Readers, it was terrifying.
Threadswas made at a time when those fears were once again at their height.
Pacing up and down in the benighted street, Harry suddenly hears a phone ringing in a nearby booth.
Forget everything you just heard, the voice tells Harry.
And go back to sleep.
Thus begins a bewildering, funny and frightening movie that barely lets up until the end credits.
Most movies dont bother to introduce their ticking clock until third act.
De Jarnatt introduces his within the first thirty minutes.
Nevertheless, the possibility that Harrys fallen victim to a prank lingers for much of the movie.
The nest catches fire, affecting a power line, which causes Harrys bedside clock to cut out.
And thus, Harry misses his date.
Somehow, De Jarnatt manages to make that small budget count in just about every scene.
De Jarnatt even hired Tangerine Dream, whose woozy electronic music also graced MannsThiefandThe Keep.
In another scene, Denise Crosbys character makes a phone call to Carl Sagan.
Yet in among the black comedy, a palpable sense of dread begins to build.
The audience sat there for a moment, dazed, before breaking into spontaneous applause.
In its 90 quirky minutes, De Jarnatts film perfectly distils the fears of an entire generation.
