The Stepfather
UW Cinematheque 821 University Ave., UW Vilas Hall, Room 4070, Madison, Wisconsin
press release:
USA | 1987 | 35mm | 98 min.
Director: Joseph Rubenl Cast: Terry O’Quinn, Jill Schoelen, Shelley Hack
In a tour-de-force, O’Quinn (Lost’s Man in Black) appears to be a man looking to be the patriarch of a “perfect” American family, but he is really a psycho whose impossibly high standards always lead to violence and murder. Inspired by the real-life crimes of John List, Donald Westlake’s original screenplay is peppered with the author’s signature satire, a quality that helped to make The Stepfather one of the most memorable of all 80s thrillers.
WESTLAKE ON FILM: The celebrated American writer Donald E. Westlake (1933-2008) was a prolific author of precision-crafted crime novels, short stories and screenplays. Known for his wicked sense of humor and often loveable criminal heroes, Westlake had his works adapted many times for the big and small screen both in Hollywood and Europe. Over six Wednesdays this summer, we’ll present an exciting variety of movies derived from Westlake’s published works, plus films with original screenplays by Westlake himself. Note: While the series includes Jean-Luc Godard’s Made in U.S.A. and The Outfit, two excellent and very different adaptations of Westlake’s “Parker” novels (written under the pseudonym Richard Stark), John Boorman’s superb Point Blank (1967) was not immediately available for our calendar. A 35mm print of Point Blank will screen in our fall series on September 9, 2017.
All Cinematheque screenings are free and open to the public.