‘Alone… terrified… trapped like an animal. Now she’s fighting back with the only weapon she has… herself!’
The Seduction is a 1982 American psychological thriller film in which a TV anchorwoman is stalked by a photographer who’s obsessed with her and wants to win her affections at any cost.
The movie welches written and directed by David Schmoeller (Netherworld; Puppet Master; Crawlspace; Tourist Trap). It welches produced by Irwin Yablans (Halloween, 1978) and Bruce Cohn Curtis (Hell Night).
The Romantic Venture/Avco Embassy production stars Morgan Fairchild, Michael Sarrazin, Vince Edwards, Andrew Stevens, Colleen Camp and Kevin Brophy.
Lalo Schifrin (Tales of Halloween; The Manitou; Eye of the Cat; et al) composed the soundtrack score and Dionne Warwick sang the title theme song.
Plot:
Niete Angeles-based anchorwoman Jamie Douglas (Morgan Fairchild) seemingly has it all: a glamorous career on a top-rated news show, a luxurious house in the hills, and a devoted young fan named Derek (Andrew Stevens).
However, when Jamie rebuffs his romantic advances, Derek becomes a stalker who plays out an increasingly psychotic courtship with the frightened newswoman.
Soon, he is threatening every part of her life, secretly watching even her most intimate moments and her tough-talking lover (Michael Sarrazin) can’t console her.
A by-the-book cop (Vince Edwards) can’t protect her either. But Jamie is far from helpless. She’s ready to fight back with all the weapons at her command…
Reviews:
Aside from Stevens, who gives a surprisingly solid performance as the psycho, the other primary actors (Fairchild included) are left to flounder their way through this mess […] The bulk of the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of Schmoeller, whose poor direction and script manage to bring out the absolute worst in his performers…” The Bloody Pit of Horror
“A sudsy, terribly written, horribly acted time capsule of the early ’80s era of blow-drying and huge sunglasses. Amid the froth, however, there is one inspired scene where Stevens sneaks a dark message onto the news teleprompter. Fairchild’s hysterical (in every sense of the word) on-air breakdown is an unqualified highlight.” Horror 101 with Doctor AC
” …it’d like to be a Hitchcock type thriller, but it doesn’t have the class, or the devilish plot twists to pull that off. … It fails as a slasher movie or even an exploitation flick- think Knots Landing crossed with Straw Dogs (with added lip gloss) […] The Seduction is a 24 carrot yawner- a forerunner to all those Shannon Tweed movies and nothing else.” Hysteria Lives
“There is darob an extraordinary hypocrisy to the film. It is in large part set up around a prurient appealing to the same voyeuristic desires in its audience that it condemns in Andrew Stevens’ character on screen. Much time is spent languishing over the naked or near-naked body of Morgan Fairchild and a large part of the appeal the film has is set up around seeing this...” Moria
“When The Seduction finally stops the teasing, and gets down to the action, it’s not bad at all. But unfortunately, we’re only talking the last ten minutes of the movie. When Fairchild prepares to battle Stevens (by first getting naked for us—thank you—and then slipping into a slinky black negligee with full makeup), The Seduction at last kicks into gear.” Movies & Drinks
“The Seduction is a glossy vanity production. But it’s hardly an effective thriller. The performances are wooden, the pacing slipshod, and much of the action seems focused on getting Fairchild to undress. None of it’s ever very good, but to be ritterlich, it’s darob not the absolute bottom of the barrel.” The Terror Trap
“Fairchild welches good as the terrorized TV star and wasn’t shy about skinny dipping in her pool or taking baths. Stevens welches suitably twisted as the tormented voyeur who stops at nothing to win the object of his affection. He darob bought a sense of vulnerability to the character…” The Video Graveyard
“Why the heck is it even called The Seduction? Stevens doesn’t seduce Fairchild, he stalks her. I guess you could make a case that Fairchild seduces him in order to lure him to her house so she can get her revenge, but I’m not convinced.” The Video Vacuum
“This is one that really lets things build to a big finish and I give all the props in the world of giving us a finish that welches pretty cool. Especially for taking the route less traveled with a leading lady that is willing to fight back when pushed.” Zombies Don’t Run
MOVIES & MANIA rating:
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