Appointment with Fear (film)
Encyclopedia
Appointment with Fear, also known as Deadly Presence, is a 1985 American film directed by Ramsey Thomas for Moustapha Akkad
and Moviestore Entertainment. The film stars Michele Little
, Douglas Rowe
, Garrick Dowhen
, and Kerry Remsen
.
The film had theatrical release in 1985 by New World Pictures and release on VHS
in October 1987 by International Video Entertainment, followed in 1991 by Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment.
. Ramsey Thomas had his name removed from the project, replacing it with the pseudonym
Alan Smithee
.
) in a white Ford van gets out and stabs his wife on the portico of a house. Before she dies, she gives her baby to Heather (Kerry Remsen
) and urges her that he must be kept safe, knowing that his father will try to kill him. The case is followed by Detective Kowalski (Douglas Rowe
), an off-beat, seedy looking detective. Kowalski later finds out the killer is in solitary confinement in the state mental facility but is somehow leaving his body in spirit and is under an Ancient Egyptian curse which gives him a need to kill his baby to be "King of the Forest" for another year. Kowalski later visits a specialist seeking advice on how to confront the Ancient Egyptian spirit and curse. Carol (Michele Little
), a friend of Heather with a love of recording sounds, spots the white van following her in her pickup truck and becomes suspicious. She informs her love interest Bobby (Michael Wyle) of her fears and he dismisses them and punctures the tire of the van which is parked nearby.
Heather takes the baby to a luxury mansion house, where she takes care of it with Carol. She has a dream in which she predicts the murder of the baby and becomes extremely anxious. Detective Kowalski meanwhile has his car hijacked in the wilderness by the killer spirit and blown to smithereens. The killer learns of the baby's whereabouts and unknown initially to Carol, kills another of her friends and an old vagrant who lives in the back of her truck at the house. He then murders Samantha (Pamela Bach
), another of Carol's friends in the jacuzzi. After discovering Samantha, Carol runs outside with a shotgun and shoots at the white van, although the killer is not present. Then, after discovering the body of her other friend, Carol remarks that she thinks the killer is trying to kill the baby. Carol orders Bobby to go upstairs and to protect Heather and the baby and vows to "kill the bastard". Bobby discovers that Heather is missing and the baby is alone and then departs on his bike/side car and finds the detective. The killer breaks in through a window and is set on fire by Carol, prompting the spirit to leave the burning body and manifest himself again. The killer is then seen leaving the house with the baby in his arms and is confronted by Carol with a shot gun and orders him to give up the baby. When he refuses and lays the baby down by a tree and attempts to perform a ritual, Carol shoots him several times, with no effect. Bobby and the detective arrive on the scene and the detective urges her to pierce the killer with a nearby pole. As she does so a dramatic scene occurs with a flash to the body in the mental ward and it explodes and is followed by a strong wind where the spirit had been. Bobby presents the baby in safe arms to Heather who remarks "Isn't he beautiful". As she looks away supernatural green lights appear in the baby's eyes as the credits roll.
Moustapha Akkad
Moustapha Akkad was a Syrian American film producer and director, best known for producing the series of Halloween films and directing Mohammad, Messenger of God and Lion of the Desert. He was killed along with his daughter Rima Akkad Monla in 2005 in Amman, Jordan by a suicide bomber.-Early life...
and Moviestore Entertainment. The film stars Michele Little
Michele Little
Michele Little is a former American actress, best known for her appearances in the 1980s and early 1990s.She retired in 1995 to raise a family after giving birth to a daughter by husband Brett Cullen.-Filmography:...
, Douglas Rowe
Douglas Rowe
Douglas Rowe is an American character actor. Active in mainly television since 1967, he has appeared in films such as Appointment with Fear and The Incident and appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Outrageous Okona." His character as the off-beat, seedy looking detective...
, Garrick Dowhen
Garrick Dowhen
Garrick Dowhen is an actor and screenwriter, active as an actor mainly in the 1980s and early 1990s. A dark-haired, chisel-jawed actor, he frequently portrayed a Frenchman. He appeared in series such as Remington Steele , as Yves in General Hospital and as a French actor in Days of Our Lives...
, and Kerry Remsen
Kerry Remsen
Kerry Remsen is an American actress. She is the daughter of actor Bert Remsen and casting director Barbara Joyce Dodd, sister of Ann Remsen Manners and has been married to Ron Cates since 2006. She attended the U.S...
.
The film had theatrical release in 1985 by New World Pictures and release on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
in October 1987 by International Video Entertainment, followed in 1991 by Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment.
. Ramsey Thomas had his name removed from the project, replacing it with the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Alan Smithee
Alan Smithee
Alan Smithee was an official pseudonym used by film directors who wish to disown a project, coined in 1968. Until its use was formally discontinued in 2000, it was the sole pseudonym used by members of the Directors Guild of America when a director dissatisfied with the final product proved to...
.
Plot
A man (Garrick DowhenGarrick Dowhen
Garrick Dowhen is an actor and screenwriter, active as an actor mainly in the 1980s and early 1990s. A dark-haired, chisel-jawed actor, he frequently portrayed a Frenchman. He appeared in series such as Remington Steele , as Yves in General Hospital and as a French actor in Days of Our Lives...
) in a white Ford van gets out and stabs his wife on the portico of a house. Before she dies, she gives her baby to Heather (Kerry Remsen
Kerry Remsen
Kerry Remsen is an American actress. She is the daughter of actor Bert Remsen and casting director Barbara Joyce Dodd, sister of Ann Remsen Manners and has been married to Ron Cates since 2006. She attended the U.S...
