Retribution (1987 film)

On Halloween, two men both suffer horrific injuries at the same time: George Miller is hospitalised after he attempts suicide by jumping from a hotel roof, and Vito Minelli dies after being shot multiple times and then set on fire when he angers the mob by being unable to pay off his gambling debts. When George is revived and nursed back to health, he begins to have nightmares about Vito's life. His psychiatrist, Dr. Curtis, thinks that he's mentally ill, but Lt. Ashley believes that he's responsible for a series of brutal murders. George eventually discovers that he's been possessed by Vito, who has been killing the gangsters responsible for his own death.

• Dennis Lipscomb as George Miller
• Leslie Wing as Dr. Jennifer Curtis
• Suzanne Snyder as Angel
• Jeff Pomerantz as Dr. Alan Falconer
• George Murdock as Dr. John Talbot
• Pamela Dunlap as Sally Benson
• Susan Peretz as Mrs. Stoller
• Clare Peck as Carla Minelli
• Chris Caputo as Dylan
• Hoyt Axton as Lt. Ashley
• Ralph Manza as Amos
• Mario Roccuzzo as Johnny Blake
• Harry Caesar as Charlie
• Jeffrey Josephson as Joe Martinez
• Tony Cox as Hotel Resident

Guy Magar said it took three years before he found an investor for the film. A wealthy businessman finally put up the entire $1.2 million budget. Filming began in January 1986 and lasted five weeks.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19881101&id=qXlPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jlEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5667,2731261|title=Movie Meanders Mysteriously|last=Scott|first=Vernon|work=The Bryan Times|agency=UPI|date=1988-11-01|page=}}

Retribution screened at the AFI Film Festival of Los Angeles in March 1987.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-03-22-ca-14588-story.html|title=Afi Film Fest: The Final Week|last=Klady|first=Leonard|work=Los Angeles Times|date=1987-03-22|access-date=2014-06-07}} The film was originally planned for theatrical release in October 1986, but it was delayed. It had a limited release in June 1987, missed a wide release in October 1987, and was finally scheduled for an October 1988 wide release.

Chris Willman of the Los Angeles Times called it "stingy on scares" and poorly plotted.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-10-29-ca-200-story.html|title=Movie Reviews : Beware of This Frighteningly Tedious 'Retribution'|last=Willman|first=Chris|work=Los Angeles Times|date=1988-10-29|access-date=2014-06-07}} Daryl Loomis of DVD Verdict wrote, "Retribution is overlong and kind of silly, but offers some imaginative kills; cult horror fans should get a kick out of it. I recommend it mildly to them, but to nobody else."{{cite web|url=https://dvdverdict.com/reviews/retribution.php|title=Retribution (1987)|last=Loomis|first=Daryl|work=DVD Verdict|date=2012-09-12|accessdate=2014-06-07}} Empire rated it 3/5 stars and called it "a fun trash movie".{{cite web|url=https://empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=16297|title=Retribution|author=|work=Empire|accessdate=2014-06-07}} Time Out called it "often scary" but too focused on the human interest elements.{{cite book|title=Time Out Film Guide|last=Floyd|first=Nigel|editor-last=Pym|editor-first=John|publisher=Time Out Guides|year=2010|isbn=9781846702082|page=891|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bcDIMS2Zb94C&pg=PA891}}

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• {{IMDb title|0095984}}

Category:1987 films

Category:1987 horror films

Category:1987 independent films

Category:1980s American films

Category:1980s English-language films

Category:1980s supernatural horror films

Category:American independent films

Category:American supernatural horror films

Category:Films directed by Guy Magar

Category:Films scored by Alan Howarth (composer)

Category:1987 directorial debut films

Category:English-language horror films

Category:English-language independent films

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