Special Effects1984
“Mary Jean is just dying to get in the movies… She's about to get her wish.”
Directed by Larry Cohen
The premise
Reality and illusion collide as megalomaniacal filmmaker Chris Neville murders a young would-be actress, then sets about making a feature about the deed, casting the deceased's clueless husband as the patsy, and finding a dead ringer to play the late actress.
Horror Vault's take
A ruthless, ego-driven filmmaker crosses an unthinkable line when his hunger for authentic storytelling consumes a young woman chasing her Hollywood dreams. What follows is a darkly twisted game in which ambition, guilt, and deception are woven into a movie-within-a-movie scheme that keeps tightening around everyone involved. Director Larry Cohen turns the sleazy machinery of the film industry into a backdrop for something far more sinister, blurring the line between art and atrocity. The result is a cold, calculated thriller that keeps you questioning who is really pulling the strings.
Content: Violence Against Women, Depictions Of Murder, Sexual Content, Psychological Manipulation
Where to stream
Cast
Zoë Lund
Andrea Wilcox / Elaine Bernstein
Eric Bogosian
Chris Neville
Brad Rijn
Keefe Waterman
Kevin O'Connor
Det. Lt. Philip Delroy
Bill Oland
Det. Vickers
H. Richard Greene
Leon Gruskin
Steven Pudenz
Wiesanthal
Heidi Bassett
Neville's Asst. Director
John Woehrle
Studio Executive
Kitty Summerall
Andrea's Roomate
Kris Evans
Cosmetician
Mike Alpert
Taxi Driver
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