This is one of the most underrated serial killer films of the 80's in my opinion. I also have to give kudos for including the true story of the events that inspired the film.

Terry O'Quinn is one of the reasons I love Silver Bullet...he plays such a sympathetic character in it, a sheriff totally unhinged by a child's death...

I've always loved this film, one of O'Quinn's BEST..."Wait a minute, wait a minute...who am I here?" ranks as one of the most chilling film lines I have ever heard. GREAT 'Exploring', many thanks...

Saw this in theaters, back in '88, at an All Night Horror festival, together with Hellraiser, Near Dark and The Blob as a surprise movie. Good times...

this film is fantastic. you expect a silly 80's horror and then comes a dark, deeply original drama horror movie. Thanks for this!

Stepfather 1987 movie was freaking awesome. I think the actor played as the Stepfather done a incredible job. He was so likable n when he snaps u really feel it. That guy single handedly own the film. He was that great. Terry OQuinn was the best.

I was really annoyed by Siskel & Ebert back in the day. They always came off as pretentious hacks who hated everything that didn't match their seal of approval. And the way they treated the people working on "Silent Night, Deadly Night" and "I spit on your grave" is just really pathetic on their parts. If they pulled that shit now, they'd be classified as neck beards and trolls. Their whole attitude towards the horror genre, and thinking that they were the ones to "fix it" just pisses me off.

Not gonna lie, the first time I watched this, that opening haunted me for days. The way he just casually walks past such a brutal murder scene gives me the chills!

One of my favorite movies. Was unaware of the John List inspiration. The entire basement scene - all we need is a little order around here - is chilling. 👍

Stepfather I & II!! O'Quinn is the MAN! love both of them

I had no idea The Stepfather was based on actual events

The beginning of this film gave me nightmares for years. The Remake... not so much. Thank you for exploring the true story that this movie is based on! A Nightmare on Elm street has a very strange "True" story as well.

This movie has one of the greatest opening scenes of all times

Watched this movie without knowing anything about it. I was expecting a cheesy B-movie but it turns out to be a very good psychological thriller!

Exploring The Stepfather, where have I seen this title before?

I never got why Ebert hated violence in movies, the world is a violent place. Get used to it.

O'Quinn puts on an acting clinic in this one. Brilliant.

I heard of the List murder from Forensic Files, a TV show. Fascinating case, but he was caught thanks to a remarkably well done police model of him. He had hid for years under a different name elsewhere in the country. He and his family were devout Christians, and he even said prayers over their bodies. He turned the air down as far as it'd go to slow decomposition, too.

john list was worried about cash, but it turns out the chandelier in his house was worth like 30 grand or something

I love these types of movies, the idea that the beloved neighbor/family relative who is a cold-blooded killer living unsuspected and undetected in typical suburban life. I'm thinking of watching this as a double feature alongside Hitchcock's _Shadow_ _of_ _a_ _Doubt_ . This is surely an underrated 1980s thriller with an amazing duplicitous performance by the ever-awesome Terry O'Quinn. There's a big reason why he was chosen for the _Lost_ TV show. ;D

Back in the day, I was in love with Jill Schoelen. Loved her work, she was gorgeous, but she never hit it huge. Always kinda wondered why.

I saw all 3 on TV earlier this year and I loved how it took more a psychological route instead of complete murder of entities and when I learned this was based on an actual true story it made it even more appealing

This is O'Quinn's defining movie, as clockwork Orange is Malcom McDowell's. He's just so charismatic- You can't help but root for him, hope his candy coated dreams of a family in suburbia come true, though you know they won't; it's just a matter of time until he goes off the rails. Great movie.

You should make Exploring "8mm" a very good thriller from 1999 that was overlooked and underrated at the time and also feature one of the best performance of Nicolas Cage IMO. Also I think that the genre of the movie fits perfectly with most of movies you talk about in your Exploring Series.

This is one of my all time fav movies

He was caught decades later due to one of the early instances of forensic recreation/model making where a guy sculpted what he would look like out of clay and it was used on unsolved mysteries. great movie and video

What are some of the messed up Parts of the John List story was that he openly told his children that he was going to kill them and asked them how they wanted to be buried. In a confession, he said the night before the deed he slept “extraordinarily” well that night.

