New to the city, TV director Leigh Michaels is being stalked by one of her neighbors in a high-rise apartment… But who is it? and can she figure out who it is before it’s too late… I’ll tell you who was watching Leigh at the very end of this review. 😉😅
I love the “North by Northwest”-inspired opening credits; they are very fun.
The apartment Leigh lives at is called “Arkham”, so I appreciate the Lovecraft reference.
So apparently in the 1970s, all the furniture and walls looked like people’s hair… Brown 😂 I guess people were just really into earth tones at the time.
Lauren Hutton is quite charming as Leigh; she brings a sharp sense of humor and wit to the role that makes her a very enjoyable lead.
Some of the dialogue can feel a bit odd or unnatural at times, but overall it’s pretty fun.
The movie takes place in the city, and there are a lot of outside shots, so I got a kick out of seeing what the city looked like in the 70s.
Adrianne Barbeau is a thief in this movie because she steals everything she’s in lol.
John Carpenter is one of my favorite directors, so it was interesting seeing one of his earliest films; you definitely see him honing his style and he has a lot of creative camera tricks throughout. The whole film has a very Hitchcockian minimalist but effective style that brings a sense of class to the movie.
This doesn’t affect the movie at all, but coincidentally Adrianne Barbeau’s character Sophie is a lesbian, and you don’t see many “casual gay” characters in movies from the time, so that was unique.
The movie is definitely a “slow burn thriller,” which it does an excellent job of, but it’s just something to be aware of.
Carpenter makes a lot of cinematic nods to Alfred Hitchcock films, recreating iconic shots from films like Psycho, Vertigo, and Rear Window, using similar camera tricks, and since the killer watches Leigh through a telescope, the Rear Window vibes are pretty strong.
David Birney plays Leigh’s love interest, Paul, and he’s very down-to-earth and caring in the role. Also, he is one of the most 1970s-looking people I’ve ever seen. He looks like Richard Benjamin mixed with Bill Bixby, unless you’re Burt Reynolds or Farrah Fawcett. You can’t look more 1970s than that. 😂
I like how the movie explores the psychological effects stalking has on a person; it feels a little ahead of its time and nuanced for the time.
The way this movie built tension feels very realistic and surprisingly intense, despite the slower pace. Also, the way the stalker incorporates technology into his stalking has a surprisingly modern feel, unfortunately, but that does give some points to the film for being ahead of its time.
Charles Cyphers pops up in this, and he’s always enjoyable to watch.
The third act felt a bit elongated when it could’ve been tighter, but it did have a Brian DePalma feel to it, which I appreciated.
I did really like the final shot and line of the film, and it ended strong.
“Someone Watching Me!” is a fun flick. The pacing is a bit slow, and the “70s TV movie” quality is unavoidable. But as a fun “cozy thriller” with John Carpenter homing Alfred Hitchcock, I had more fun than I expected. I give the movie a high and enthusiastic three stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️. Also, you know who was watching Leigh… You! I mean, technically you are watching her in the movie. 🎥 😂😂😂
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