Unfairly ignored by people who study John Carpenter because it was a TV movie and is hard to source but is absolutely in his wheelhouse and is a very impressive piece. It's stylish, well made. It doesn't break new ground - its the story of a stalker - but is very effective. It borrows from Rear Window (the heroine breaks in to an apartment across the way) and Dial M for Murder (stabbing) and also has a vibe of something like Midnight Lace.
Lauren Hutton is terrific in the lead - likeable, down to earth. The film has a strong feminist vibe - she's a working gal, a bit of a clutz in love (she looks like Lauren Hutton still but Hutton pulls it off), she makes good friends with Adrienne Barbeau, there's talk of a stalker being like rape. Did Debra Hill do a pass on this script? It feels like it.
I couldn't pick the stalker - was it the creepy bit part, or the other creepy bit part, or the boyfriend David Birney, or the cop? Occasionally Hutton's character acts silly and you can tell Carpenter would have benefited from another few days but it's well made, and spooky and I liked it.
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