Horror fans will make icons out of their favorite performers. One good role in the 80s can buy an actor a lifetime of love. Many talented actors still tour the convention circuit off the strength of a cheap slasher. Robert Englund has appeared in many wildly varied projects in his illustrious 50-year career, but he'll always be Freddy to horror fans. His directorial debut came in 1988 with 976-EVIL.
Aside from the botched remake attempt, Robert Englund has portrayed Freddy Krueger in every iteration of A Nightmare on Elm Street. Unlike most slasher villains, Freddy's greatest asset is his personality. Englund became iconic for his voice, classical training, and sinister charisma. Despite bringing those talents to other roles, Englund will always be associated with horror films, including the first one he directed.
What is 976-EVIL about?
In a rundown city, a young man named Hoax struggles to carve out an identity. He lives under the tyranny of his mother, a domineering, judgmental religious fanatic. Bullies constantly mock and assault him. Girls show no interest in him. He's the classic 80s movie high school loser. Making matters worse, Hoax lives with his cousin Spike, who is everything he's not. Spike is the leather jacket-clad, motorcycle-riding bad boy that everyone loves. Though Spike stands up for Hoax and tries to help, the introverted nerd can't help but feel envious. Everything changes for both of them when they happen upon a strange ad in a magazine.
The late 80s were the era of the premium-rate phone number. Anyone who grew up with the internet likely has no memory of 900 numbers. Everything from Saturday Morning Cartoons to the President of the United States could be reached by phone for a small fee. This was largely phased out after the Supreme Court banned all adult-oriented options in 1992. Hoax finds an ad for the titular 976-EVIL, which promises terrifying "horrorscopes." Hoax calls the number, only to discover it's a direct line to Satan. The Devil offers Hoax a Faustian bargain. Hoax will earn the power necessary to avenge himself so long as he gradually sacrifices his free will to the Devil. Spike must find a way to save his cousin before the dark influence of the landline phone corrupts him forever.
What is 976-EVIL's score on Rotten Tomatoes?
976-EVIL holds down an uninspiring 15% positive critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were slightly more generous, with 28% of viewers handing out a decent review. The kindest critics of the era made comparisons to EC Comics. It was described as the end of a trend in 80s horror. Many reviewers considered the premise worthwhile, but the execution was widely denigrated. The film's star, Stephen Geoffreys, is best known for his performance as Evil Ed in Tom Holland's Fright Night. Most who've seen 976-EVIL accurately note that Geoffreys is being pushed to recapture his earlier role. Originality is one of the most common concerns. The film features several pointless plot threads that have little to do with the central narrative, most of which go nowhere. It cost $3 million to make and made $2,955,917 in its minuscule theatrical run. The VHS, DVD and later Blu-ray releases likely made up for its initial loss.
Many modern observers have seen 976-EVIL as an underrated entry in a beloved genre. The special effects remain cheesy, but the production design is oddly striking. The first half is entertaining, though the effects-driven scares fail to pay it off. Geoffreys is fine in the lead role, but being forced to do Evil Ed again leaves most viewers yearning to watch Fright Night instead. The strongest element is the imagery. Fans of later Nightmare on Elm Street entries will find something to love in this messy outing. For Englund's part, he met set decorator Nancy Booth during the production. They were married later that year. They're still together now. It's hard to imagine Mr. Englund regretting the film that introduced him to his wife of 35 years, regardless of what the critics say.
Did Robert England direct anything else?
Englund's directorial debut was a mild mess, but he did return to the chair. Twenty years after the release of 976-EVIL, Englund willingly put his name on Killer Pad. It's a pathetic, tasteless sex comedy with one or two token scares that almost qualify it as a horror film. The threadbare plot follows three horny idiots as they purchase a possessed home in a desperate bid to attract women. The film explains that an attractive female character is actually evil by revealing that she has a penis, which is depicted as a greater crime than literally being the devil. It's abysmal. Thankfully, no one has ever seen Killer Pad.
976-EVIL can be enjoyed as a time capsule of a simpler time. There are countless films about evil websites or video games. Looking back at the era when Satan had to rely on landlines and magazine ads to capture his targets reveals something oddly charming about Old Scratch. Englund might never be as celebrated for his directorial efforts as for his acting work, but at least his first effort is better than his second.