) and urges her that he must be kept safe, knowing that his father will try to kill him. The case is followed by Detective Kowalski (Douglas Rowe
Douglas Rowe
Douglas Rowe is an American character actor. Active in mainly television since 1967, he has appeared in films such as Appointment with Fear and The Incident and appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Outrageous Okona." His character as the off-beat, seedy looking detective...
), an off-beat, seedy looking detective. Kowalski later finds out the killer is in solitary confinement in the state mental facility but is somehow leaving his body in spirit and is under an Ancient Egyptian curse which gives him a need to kill his baby to be "King of the Forest" for another year. Kowalski later visits a specialist seeking advice on how to confront the Ancient Egyptian spirit and curse. Carol (Michele Little
Michele Little
Michele Little is a former American actress, best known for her appearances in the 1980s and early 1990s.She retired in 1995 to raise a family after giving birth to a daughter by husband Brett Cullen.-Filmography:...
), a friend of Heather with a love of recording sounds, spots the white van following her in her pickup truck and becomes suspicious. She informs her love interest Bobby (Michael Wyle) of her fears and he dismisses them and punctures the tire of the van which is parked nearby.
Heather takes the baby to a luxury mansion house, where she takes care of it with Carol. She has a dream in which she predicts the murder of the baby and becomes extremely anxious. Detective Kowalski meanwhile has his car hijacked in the wilderness by the killer spirit and blown to smithereens. The killer learns of the baby's whereabouts and unknown initially to Carol, kills another of her friends and an old vagrant who lives in the back of her truck at the house. He then murders Samantha (Pamela Bach
Pamela Bach
Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff is an American actress from Tulsa, Oklahoma.-Career:Like her ex-husband, David Hasselhoff, Bach-Hasselhoff receives more attention in Europe than she does in America, and is one of the recipients of the yearly Otto Award as one of German teens' favourite actresses...
), another of Carol's friends in the jacuzzi. After discovering Samantha, Carol runs outside with a shotgun and shoots at the white van, although the killer is not present. Then, after discovering the body of her other friend, Carol remarks that she thinks the killer is trying to kill the baby. Carol orders Bobby to go upstairs and to protect Heather and the baby and vows to "kill the bastard". Bobby discovers that Heather is missing and the baby is alone and then departs on his bike/side car and finds the detective. The killer breaks in through a window and is set on fire by Carol, prompting the spirit to leave the burning body and manifest himself again. The killer is then seen leaving the house with the baby in his arms and is confronted by Carol with a shot gun and orders him to give up the baby. When he refuses and lays the baby down by a tree and attempts to perform a ritual, Carol shoots him several times, with no effect. Bobby and the detective arrive on the scene and the detective urges her to pierce the killer with a nearby pole. As she does so a dramatic scene occurs with a flash to the body in the mental ward and it explodes and is followed by a strong wind where the spirit had been. Bobby presents the baby in safe arms to Heather who remarks "Isn't he beautiful". As she looks away supernatural green lights appear in the baby's eyes as the credits roll.
Partial cast
- Douglas RoweDouglas RoweDouglas Rowe is an American character actor. Active in mainly television since 1967, he has appeared in films such as Appointment with Fear and The Incident and appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Outrageous Okona." His character as the off-beat, seedy looking detective...
as Detective Kowalski - Michele LittleMichele LittleMichele Little is a former American actress, best known for her appearances in the 1980s and early 1990s.She retired in 1995 to raise a family after giving birth to a daughter by husband Brett Cullen.-Filmography:...
as Carol - Kerry RemsenKerry RemsenKerry Remsen is an American actress. She is the daughter of actor Bert Remsen and casting director Barbara Joyce Dodd, sister of Ann Remsen Manners and has been married to Ron Cates since 2006. She attended the U.S...
as Heather - Garrick DowhenGarrick DowhenGarrick Dowhen is an actor and screenwriter, active as an actor mainly in the 1980s and early 1990s. A dark-haired, chisel-jawed actor, he frequently portrayed a Frenchman. He appeared in series such as Remington Steele , as Yves in General Hospital and as a French actor in Days of Our Lives...
as The man - Pamela BachPamela BachPamela Bach-Hasselhoff is an American actress from Tulsa, Oklahoma.-Career:Like her ex-husband, David Hasselhoff, Bach-Hasselhoff receives more attention in Europe than she does in America, and is one of the recipients of the yearly Otto Award as one of German teens' favourite actresses...
as Samantha - James Avery as Connors
- Danny DaytonDanny DaytonDanny Dayton was an American actor and television director. Beginning in the 1950s, he played many roles in film and on TV...
as Norman - Mike GomezMike GomezMike Gomez is an American actor. Best known for his performances in such cult classics as The Big Lebowski and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Mike Gomez has costarred in numerous films including Clint Eastwood's Heartbreak Ridge and Robert Redford's Milagro Beanfield War, Zoot Suit , 'The Border'...
as Little Joe - Debi Sue VoorheesDebi Sue VoorheesDebi Sue Voorhees is an American actress.-Filmography:* Innocent Prey , Prostitute* Avenging Angel , Roxie* Friday the 13th: A New Beginning , Tina...
as Ruth - Peter Griffin as George
- Michael Wyle as Bobby
- Vincent Barbour as Cowboy
- Gertrude Clement as Old Woman
- Nick Conti as Young Detective
- Brioni Farrell as Mrs. Sorenson
- Kathi Gibbs as Cleo
- Charlotte Speer as Mrs. Pierce