Horror

Science Fiction

Deadly Friend

Pan Arts

Layton

Warner Bros. Pictures

United States of America

English

Matthew Labyorteaux

Kristy Swanson

Michael Sharrett

Anne Twomey

Anne Ramsey

Richard Marcus

Russ Marin

Lee Paul

Andrew Roperto

Charles Fleischer

Robin Nuyen

Frank Cavestani

Merritt Olsen

William H. Faeth

Joel Hile

Tom Spratley

Jim Ishida

Wes Craven

Nicholas Batchelor

Phil Rawlins

Horace Jordan

Dale Johnston

Bette Iverson

Susan Montgomery

Edward J. McDonald

Buddy Bowles

Peter C. Graupner

Kenneth Zunder

Howard Anderson

Bruce Lawhead

Marion Tumen

Michael Hancock

Roy Barnes

Vic Petrotta Jr.

John Sweeney

Don Cahn

Robert Neilson

Allen L. Stone

John LaSalandra

Doc D. Charbonneau

Dave Robling

Larry Verne

J. Mark Donaldson

Linda Arvidson

Leslie Hoffman

Lane Leavitt

Terry Leonard

Debbie Lynn Ross

Anthony Cecere

Tracy Keehn-Dashnaw

Tom Oldberg

Mike H. McGaughy

Pat Romano

Diana Henstell

Bruce Joel Rubin

John Loggia

Robert Crawford Jr.

Charles Bernstein

Michael Eliot

Daniel A. Lomino

Patrick Kelley

Philip H. Lathrop

Robert M. Sherman

Karen Shaw

Marianne Maddalena

John P. Morrisey

Fred Morrison

Jon. W. Robinson

Bill Johnson

Richard S. Church

William Peets

Ruth Ellen Daniels

Keith Huber

Paul Mindrup

Carol McCullough

Pam Benson

Barton Kent James

Carole Brown-James

Gene Ashbrook

Peter Albiez

Patti Birznieks

Dan Perri

Lance Anderson

**_Underwhelming Craven film that meshes sci-fi, teenage romance and horror_**

A boy genius specializing in brain research and robotics (Matthew Laborteaux) moves to the town of Welling with his mother (Anne Twomey) where he starts an apprenticeship at the university. He befriends a paper boy and romances an abused neighbor girl (Michael Sharrett and Kristy Swanson respectively). When tragedy strikes, he uses his talents to rectify the situation with horrifying results.  

"Deadly Friend" (1986) was Wes Craven’s next theatrical project after the success of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984). It was meant to be a sci-fi thriller focusing on a dark teenage love story, but the trailer omitted BB the robot and advertised the movie as another Wes Craven horror flick. The film bombed at the box office. 

You might remember Laborteaux as Albert, the adopted Ingalls boy on Little House on the Prairie. Meanwhile Winsome Kristy was only 16 during shooting. These two and BB the cute robot give the film a likable innocent quality.  In tone, it’s a cross between “Short Circuit” (1986) and “Silver Bullet” (1985) just with elements of the Frankenstein story thrown in. 

Speaking of which, this is a modern-day coming-of-age take on Frankenstein and zombie tales exploring the idea of a dead person being resurrected by unnatural means with unpleasant results. It raises questions concerning when physical death actually occurs. Interesting ideas, of course, but the execution is so-so and yet kind of agreeable, a puzzling mix.

Craven is a hit-or-miss director IMHO. For instance, “Summer of Fear” (1978) is effective, but “The Serpent and the Rainbow” (1988) is mind-bogglingly bad. This one falls somewhere in between, but closer to the good. 

The film runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot in the Los Angeles area as follows: Burbank Studios (Paul Conway's house), USC (university exteriors & lecture hall interiors) and Monrovia, which is just northeast of L.A. (Samantha on the loose).

GRADE: B-/C+

Official Arrow Trailer

Official Trailer

Deadly Friend 1986 TV trailer

Best Movies

Deadly Friend

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Matthew Labyorteaux

Kristy Swanson

Michael Sharrett

Anne Twomey

Anne Ramsey

Richard Marcus

Russ Marin

Lee Paul

Andrew Roperto

Charles Fleischer

Box office

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