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The Comeback main poster

The Comeback

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5.6/10 • 31

1978-06-161h 40m

HorrorMystery

Millions loved him, could someone hate him enough to kill and kill again?

A singer holes up at a sinister estate to write new songs for his act. His ex-wife is brutally murdered, and the killer may be stalking him next.

Directors
Pete Walker
Editors
Alan Brett

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Jack Jones

    Jack Jones

    Nick Cooper

  2. Pamela Stephenson

    Pamela Stephenson

    Linda Everett

  3. David Doyle

    David Doyle

    Webster Jones

  4. Richard Johnson

    Richard Johnson

    Psychiatrist

  5. Holly Palance

    Holly Palance

    Gail

  6. Sheila Keith

    Sheila Keith

    Mrs. B

  7. Bill Owen

    Bill Owen

    Mr. B

  8. Peter Turner

    Peter Turner

    Harry Cunningham

  9. June Chadwick

    June Chadwick

    Nurse

Reviews1

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Charles Tatum Avatar

Charles Tatum

Oct 27, 2024

8/10

I hadn't seen this film in decades, but a rewatch showed it still packed an over-the-top punch. Jack Jones is pop singer Nick Cooper, who has been on a six year hiatus from recording at the insistence of his wife Gail (Holly Palance). The couple has just divorced, and Nick decides to go back to recording for music executive Webster (David Doyle). Gail? Oh, Gail is savagely murdered in the estranged couple's London penthouse by a killer with a small scythe and sporting an old woman mask, and no one is around to find her body. Nick is put up in an English country house where the servants Mr. and Mrs. B (Bill Owen and Pete Walker regular Sheila Keith) are taking care of the estate while it's owners are on a year-long cruise. The Bs are an odd couple, but Nick takes to the house's isolation and starts recording. Nick also takes to Linda (Pamela Stephenson), Webster's secretary. The two begin seeing each other, as Gail's body decomposes in the penthouse, almost getting discovered on a couple of occasions. Red herring suspects in the murder increase with the introduction of Harry (Peter Turner), Nick's creepy go-fer. Nick begins having nightmares, and the hallucinations turn real as someone wants to either drive him insane, or kill him off themselves. Although I had not seen this in many years, some scenes still stuck with me: the murders are gory, a surprising cast member's character is a cross-dresser, and there is an instance of tree vandalism. What I didn't remember is how good a job Jones does despite some convenient filmmaking cheats. When Nick sees a gory sight, he runs away from it or hides, giving the body or body part a chance to disappear. Jones plays his role well, sporting a nice delivery whether singing or reacting to the craziness around him. Stephenson, Doyle, and Johnson provide ample support. Sheila Keith is always good in these roles, but I dare you to shake her similarity to Robin Williams' Mrs. Doubtfire. Now that I have mentioned it, that is going to be all you think about when she is onscreen. Walker is known for his crazed exploitation (I saw "House of Whipcord"), and he is given ample opportunity here. The description I have read about the film, that Nick's ex-wife haunts him, isn't really true, although there is a supernatural element tossed into this glossy slasher flick, which will remind you of everything from "Curtains" to any other slasher film of the late 1970's and early 1980's. The story does drag a bit in the third act, and I probably would have figured out, and remembered, the climax if I had thought about it a little more. Horror fans will want to seek it out, some parts of this have to be seen to be believed. (R)- Strong physical violence, gore, some profanity, brief nudity, some sexual content, sexual references, some adult situations, alcohol and tobacco use

Media

  • The Comeback poster
  • The Comeback poster
  • The Comeback poster
  • The Comeback poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
pop starproto-slasher