Watched this back in the early 90’s and loved it. Watched it just recently and loved it. Great underrated film.

The Stepfather really doesnt get the praise it deserves, great video. I did enjoy Stepfather 2 but for different reasons, the first is a classic

It's insane that we live in a world where you have to gain rights to whistle a song.

used to have this movie on Laser Disc

this trilogy is so underrated

I just watched this yesterday, and I'm glad I waited until I saw it before watching this video to avoid it being spoiled for me. It was refreshing to watch a horror/suspense movie that is actually engaging and thrilling to watch. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I had actually seen the remake first, but when I found out that it was a remake, I suspected that the original was most likely better, which is par for the course with horror remakes. Definitely true for this one.

The score for this movie is fantastic. The music at the beginning made the scene extra creepy

This film is a real gem its unique in so many ways. A real diamond in the rough

One of my favorite movies...

Just watched this last night for the first time...hell of a movie! I had no idea. Terry O'Quinn was brilliant.

I love your narrations and wish that you would do more stories, personal or otherwise.

Damn, I love your Exploring vids!

Thank you,Cecil....I've been waiting for you to finally review this. Such a classic

I remember seeing advertisements for the remake back in 2009 and didn't know it was based on an older film. I also remember having a slight interest in seeing it, but now I think I'll check out the original movie instead.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! For shedding light on one greatest underrated movies of all time.

Yes! So glad about this!

The crew had to plough snow, and it was freezing weather. Welcome to Canada!

You upload these videos about an hour before I'm done with work. I always watch them right after I get home. Even though I don't always agree on your opionions on films, I love watching your stuff. Keep doing your thing!

This film really creeped me out when I first viewed it, and I still find it pretty menacing due to the awesome performance of Terry O'Quinn. As for John List, I first heard about him from when I watched "America's Most Wanted", and was pretty shocked about what he did. I later learned from "American Justice" that the financial troubles that led him to murder his family could've been curbed if he realized that he had an original Tiffany skylight that could've been sold, which may have solved his financial woes. What a waste; that's why it's not a good idea to start a family if you're not financially secure or are unprepared to handle what kind of people your kids will become (it's mostly about money with him, though).

Seriously you can’t stop making these videos. They are so cool

Heard that intro /outro, instant subs.

Caught this on video back in the day, really enjoyed it, Terry's performance was excellent. Also never knew about the real life inspiration.

Fantastic episode Cecil on a very creepy film I always enjoyed never knew it was based on a real story.

This tribute to one of my favorite indie movies ever. (my favorite as a kid) deserves a 2nd subscription to your channel.

I'm glad that you closed on Jon list. I would have felt a void if I didn't know his fate

I remember the list capturing episode oddly well. I think it was the first one i saw in first run where they caught someone... Kinda like the old Unsolved Mysteries "update"

Great video man, make more exploring vids!

One thing I seem to recall from the movie that I thought really weird: I recall them mentioning that mom and stepdad guy were married about a year, and also that the man she was originally married to had been dead a year. I'm not sure if I misheard, or if she just jumped on marrying a guy immediately after becoming a widow. Maybe I misheard, but I remember it standing out when I watched it as something weird.

Thanks for the review! I haven't seen this movie in years, but now i will find it on dvd so i can watch it again thanks to this great review from you!

Man, how awkward would have been had you been a part of his new family sitting down in the living room turning on the episode of America's Most Wanted where he is profiled !

Once i watched the remake and it was only the end but the concept as pretty cool (i watched it just in time for the "who was i here") and i was curious about it, now i will look for the original

Was Ebert sniffing glue? This is the best Hitchcockian styled thriller old Hitch himself would be proud of. Truly, an 80's gem and such a shame about the remake. Props to your research on John List, too. A well assembled video 👍

wow, wasnt expecting this film to be explored. great job!

great video man, like always.

I know this isn't a popular opinion, but Ebert was a hack. I have no idea how he became the face of film criticism.

Just watch an 2019 interview with Jill Schloen, she is almost 60 and I swear still looks the same.

Outstanding episode!

