In 2006, Camilla Belle starred as Jill Johnson in When a Stranger Calls, an American psychological horror film directed by Simon West and written by Jake Wade Wall.
Camilla Belle in her pivotal role as Jill Johnson in the suspenseful thriller ‘When a Stranger Calls’ (2006) (Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)
The film is not based on a true story. It is a remake of Fred Walton’s 1979 horror film, which Walton wrote and directed, and Steve Feke co-wrote.
Rejection and Acceptance: How Camilla Belle Came to Star in the Film
After Evan Rachel Wood turned down the part, Camilla Belle accepted it despite her dislike for horror films.
“There’s really no script that a female character so young is able to play and to carry a film. There’s really no roles like that around, it’s very rare. So I wanted to take on that opportunity and see if I could pull it off,...
Camilla Belle in her pivotal role as Jill Johnson in the suspenseful thriller ‘When a Stranger Calls’ (2006) (Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)
The film is not based on a true story. It is a remake of Fred Walton’s 1979 horror film, which Walton wrote and directed, and Steve Feke co-wrote.
Rejection and Acceptance: How Camilla Belle Came to Star in the Film
After Evan Rachel Wood turned down the part, Camilla Belle accepted it despite her dislike for horror films.
“There’s really no script that a female character so young is able to play and to carry a film. There’s really no roles like that around, it’s very rare. So I wanted to take on that opportunity and see if I could pull it off,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Jan Stromsodd
- Your Next Shoes
Carol Kane’s storied career has graced us with a plethora of memorable performances, each one showcasing her versatility and depth as an actress. From comedy to drama, Kane has left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment. Here, we celebrate her top 10 performances, ranked for their impact and the sheer brilliance of her acting chops. 10. When a Stranger Calls (Film) – Jill Johnson The opening sequence of When a Stranger Calls is etched in cinematic history for its nail-biting suspense, largely thanks to Carol Kane’s portrayal of the terrorized babysitter, Jill Johnson. The film oscillates between a...
- 2/20/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
The 2024 presidential election is officially 52 weeks away, and Alyssa Milano is reminding women of the importance of using their voice at the polls. The actress, in partnership with fine jewelry brand Awe Inspired, has just launched the “One Year Out (Rise Up in Awe)” campaign with a collection designed to spark conversations around the important issues tied to next year’s race.
“I went into this wanting to tell the story of women and our struggle and our dreams and our ambitions,” Milano tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I would argue that storytelling, whether that be through fashion or music or writing or personal expression, is really the only thing that moves us forward in society. So, keeping that in mind and being a storyteller, I really wanted to tell a story with these pieces; a story of fighting for bodily autonomy and women fighting for the right to vote.”
Awe...
“I went into this wanting to tell the story of women and our struggle and our dreams and our ambitions,” Milano tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I would argue that storytelling, whether that be through fashion or music or writing or personal expression, is really the only thing that moves us forward in society. So, keeping that in mind and being a storyteller, I really wanted to tell a story with these pieces; a story of fighting for bodily autonomy and women fighting for the right to vote.”
Awe...
- 11/8/2023
- by Brande Victorian
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
RRRRing, rrring!
Ah, the sound of an innocent phone call… until it becomes the harbinger of unspeakable terror. Horror films have a way of turning the mundane into the macabre, and one particularly bone-chilling element they've mastered is the art of horror movie phone calls. In this hair-raising piece, we'll dial back through time and explore how iconic films like Scream, When a Stranger Calls, and Black Christmas have transformed this everyday device into a terrifying plot device.
So, turn your cell on airplane mode — and let's dive into the chilling world of horror movie phone calls!
Warner Bros.
The Christmas Caroler
In the golden age of horror, the telephone was merely a tool for communication. But then came Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974), a pioneering slasher film that dialed up the fear factor. As the mysterious killer tormented the sorority house with menacing phone calls, the mundane act of...
Ah, the sound of an innocent phone call… until it becomes the harbinger of unspeakable terror. Horror films have a way of turning the mundane into the macabre, and one particularly bone-chilling element they've mastered is the art of horror movie phone calls. In this hair-raising piece, we'll dial back through time and explore how iconic films like Scream, When a Stranger Calls, and Black Christmas have transformed this everyday device into a terrifying plot device.
So, turn your cell on airplane mode — and let's dive into the chilling world of horror movie phone calls!
Warner Bros.
The Christmas Caroler
In the golden age of horror, the telephone was merely a tool for communication. But then came Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974), a pioneering slasher film that dialed up the fear factor. As the mysterious killer tormented the sorority house with menacing phone calls, the mundane act of...
- 6/15/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
RRRRing, rrring!
