Deadly Friend

    Deadly Friend
    1986

    Synopsis

    When tragedy strikes his remarkable robot and the beautiful girl next door, lonely teenage genius Paul tries to save them by pushing technology beyond its known limits into a terrifying new realm.

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    Cast

    • Matthew LabyorteauxPaul
    • Kristy SwansonSamantha
    • Michael SharrettTom
    • Anne TwomeyJeannie
    • Anne RamseyElvira
    • Richard MarcusHarry
    • Russ MarinDr. Johanson
    • Lee PaulSgt. Volchek
    • Andrew RopertoCarl
    • Charles FleischerBB (voice)

    Recommendations

    • 75

      The A.V. Club

      Remains a mesmerizing time-capsule portrait of ’80s-era hopes and fears about computers.
    • 70

      The New York Times

      Deadly Friend is stylish and sardonic enough to offer horror fans some knowing laughs and a pleasant relief from shrieking.
    • 70

      Variety

      Pic has enough gore, suspense and requisite number of shocks to keep most hearts pounding through to the closing credits.
    • 60

      Time Out

      Although the prevailing tone is comic, there is plenty of grue and gore; the heart stops several times. This may be Craven at his crummiest, but the resulting sick still ranks higher than anything his imitators can come up with.
    • 60

      We Got This Covered

      The movie also deserves a watch because of the incoherent style. It’s like getting to see two films for one. If you’re in the mood to see a lighthearted movie about childhood and becoming an adult, it’s got you covered. And if you want a gory slasher film with plenty of dark humor, it has you covered there as well.
    • 50

      Los Angeles Times

      Craven remains a savvy storyteller -- and he still jolts us with a couple of hideous frights -- but this new film lacks the skin-crawling intensity of past Craven efforts. [14 Oct 1986]
    • 40

      Washington Post

      On the whole, Deadly Friend is a routine horror movie, poorly photographed (by old-time cinematographer Philip Lathrop) and poorly performed (with the exception of New York stage actress Anne Twomey, as Paul's mother).
    • 30

      Film Threat

      Deadly Friend hasn’t aged well. In fact, it’s quite crappy.

    Seen by

    • foxflo
    • serpentine