I had fairly high hopes for this movie as the writer of the story, Shirl Hendryx wrote some good stuff, in particular, I like his work on the classic tv show "Combat!". Having watched this movie, I'd say it's a good way of passing an hour and a half.
It starts in an inocuous manner, with NY being its usual hustle and bustle as Richard Thomas attends a business meeting and wife, Mary Crosby goes shopping. It's in the dark that the city takes on menace, the lack of traffic or people gave it an unwelcoming atmosphere about as inviting as the scenes filmed around Lower Wacker Drive, Chicago in the cult movie "Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer".
Like "The Out Of Towners" nothing goes right for our couple. Our couple's hire car is locked up in a garage yet Richard Thomas climbs through barbed wire, intending to crash the gates then pay for the damage later. He doesn't figure that this rough neighbourhood means patrolling dogs with a taste for human flesh!
They're unable to do a simple thing like hiring a taxi from a payphone because of company protocol and a resident couple refuse to call a taxi for them. The police show them little sympathy when the couple phone them, in desperation of getting out of the neighbourhood.
The tension is built up really well and though the couple (especially Richard Thomas) come across as unbelievably dumb at times, the characters are likeable, decent people so their survival becomes something to care about.
It starts in an inocuous manner, with NY being its usual hustle and bustle as Richard Thomas attends a business meeting and wife, Mary Crosby goes shopping. It's in the dark that the city takes on menace, the lack of traffic or people gave it an unwelcoming atmosphere about as inviting as the scenes filmed around Lower Wacker Drive, Chicago in the cult movie "Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer".
Like "The Out Of Towners" nothing goes right for our couple. Our couple's hire car is locked up in a garage yet Richard Thomas climbs through barbed wire, intending to crash the gates then pay for the damage later. He doesn't figure that this rough neighbourhood means patrolling dogs with a taste for human flesh!
They're unable to do a simple thing like hiring a taxi from a payphone because of company protocol and a resident couple refuse to call a taxi for them. The police show them little sympathy when the couple phone them, in desperation of getting out of the neighbourhood.
The tension is built up really well and though the couple (especially Richard Thomas) come across as unbelievably dumb at times, the characters are likeable, decent people so their survival becomes something to care about.