Ah, the sound of an innocent phone call… until it becomes the harbinger of unspeakable terror. Horror films have a way of turning the mundane into the macabre, and one particularly bone-chilling element they've mastered is the art of horror movie phone calls. In this hair-raising piece, we'll dial back through time and explore how iconic films like Scream, When a Stranger Calls, and Black Christmas have transformed this everyday device into a terrifying plot device.
So, turn your cell on airplane mode — and let's dive into the chilling world of horror movie phone calls!
Warner Bros.
The Christmas Caroler
In the golden age of horror, the telephone was merely a tool for communication. But then came Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974), a pioneering slasher film that dialed up the fear factor. As the mysterious killer tormented the sorority house with menacing phone calls, the mundane act of...
Ah, the sound of an innocent phone call… until it becomes the harbinger of unspeakable terror. Horror films have a way of turning the mundane into the macabre, and one particularly bone-chilling element they've mastered is the art of horror movie phone calls. In this hair-raising piece, we'll dial back through time and explore how iconic films like Scream, When a Stranger Calls, and Black Christmas have transformed this everyday device into a terrifying plot device.
So, turn your cell on airplane mode — and let's dive into the chilling world of horror movie phone calls!
Warner Bros.
The Christmas Caroler
In the golden age of horror, the telephone was merely a tool for communication. But then came Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974), a pioneering slasher film that dialed up the fear factor. As the mysterious killer tormented the sorority house with menacing phone calls, the mundane act of...
- 6/15/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
Of all the jobs depicted in horror movies that are hazardous to your well-being, babysitting ranks high among the most dangerous. The low hourly rate doesn’t compensate for the utter terror a babysitter will endure from masked intruders or worse.
Halloween Ends opens with a life-altering tragedy of babysitting gone wrong, a shocking twist on the franchise’s babysitting origins. It makes for another fright-filled reminder of the high-risk, low-reward job in the world of horror movies.
This week we’re saluting the babysitter with a look back at ten of the worst babysitting gigs in horror movies. There’s not enough money in the world to make these gigs worth it…
Halloween
John Carpenter’s seminal slasher didn’t just ignite the slasher craze; it started a wave of babysitter horror. Teens Laurie Strode and Annie Brackett were tasked with babysitting on Halloween night, unaware that a masked...
Halloween Ends opens with a life-altering tragedy of babysitting gone wrong, a shocking twist on the franchise’s babysitting origins. It makes for another fright-filled reminder of the high-risk, low-reward job in the world of horror movies.
This week we’re saluting the babysitter with a look back at ten of the worst babysitting gigs in horror movies. There’s not enough money in the world to make these gigs worth it…
Halloween
John Carpenter’s seminal slasher didn’t just ignite the slasher craze; it started a wave of babysitter horror. Teens Laurie Strode and Annie Brackett were tasked with babysitting on Halloween night, unaware that a masked...
- 10/28/2022
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: Neo Studios U.S., the production arm of sports media group Eleven, has set its leadership team and unveiled its inaugural development slate.
The company has named Anouk Mertens as Global CEO of Neo Studios and tapped Melanie Capacia Johnson as President, Neo Studios, U.S. Jill Johnson has been named EVP, Entertainment with Mike Basone set as Head of Unscripted Development and Francesca Smith as Senior Director of Scripted Development & Production.
It comes as the group has brought together four separate Eleven-owned businesses – Whistle Studios, Tiny Horse, Vertical Networks and New Form – under the Neo Studios umbrella.
Mertens was previously Group COO of Eleven, former Viacom exec Capacia Johnson, who will lead all IP development and production services for Neo Studios U.S., co-founded marketing and production company Tiny Horse, while former Syco Entertainment exec Johnson served as its Gm. Basone was previously head of unscripted for Whistle Studios,...
The company has named Anouk Mertens as Global CEO of Neo Studios and tapped Melanie Capacia Johnson as President, Neo Studios, U.S. Jill Johnson has been named EVP, Entertainment with Mike Basone set as Head of Unscripted Development and Francesca Smith as Senior Director of Scripted Development & Production.
It comes as the group has brought together four separate Eleven-owned businesses – Whistle Studios, Tiny Horse, Vertical Networks and New Form – under the Neo Studios umbrella.
Mertens was previously Group COO of Eleven, former Viacom exec Capacia Johnson, who will lead all IP development and production services for Neo Studios U.S., co-founded marketing and production company Tiny Horse, while former Syco Entertainment exec Johnson served as its Gm. Basone was previously head of unscripted for Whistle Studios,...
- 3/1/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
While many modern-day viewers know Carol Kane as Lillian from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, horror fans perhaps know her better as Jill Johnson from When a Stranger Calls and its 1993 sequel, When a Stranger Calls Back, the lattermost of which is coming to Blu-ray from Scream Factory on May 28th, and we've been provided with three copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers!
