genre fans can rejoice that this slasher-erotic thriller has been preserved on Blu-ray.
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