Eric Binford lives for the movies...Sometimes he kills for them, too!
A lonely film buff embarks on a killing spree against those who browbeat and betray him, all the while stalking a Marilyn Monroe lookalike.
Fade to Black (1980) is a drama, horror, thriller and comedy film directed by Vernon Zimmerman, released on October 14, 1980 with a runtime of 1h 42m. It stars Dennis Christopher, Tim Thomerson, Gwynne Gilford and Norman Burton. Viewers rate it 5.7 out of 10 across 95 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Fade to Black before you stream it.
Dennis Christopher
as Eric Binford
Tim Thomerson
as Jerry Moriarty
Gwynne Gilford
as Officer Anne Oshenbull
Norman Burton
as Marty Berger
Linda Kerridge
as Marilyn O'Connor
Morgan Paull
as Gary Bially
James Luisi
as Capt. M.L. Gallagher
Eve Brent
as Aunt Stella Binford
John Steadman
as Sam
Marcie Barkin
as Stacy
Mickey Rourke
as Richie
Peter Horton
as Joey
Directed by Vernon Zimmerman, written by Vernon Zimmerman, produced by Ron Hamady and George G. Braunstein.
Average viewer score of 5.7/10 from 95 ratings.
**_When reality imitates cinema_** This comes in the tradition of prior films like “Psycho,” “Willard” and “Don’t Go in the House,” all of which involve a troubled loner who lashes out at society. The twist here is that the misfit (Dennis Christopher) is a fanatical film buff who ends up impersonating classic film characters to enact revenge. I wouldn’t be surprised if the writer was inspired by the Marvel Comics…
Reviewed on October 5, 2025
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Fade to Black (1980) is available to stream on Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, Night Flight Plus, Shudder Amazon Channel, Shudder Apple TV channel and Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Fade to Black (1980) includes Dennis Christopher, Tim Thomerson, Gwynne Gilford, Norman Burton and Linda Kerridge. The film was directed by Vernon Zimmerman. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Fade to Black was released on October 14, 1980 and runs for 1h 42m.
Fade to Black (1980) holds an average rating of 5.7 out of 10 from 95 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama, horror and thriller films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Fade to Black trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