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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of When a Stranger Calls Back.
How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:
1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:
https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/
2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “When a Stranger Calls Back Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
---------
Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of When a Stranger Calls Back.
How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:
1. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:
https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/
2. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “When a Stranger Calls Back Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
- 5/27/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
In 1979, a “stranger” called Jill Johnson. In 1993, he called back! The iconic babysitter horror When a Stranger Calls sent shockwaves through our collective conciousness, imortalizing the query, “Have you checked the children?” In 1993, the film’s original writer/director Fred Walton reunited with stars Carol Kane and Charles Durning for a made-for-tv sequel, When […] The post When A Stranger Calls Back on Blu-ray for the First Time in North America from Scream Factory appeared first on Dread Central.
- 4/5/2019
- by Josh Millican
- DreadCentral.com
While many modern-day viewers know Carol Kane as Lillian from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, horror fans perhaps know her better as Jill Johnson from When a Stranger Calls and its 1993 sequel, When a Stranger Calls Back, which will be released on Blu-ray this May from Scream Factory, complete with a fresh "2K scan of the original film elements" and a new interview with Kane.
We have the official press release with the full list of special features below, and in case you missed it, read Scott Drebit's It Came From the Tube column on When a Stranger Calls Back.
Press Release: The Stranger is watching you … again. The chilling sequel to When A Stranger Calls, this suspenseful thriller makes its North American Blu-ray debut May 28th, 2019 from Scream Factory. Featuring a new 2k scan of the original film elements in both 1.33:1 (original TV broadcast) and an alternate 1.78:1 version, When...
We have the official press release with the full list of special features below, and in case you missed it, read Scott Drebit's It Came From the Tube column on When a Stranger Calls Back.
Press Release: The Stranger is watching you … again. The chilling sequel to When A Stranger Calls, this suspenseful thriller makes its North American Blu-ray debut May 28th, 2019 from Scream Factory. Featuring a new 2k scan of the original film elements in both 1.33:1 (original TV broadcast) and an alternate 1.78:1 version, When...
- 4/4/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
While many modern-day viewers know Carol Kane as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, horror fans perhaps know her better as Jill Johnson from When a Stranger Calls and its 1993 sequel, When a Stranger Calls Back, and Scream Factory just announced that the latter of the films is getting the Blu-ray treatment this May.
You can view Scream Factory's announcement and cover art for When a Stranger Calls Back Blu-ray below, and in case you missed it, read Scott Drebit's It Came From the Tube entry on the sequel.
From Scream Factory: "We’re dialing in more terror on Blu-ray this Summer with When A Stranger Calls Back—the often-requested sequel to the classic original babysitter chiller. Street date is planned for May 28th.
Five years after her own terrifying baby-sitting ordeal, Julia Jenz is trying to put her life together when the past comes back to haunt her. Someone is breaking into her apartment,...
You can view Scream Factory's announcement and cover art for When a Stranger Calls Back Blu-ray below, and in case you missed it, read Scott Drebit's It Came From the Tube entry on the sequel.
From Scream Factory: "We’re dialing in more terror on Blu-ray this Summer with When A Stranger Calls Back—the often-requested sequel to the classic original babysitter chiller. Street date is planned for May 28th.
Five years after her own terrifying baby-sitting ordeal, Julia Jenz is trying to put her life together when the past comes back to haunt her. Someone is breaking into her apartment,...
- 2/1/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
As the saying goes, if you don’t learn from your boners they’ll just come back and bite you in your keister (I may be paraphrasing), and so that goes doubly for horror sequels; too often we’ve been burned with simply retreading old tires in the hopes of gaining new traction. So what a delightful surprise it was then to see Showtime’s When a Stranger Calls Back (1993), a true sequel to Fred Walton’s 1979 hit that manages to fix that film’s somewhat saggy middle and come out all the stronger for it.
Perhaps Walton himself sensed that the original could have been fine tuned; he wrote and directed the sequel for cable network Showtime, which originally aired on Sunday, April 4th. And determined as he was to do a proper follow up, he even managed to snag both Carol Kane and Charles Durning to reprise their roles,...
Perhaps Walton himself sensed that the original could have been fine tuned; he wrote and directed the sequel for cable network Showtime, which originally aired on Sunday, April 4th. And determined as he was to do a proper follow up, he even managed to snag both Carol Kane and Charles Durning to reprise their roles,...
- 10/28/2018
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
Join me as we take a trip down memory lane, before cell phones and instant notifications and Dm’s and everything else that makes me sound like an informational paranoid and crotchety old man. Let’s take a look at an urban legend stretched out to feature length with Fred Walton’s When a Stranger Calls (1979), a mesmerizing-then-decent-then-gripping suspense thriller.
