Cinetel Films, 1988
starring: Stephen Geoffreys, Patrick O’Bryan, Sandy Dennis and Jim Metzler
directed by: Robert Englund

the plot: A hopelessly nerdy teenager, Hoax (Geoffreys) must contend with bullies at school and his raving, ultra-religious mother (Dennis) at home. The one bright spot in his life is his cousin Spike (O’Bryan), a motorcycle-driving tough guy who grudgingly protects Hoax from various misfortunes. A magazine ad prompts Spike to dial 976-EVIL, an automated “horror-scope” hotline, but the “prediction” he receives is more aimed at convincing him to commit petty crimes than plot his future. When Hoax dials the number, though, he receives instructions on how to get revenge on his tormentors and steal Spike’s girlfriend—instructions that he follows with relish. Meanwhile, an investigator for a religious magazine (Metzler) comes to town, looking for more information about the potentially demonic dial-a-horoscope service. As Hoax succumbs to the evil of the horror hotline, he morphs into a bloodthirsty demon and directs his rage toward his mother and Spike. As the cousins battle, Spike tries to appeal to the remaining bits of Hoax’s humanity, but he may be too late.

why it’s good: Back before the Internet, ridiculously expensive phone sex hotlines were one of the only legal ways to get absolute strangers to talk dirty to you. Nowadays, 976 numbers are little more than a curious cultural artifact, but at the very least, the phone sex epoch gave us “976-EVIL,” a surprisingly solid horror flick from director Robert Englund. Best known as the wise-cracking dream demon Freddy Krueger in the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series, Englund is not such a bad director, especially considering that “976-EVIL” is the first film he helmed. The script isn’t particularly inspired, but Englund knows his way around a camera and sets up some pretty excellent scenes. One segment is sure to put you off TV dinners for quite a while and another gruesome murder is sure to offend cat lovers, but not for the reasons you might think. But “976-EVIL” is mostly notable for the over-the-top performances by Sandy Dennis and Stephen Geoffreys. Dennis, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” hams it up but is good as a religious kook with an ever-changing assortment of wigs. Meanwhile, there’s Geoffreys, a kind but creepy looking kid who winds up becoming the film’s demonic leading man—a fortunate step, as Spike is the blandest bad-boy hero to grace the screen. Geoffreys, who filled a similar role in “Fright Night,” might have had a long life in the horror genre ahead of him after “976-EVIL” if his career hadn’t taken a sharp left turn into gay porn. The end of “976-EVIL” leaves a lot to be desired (including a confusing twist that makes little sense), but on the whole, it’s a decent slice of ’80s horror.

why you should own it: This movie is a lot of fun and, if you can find a cheap copy, it would not be a bad addition to your library. Sony’s DVD is fairly lackluster, though, with average picture quality and the seemingly random inclusion of trailers for “Fright Night” and “Hollow Man” as its only features.