Crawlspace (film)
Encyclopedia
Crawlspace is a 1986 horror
/thriller film starring Klaus Kinski
as Karl Guenther, the crazed son of a Nazi doctor, who is obsessed with trapping young women and then slowly torturing them to death. The film is produced by Roberto Bessi, written and directed by David Schmoeller
and also stars Talia Balsam
.
) is a conscientious landlord
who looks out for his young and attractive tenants. Jessica (Carole Francis), the rising young soap opera
star, Harriet (Barbara Whinnery
), a sensuous and vivacious secretary
, Sophie (Tane McClure
), an accomplished pianist
who enjoys wild affairs with her boyfriend, and Lori (Talia Balsam
), a young college student who has just moved in a recently "vacated" apartment: all live in Karl's well kept apartment
s. The only discord is the "tap, tap, tap" sound at night from the crawlspace above their rooms. Karl tells them it's only rat
s, but in reality it is Karl spying on them. One by one, the tenants (and a Nazi hunter
named Alfred Lassiter, (Jack Heller)) become his victims ...each one put to a gruesome test. Only Lori remains alive to disclose the diabolical Karl and she enters the crawlspace—she is alone with a madman capable of anything.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
/thriller film starring Klaus Kinski
Klaus Kinski
Klaus Kinski, born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski , was a German actor. He appeared in more than 130 films, and is perhaps best-remembered as a leading role actor in Werner Herzog films: Aguirre, the Wrath of God , Nosferatu the Vampyre , Woyzeck , Fitzcarraldo and Cobra Verde .-Early...
as Karl Guenther, the crazed son of a Nazi doctor, who is obsessed with trapping young women and then slowly torturing them to death. The film is produced by Roberto Bessi, written and directed by David Schmoeller
David Schmoeller
David Schmoeller is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is notable for directing several full-length theatrical horror movies including Tourist Trap , The Seduction , Puppet Master , Catacombs , and Crawlspace starring Klaus Kinski.-Biography:Schmoeller was born in...
and also stars Talia Balsam
Talia Balsam
Talia Balsam is an American actress.-Early life:Balsam was born in New York City to actors Martin Balsam and Joyce Van Patten.-Career:...
.
Plot summary
Karl Guenther (Klaus KinskiKlaus Kinski
Klaus Kinski, born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski , was a German actor. He appeared in more than 130 films, and is perhaps best-remembered as a leading role actor in Werner Herzog films: Aguirre, the Wrath of God , Nosferatu the Vampyre , Woyzeck , Fitzcarraldo and Cobra Verde .-Early...
) is a conscientious landlord
Landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
who looks out for his young and attractive tenants. Jessica (Carole Francis), the rising young soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
star, Harriet (Barbara Whinnery
Barbara Whinnery
Barbara K. Whinnery is an American actress from Berkeley, California, best known for the role of Dr. Cathy Martin on the television drama St. Elsewhere...
), a sensuous and vivacious secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
, Sophie (Tane McClure
Tane McClure
Tané McClure is an American singer, actress and film producer.McClure was born in Los Angeles County, California and raised in Hawaii. She is the daughter of actor Doug McClure. She sang in a Latin jazz band, Sweet Honesty, in the mid-1970s, and moved to San Francisco towards the end of the decade...
), an accomplished pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
who enjoys wild affairs with her boyfriend, and Lori (Talia Balsam
Talia Balsam
Talia Balsam is an American actress.-Early life:Balsam was born in New York City to actors Martin Balsam and Joyce Van Patten.-Career:...
), a young college student who has just moved in a recently "vacated" apartment: all live in Karl's well kept apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
s. The only discord is the "tap, tap, tap" sound at night from the crawlspace above their rooms. Karl tells them it's only rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s, but in reality it is Karl spying on them. One by one, the tenants (and a Nazi hunter
Nazi hunter
A Nazi-hunter is a private individual who tracks down and gathers information on alleged former Nazis, SS members and Nazi collaborators involved in the Holocaust, typically for use at trial on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity...
named Alfred Lassiter, (Jack Heller)) become his victims ...each one put to a gruesome test. Only Lori remains alive to disclose the diabolical Karl and she enters the crawlspace—she is alone with a madman capable of anything.
DVD release
The film was released on DVD in 2002 by MGM as a double feature with The Attic. As of September 13, 2010, the DVD is now out of print and no plans have been made by MGM to re-release either film. Because of this, the DVD has gone up in value for as much as $30 online, making the DVD a collector's item.Cast
- Klaus KinskiKlaus KinskiKlaus Kinski, born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski , was a German actor. He appeared in more than 130 films, and is perhaps best-remembered as a leading role actor in Werner Herzog films: Aguirre, the Wrath of God , Nosferatu the Vampyre , Woyzeck , Fitzcarraldo and Cobra Verde .-Early...
: Karl Guenther - Talia BalsamTalia BalsamTalia Balsam is an American actress.-Early life:Balsam was born in New York City to actors Martin Balsam and Joyce Van Patten.-Career:...
: Lori Bancroft - Barbara WhinneryBarbara WhinneryBarbara K. Whinnery is an American actress from Berkeley, California, best known for the role of Dr. Cathy Martin on the television drama St. Elsewhere...
: Harriet Watkins - Carole Francis: Jessica Marlow
- Tane McClureTane McClureTané McClure is an American singer, actress and film producer.McClure was born in Los Angeles County, California and raised in Hawaii. She is the daughter of actor Doug McClure. She sang in a Latin jazz band, Sweet Honesty, in the mid-1970s, and moved to San Francisco towards the end of the decade...
: Sophie Fisher (as Tane) - Sally BrownSally BrownSally Brown is the younger sister of Charlie Brown in the comic strip Peanuts by Charles Schulz. She was first mentioned in early 1959 and throughout a long series of strips before her first appearance in August 1959.-Appearance:...
: Martha White - Jack Heller: Alfred Lassiter
- David Abbott: Hank Peterson
- Kenneth Robert Shippy: Josef Steiner
- David SchmoellerDavid SchmoellerDavid Schmoeller is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is notable for directing several full-length theatrical horror movies including Tourist Trap , The Seduction , Puppet Master , Catacombs , and Crawlspace starring Klaus Kinski.-Biography:Schmoeller was born in...
: Rejected tenant (uncredited)