I love this movie and this video was very informative, despite me reading about the truth behind the movie before. Really, you're doing a big service for every movie fan out there. :)

Cool Exploring video you did on the film The Stepfather it's one my favorite films.

This was great. Easily one of the best ones you've done.

I’ll check it out. Through most of this video, I was thinking of The Guest, a movie I love. So that’s promising, although I’m sure they are very different films. Thanks again.

Wow, that last line's gonna make a few people side-eye their spouses for awhile.

Thank you so much. I really enjoyed this review of this very good movie.

Well,I agree that being married to a murderer without knowing it is a lot scary than anything you can think of.

John Locks's previous life

It took till I looked it up that it had basis in the List case. I was familiar with those crimes because of true crime shows. Love learning how they shoot all these films; really cool without having to track down DVDs that don’t have a ‘making of’

Never heard of this movie and it certainly looks like its worth a viewing. Great vid again, well put together.

This may be a case of stating the obvious, but this movie reminds me a lot of American Psycho. The idea that he is trying to act how he thinks people expect him to behave is a central theme of American Psycho, and the scene where he is bashing the guy with a plank of wood reminds me a lot of the axe murder scene from the American Psycho movie. Regarding the List case - it was many weeks before the police found the bodies yet they were amazingly well preserved because List, being the caring family-man he was, cranked up the air-con to turn the house into a freezer before he left. He murdered his entire family but couldn't stand the thought of their bodies decomposing. He was also a fanatical Christian and left a letter to his minister, found with the bodies, in which he tried to explain away the murders as though he did it for them.

I love all your videos! But this one was OUTSTANDING...please keep up the good work!

Another fantastic video filled with info I never knew about one of my very few favorite horror/suspense films ever. Where did you find out about all this?? a dvd special edition I'm not aware of?

Amazing content! I had no clue this movie was inspirated by true events.

For another excellent movie with Terry O'Quinn from the late 80s, check out "The forgotten one". It's incredible hard to find, I only own an old VHS copy.

Nonsensical to say the Stepfather movie has no villain or was going to have no Villain when a remorseless murderer murders his family and several others because he can't accept a family doesn't fit in his square. He's a irrefutable Villain

holy cow, i was not aware this was based on something real.....wow. amazing work as always, good sir

I would like to see you explore WaxWork II.

Have you ever thought about reviewing Firewalker, the 1986 movie with Chuck Norris and Louis Gossett Jr? For some reason, even though I hadn't thought about that movie in the better part of two decades, it popped into my head and I immediately thought of your reviews. I know better than to ask if you've actually seen it, because you have apparently seen every movie I've seen, and then some.

Great explanation of the films. O'Quinn was perfect for the role. As for the remake, it was well cast; but the original can't be outdone.

The Long Kiss Goodnight still on the list? Awesome video btw as always 👍

Great video again! I've just finished watching I don't feel at home in this world anymore on Netflix it's a brilliant flick anyone else seen it?

Still one of my favorite thrillers. I often hate most horror movies just for the pointless Gore. But this one I loved, it was disturbingly realistic at the time.

Great video as always man, Since you mentioned it in this video think we'll ever see an exploring video on Dreamscape? :)

great video!

one of the most underrated horror

I love the movie, especially the opening

This is a really good movie. Glad you reviewed it.

Donald Westlake is my favorite author. The Dortmunder novels are fantastic, clever crime capers centered around a down on his luck burglar. The technology in the books is outdated but the stories are clever and really funny.

Your channel will now be replacing IMDB since they cut their comment section.

Remember this seeing as a kid with my dad... god im old.

So List lived with a new family as this movie about him was produced and released, crazy..

Dreamscape!!

Maybe not the sequels, but the first one is a good stand alone horror.

Love our videos Cecil! You are the Patron saint of B grade films. Don't know if you do requests but would like to see your take on stuff like Tobe Hoopers Invaders From Mars, Freaked (Alex Winters), Three 'O Clock High, The Jerky Boys, any Stephen King, Dean Koontz or H.P. Lovecraft adaptions ect, ect. Keep up the great vids!

I remember seeing this movie at the local video store when I was kid and always thought it was a generic slasher film.