A strange visitor. A mysterious woman. A surprise ending...
One night, an unusual stranger in need asks a woman living alone in a house in the woods if he can use her phone. It soon becomes clear that they're playing a strange mind game and that there's something very wrong about the woods.
The Caller (1987) is a mystery, science fiction, thriller and horror film directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, released on May 1, 1987 with a runtime of 1h 37m. It stars Malcolm McDowell and Madolyn Smith Osborne. Viewers rate it 5.9 out of 10 across 42 ratings.
Directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, written by Michael Sloan, produced by Frank Yablans and Michael Sloan.
Average viewer score of 5.9/10 from 42 ratings.
It was made in the late 80s but feels like it was a 1970s science-fiction flick on a shoe-string budget that has a big reveal that you can call at the start of the film with realitive ease. But, you know what? Who cares? It's actually very well acted, on both sides, and it's a pleasure to watch their preformances. And.... that makes it watchable, very watchable, even if the reveal is pretty predictable.
Reviewed on March 17, 2026
**_Mind games at a cabin-in-the-woods with Malcolm McDowell and Madolyn Smith_** Originally intended to be a theatrical release, this was shot in late 1986 and debuted at festivals Cannes and MystFest in 1987 but not released to video until late Dec 1989 in America. It’s a psychological cat-and-mouse drama that turns into a thriller in the last dozen minutes. There’s a sense of unreality to the proceedings, but…
Reviewed on June 16, 2026
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The Caller (1987) is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and to rent or buy from Apple TV Store. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of The Caller (1987) includes Malcolm McDowell and Madolyn Smith Osborne. The film was directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Caller was released on May 1, 1987 and runs for 1h 37m.
The Caller (1987) holds an average rating of 5.9 out of 10 from 42 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy mystery, science fiction and thriller films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
