Don't even think about seeing the remake before starting here first
Of all the films that absolutely shouldn't have been remade, a re-imagining of The Stepfather is perhaps the most blasphemous blow ever struck against horror fans. This quiet masterpiece certainly deserves to be discovered by a larger audience, but a remake only ensures that modern day film-goers will soon forget that this classic even exists. For them, The Stepfather will be immortalized in its more recent incarnation. This is truly a shame, because the original is one of the most tense and truly frightening horror films of all time, and improving upon it would be a dour impossibility.Terry O'Quinn is absolutely perfect as Jerry Blake (among others), and his performance here sets a new standard for screen psychos. O'Quinn is warm, inviting, and genuinely likable, and even though we watch him walk through a blood-soaked living room littered with the bodies of his slaughtered family at the film's outset, it is at times impossible to imagine him shifting into that homicidal mode as we watch him interact with his new wife, step-daughter, and his circle of friends. Most acquaintances of real-life serial killers are apt to say they were "the perfect neighbor", and O'Quinn's performance expertly essays the sociopathic abilities of the deranged. It creates a terrifying character, one that we too would likely be lured in by, and though we eventually see manifestations of the murderous rage bubbling beneath O'Quinn's placid veneer, there is never any slip to indicate that anyone around him would ever suspect him of the heinous crimes of his past, and the impending deeds of his future.
The film is expertly paced, wringing ever drop of tension possible out of the scenario, and even though we know who Blake really is, and we have a strong suspicion about what is going to happen to his new family, O'Quinn's mastered performance doesn't let us know when he's going to snap until the very moment he does. The scene where Blake turns on a meddling psychiatrist is particularly brutal, and a great indicator of just how aptly Blake fits into his new life. After all, if a shrink could be in such close proximity with him and not notice something off, how could we?
Also strongly played is the sub-story about the brother of a previous victim trying to track down Blake and stop him before he kills again. His chase unfolds at a very natural clip, and while it would be tempting for the film-makers to toss in a surprise reveal that would lead him to Blake's new location and speed us into their showdown, it is in fact a series of small clues that lead him there. This heightens the sense of realism that permeates the film, and we are never distracted from being completely engrossed in the possibility that everything we are seeing could absolutely happen, and probably has. Such real-world horrors are key to a modest thriller like this, and in The Stepfather, every one of these keys fit perfectly.
Equally realistic is Blake's ability to alter his appearance enough to blend from one life to another. We see him in three different incarnations here, and while there is never any question O'Quinn is at the core, the actor's ability to bring out drastic changes through simple things like facial hair, eyeglasses, and hairstyle is stunning. His benign demeanor is certainly sufficient to rationally dismiss him from suspicion, but when we see how different this cunning killer is able to look from place to place, we can't help but imagine that Blake has been getting away with his predatory pattern for quite some time. (Cleverly, the film never tells us how many families Blake et al. has been "disappointed" by... and not knowing is actually scarier).
Blake's championing of traditional family values is a deceptive and macabre mask for him to wear, and the film doesn't waste any time delving into his back-story to hit us over the head with why this is so important to him. Through minor indicators, we can piece together everything we need to know about his mysterious past, and the film-makers are intelligent enough to trust us to do so on our own.
When little cracks start to chip away at Blake's facade of domestic bliss, we know which path this leads down, but that doesn't strip away any of the impact of the shocking climax. It's impossible not to gasp at the "who am I here?" scene in the kitchen, which segues into one of the most gritty and realistic bits of violence I've ever seen on the screen. After that, the film kicks into grand guignol mode, and the bloody finale has genuine punch after the slow build leading up to it. Staying true to the realistic bent of the story and execution, the film-makers are wise not to make Blake an unstoppable killing machine, and his crawling determination to finish his homicidal task, despite the gunshot and knife wounds littering his body, holds us in the grip of suspense until the husk that contains Blake's murderous inner demon is too damaged to move anymore.
The Stepfather remains squarely in the "cult classic" category as of this writing, and surprisingly, it isn't even available on DVD in the US (this film and the UK release of Creepshow were major factors that led me to invest in an all-region DVD player). Surely, the remake will spark a proper domestic release for this under-seen gem, and I would encourage anyone reading this to seek out the original version before you waste your time with an update that has absolutely no chance of improving on such flawless source material (I'd actually encourage you to not even hand over your money to support the remake, but I'm a realist).
Whatever leads you to discover this nearly-forgotten masterpiece, don't miss it under any circumstances. You won't be "disappointed".
score 9/10
happyendingrocks 7 October 2009
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2137691/35128
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