Released by Columbia Pictures stateside in late October, When a Stranger Calls was a big hit with audiences, returning over $21 million against a $1.5 million budget. Critics were quicker to hang up, however; although nearly all praised the opening 20 minute set up, filled as it is with a promise impossible to match. That’s okay though, because I still think When a Stranger Calls is ultimately worth staying on the line for.
Babysitter Jill Johnson (Carol Kane – Addams Family Values) arrives at the Mandrakis household to look after their two children...
Released by Columbia Pictures stateside in late October, When a Stranger Calls was a big hit with audiences, returning over $21 million against a $1.5 million budget. Critics were quicker to hang up, however; although nearly all praised the opening 20 minute set up, filled as it is with a promise impossible to match. That’s okay though, because I still think When a Stranger Calls is ultimately worth staying on the line for.
Babysitter Jill Johnson (Carol Kane – Addams Family Values) arrives at the Mandrakis household to look after their two children...
- 10/27/2018
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
For the second time, the Country Music Association will stage its Cma Songwriters Series in the U.K. and Europe, with shows throughout the month of October spotlighting artists like Ashley Campbell and Charlie Worsham in an intimate format that emphasizes the stories behind the songs.
Launching October 8th in Stockholm, Sweden, the European tour, which runs through October 12th, will visit Norway, Germany and the Netherlands, and features Campbell, Worsham, Chris DeStefano, Drake White and Swedish artist Jill Johnson on various dates of the four-date trek. (See the specific artists and dates below.
Launching October 8th in Stockholm, Sweden, the European tour, which runs through October 12th, will visit Norway, Germany and the Netherlands, and features Campbell, Worsham, Chris DeStefano, Drake White and Swedish artist Jill Johnson on various dates of the four-date trek. (See the specific artists and dates below.
- 8/2/2018
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
Gavin Jasper Oct 23, 2018
It's always a good time to check out RiffTrax, but with Halloween being here, there are certain targets that need to be seen.
As we all know, October is the time to watch scary movies. More often than not, that means having to watch really bad scary movies. If you’re going to watch some really bad movies, then you might as well have it accompanied by professional jokes from professional comedy professionals. Enter RiffTrax, the long-running website that stars Mystery Science Theater 3000 mainstays Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy. Having been around for over a decade, those guys have tackled all sorts of movies about killers and creeps and disco-dancing Draculas.
Here are thirteen targets that I highly suggest checking out. I’m going with all VOD movies because that’s how I roll. Also know that there’s a good chunk of these available on Amazon Prime.
It's always a good time to check out RiffTrax, but with Halloween being here, there are certain targets that need to be seen.
As we all know, October is the time to watch scary movies. More often than not, that means having to watch really bad scary movies. If you’re going to watch some really bad movies, then you might as well have it accompanied by professional jokes from professional comedy professionals. Enter RiffTrax, the long-running website that stars Mystery Science Theater 3000 mainstays Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy. Having been around for over a decade, those guys have tackled all sorts of movies about killers and creeps and disco-dancing Draculas.
Here are thirteen targets that I highly suggest checking out. I’m going with all VOD movies because that’s how I roll. Also know that there’s a good chunk of these available on Amazon Prime.
- 10/27/2017
- Den of Geek
Something witchy this way comes.
That's not the way the saying goes, is it? Well, it works here, because Janet Mongtomery, best known on TV these days as Mary Sibley on Wgn's Salem, is joining the upcoming NBC drama series, This is Us.
This is Us is the highly anticipated series starring Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Justin Hartley and Jill Johnson about people who share the same birthday and the intersection of their lives.
Montgomery will play a talented and sharp tongued theater actress named Erin Maine who gets involved with Kevin (Hartley). The role is recurring.
She's an alluring and intense love interest for the sitcom actor “whose fierce commitment to ‘honesty’ sucks poor Kevin into her darkness.
Yikes. It sure sounds like Kevin has a soft and open heart, which might get squashed by the fierce and quick witted Erin.
This Is Us Trailer
I'm...
That's not the way the saying goes, is it? Well, it works here, because Janet Mongtomery, best known on TV these days as Mary Sibley on Wgn's Salem, is joining the upcoming NBC drama series, This is Us.
This is Us is the highly anticipated series starring Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Justin Hartley and Jill Johnson about people who share the same birthday and the intersection of their lives.
Montgomery will play a talented and sharp tongued theater actress named Erin Maine who gets involved with Kevin (Hartley). The role is recurring.
She's an alluring and intense love interest for the sitcom actor “whose fierce commitment to ‘honesty’ sucks poor Kevin into her darkness.
Yikes. It sure sounds like Kevin has a soft and open heart, which might get squashed by the fierce and quick witted Erin.
This Is Us Trailer
I'm...
- 8/19/2016
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
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