Dead of Winter - 1987

Roddy MacDowall never achieved a high level of fame apart from his roles in the Planet of the Apes series of films. He became a B and C and Z movie actor, TV actor, and died with only Planet as his major claim.

Hence we have 1987, 10ish years after the most sequels of the series, and Roddy is in this subsubpar 80s made for TV feeling "thriller". Also starring Mary Steenburgen and Jan Rubes.

Mary plays three roles. First she's a woman murdered in a car. Then, the main role, an actress who meets Roddy for the lead role in the film. She's taken to a doctor's house where it turns out the doctor and Roddy as his assistant have nefarious plans for her. Then she also plays the neighbor, a woman who turns out to have a connection to these two.

Well, it's a dumb plot, and its a dumb movie. Seriously, I saw the cast and I said yes before thinking about how bad this could be. I'm an optimist I guess. But this is bad. Its telegraphed, predictable, it's been done before and again, and it has nothing to differentiate it from the others.

If you have a brain you'll guess the plot twists before they happen like I did, you'll know how it'll end like I did, and you'll marvel that there isn't a hidden B story or reason beyond those apparent.

When it comes down to it, it's a plot of major convenience, hinging on just one critical thing, and when you think about it, the story doesn't even work. Ugh. But I guess I was still mildly entertained. Its a one.