OUT OF THE DARK

OUT OF THE DARK (1988). Director: Michael Schroeder. 

Kevin (Cameron Dye) is a professional photographer whose girlfriend, Kristi (Lynn Danielson-Rosenthal), works for a phone sex company with several other women. When some of these women are brutally murdered by a man in a clown mask, the police think Kevin is a major suspect. But Kevin and Kristi instead zero in on a weirdo accountant named Stringer (Bud Cort), trying to find incriminating evidence in the man's office. But there are other suspects as well, including Dennis (Geoffrey Lewis), a friendly -- perhaps too friendly --handyman. Will Kevin and Kristi figure out the truth before one of them runs into the clown?

Cameron Dye

Out of the Dark has an interesting cast, with small bits portrayed by the likes of Lainie Kazan (an aging hooker), Tab Hunter (a driver in an accident), Divine (as a nasty cop), and executive producer Paul Bartel (another weirdo). Karen Black plays the head of the phone sex company. Out of the Dark has a more interesting plot than a lot of these semi-slasher flicks -- there's no over-the-top gore -- and at least one murder scene, when Camille (Starr Andreeff) is killed while being videotaped, is somewhat inventive. Cameron Dye and Lynn Danielson-Rosenthal make appealing protagonists. Paul F. Antonelli and David Wheatley did the score; the theme music is notable.

Verdict: Not too terrible murder mystery with a killer clown. **3/4.