The Fear of Babysitting, and Being Murdered

Looking back at my youth, I find it odd that so many adults trusted me to babysit their children. Especially when, I myself, was still a child. I remember more than once being freaked out. Heck, I was often scared to be home alone at my own house let alone a strange house. But, little did I know at the time, this was such a common feeling that an entire urban legend grew around it. 

In 1977, a short film was released called The Sitter. It was directed by Fred Walton and acted as a sort of proof of concept for When A Stranger Calls (1979). 

These films, and so many others, follow a very specific formula. The calls are coming from inside the house. They call upon the Babysitter and The Man Upstairs urban legend. These legends were born out of a rise in babysitting and phone use, and an increased suburban anxiety and awareness of violence. 

Even in films like Halloween (1978), and Black Christmas (1974) we see versions of the same story, the same fears. When A Stranger Calls was also directed by Walton. The film starred Carol Kane. The opening sequence not only reflects The Sitter, but it’s a near perfect retelling of the popular urban legend. 

Principal photography began on October 9, 1978, and continued for roughly 27 and a half days in Los Angeles, particularly in Brentwood. Some of the locations used in downtown Los Angeles were locations of Skid Row stabbing murders. Some scenes were shot at sites where victims had been discovered, including the steps of the Los Angeles Public Library.Maybe it’s just me, but there is something very dark about filming a movie at the scene of a real, and recent crime. 

When A Stranger Calls was released by Columbia theatrically in the United States on September 28, 1979.It was released across more screens the following year. 

The American Classification and Rating Administration originally approved the film for a PG rating, several years before PG-13 was introduced. Following a review by chairman Richard Heffner, the board reconvened to reconsider the decision. Heffner maintained that the film’s treatment of its subject matter was too intense for a general audience of children. A subsequent vote led to the film receiving an R rating instead.

Famously, Roger Ebert called the movie “sleazy.” Though it had a more favorable review from the New York Times, where the reviewer called it “energetic.” I think it’s both. There’s nothing wrong with sleazy horror (generally speaking). 

When Dan, Alan and I watched the film, we all came to the same conclusion. There is some disjointed energy between the three acts. The first makes sense, not only is it similar to The Sitter, it’s also the entire plot of the 2006 remake. The third act makes sense, it’s the conclusion from the opening sequence. But the middle stumped us. To me it felt like someone asked Brian De Palma to direct the middle chunk of this movie. Tonally it shifts, audiences watch along with the killer, not the protagonist. It feels like a character study on psychosis. Our friend Dan even remarked that he felt sympathy for the villain. Which, hey, I think we need more of in life. But generally, it was an interesting move from the filmmakers. It felt like they didn’t know how to properly expand their short into a feature. And that they were determined to add a bit of “substance.” 

But besides that, the film is fantastic. The music is incredible. Carol Kane is always a dream. It’s scary, it’s energetic (as the NYTimes said), it’s sleazy (as Ebert said.) I think it's a lot of fun. And that's coming from someone who is essentially watching her worst fears from babysitting in her youth play out on screen.