‘The hospital where your next visit… will be your last’
Visiting Hours is a 1982 slasher horror film about a deranged, misogynistic killer who assaults a journalist. When he discovers that she survived the attack, he follows her to the hospital to finish her off.
The movie was directed by Jean-Claude Lord (The Vindicator) from a screenplay by Brian Taggert (Trucks; Omen IV; Poltergeist III; Of Unknown Origin; et al).
The production stars Lee Grant, William Shatner and Michael Ironside.
Synopsis from Final Cut Blu-ray:
“Deborah Ballin is a controversial middle-aged TV journalist, who is campaigning on air on behalf of a battered woman who murdered her abusive husband, claiming justifiable defence against the so-called victim. But her outspoken views championing women’s rights incense one of the studio’s cleaning staff, closet homicidal psycho (and misogynist) Colt Hawker whose deep seated despising all all things female occurred from seeing his mother throwing boiling oil in the face of his abusive Father when he was a small child (and who’s M.O. is to photograph victims he stabs as they’re dying ). So much so that he decides there and then to shut her up… permanently!
Managing to beat her home, he soon dispatches her maid Francine, before turning his rage onto her as she come home (greeting her in only wearing her jewellery and make-up). Despite the brutal injuries he lashes out on her, she manages to survive and is rushed off to hospital. But undaunted he catches up to her in hospital and disguised as a florist… he enter the building to continue his mission to finish her off… along with anyone else who gets under his skin.”
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” …the picture as a whole is slick and professionally done. Somehow this doesn’t help matters much though, and the overlong running time makes the hurt even worse. Stephan Dupuis and Michele Burke, a dynamic effects duo if ever there was one, are credited with the movies special makeup effects, but unfortunately aside from some slight scarring on Ironside’s face they don’t seem to be any.” Caelum Vatnsdal, They Came from Within book
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“While Ironside (Scanners) contributes a memorably depraved performance, Visiting Hours is a fairly repugnant film that seems to share its killer’s attitude towards women. Director Jean Claude Lord does manage to build some effective suspense sequences, but overall his direction is hyperactive – as is the annoyingly insistent musical score by Jonathan Goldsmith.” James J. Mulay (editor), The Horror Film book
“As conflicted as it occasionally seems and as unfocused as the feminist viewpoint is, it’s a really sharp thriller with slasher overtones that is probably the best of a rather scant subgenre.” Video Junkie
“Revisiting it now, courtesy of Final Cut Entertainment’s new dual format (Blu-ray/DVD) release, I’ve not only found a new appreciation for the film itself, but also for the cinematography, which had been previously muddied by inferior VHS transfers. This suspenseful slice of 80s slasher is well worth the revisit.” Kultguy’s Keep
“Jean Claude Lord’s may resort to so many of the clichés associated with the slasher phenomenon, but it also introduces a cast of strong women who are prepared to fight for their lives rather the usual stock of teen fodder. Visiting Hours couldn’t be described as a gory piece, but Lord wasn’t adverse to lingering over his death scenes…” Peter Normanton, The Mammoth Book of Slasher Movies
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“The second half is very clever and exciting, leading to an awesome final girl chase at the end and a great final fight, as well. Really, this is more of a suspense-thriller than a slasher movie. Granted, there are quite a few bloody kills throughout, thanks to Mr. Ironside and his huge switchblade, but they are really drawn out. The focus here is on the suspense than the kills thankfully and it makes for a very watchable, edge of your seat type thriller.” Ronnie Angel, Slashed Dreams book
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“The problem with this film is that the clichéd script, stock situations and overwrought, over-insistent direction simply exploit Grant and her plight as a means of generating shock and suspense in the most perfunctory way imaginable.” Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia book
” …it is a slasher flick through and through, playing on a common fear (this time of hospitals) and featuring cat-and-mouse antics between the chaser and chased. It is also interesting as it pits liberal feminism against macho right-wing bigotry – a battle that was happening for real in America at the time.” J.A. Kerswell, Teenage Wasteland book
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Release and censorship:
In the US, the film was released theatrically by 20th Century Fox in May 1982. It was released on DVD by Anchor Bay Entertainment in 2006. It was released by Shout Factory along with Bad Dreams as a double feature DVD on September 13, 2011 and as a Blu-ray on February 18, 2014.
In the UK in 1982, The Visitor was passed with an ‘X’ certificate by the BBFC following 1 minutes and 10 seconds of cuts as follows:
- Cut to edit a scene where Colt traces his switchblade knife across Lisa before slashing her shirt
- Cuts to shots of Colt stabbing Sheila and to her pained facial expression
- More cuts in the same scene with Colt kicking her Sheila to get a response for the photographs he is taking of her.
This censored version was released on VHS by CBS/Fox in 1983 yet was still briefly listed as a ‘video nasty’ in September 1984. However, it was dropped from the list in November 1984.
In 1986, the cut cinema version was passed ’18’ without further by the BBFC for a CBS/Fox video release
On British television, ITV broadcast the uncut version (perhaps unknowingly?) in 1989 and was subsequently rebuked by the British Broadcasting Standards Authority.
Cast and characters:
Michael Ironside as Colt Hawker (Still/Born; Patient Seven; Reeker; Scanners; et al)
Lee Grant as Deborah Ballin (Mulholland Doctor; The Swarm; Damien: Omen II; The Spell)
Linda Purl as Sheila Munroe (Bones; Fear of the Dark)
William Shatner as Gary Baylor (A Christmas Horror Story; Kingdom of the Spiders; The Devil’s Rain; Incubus; et al)
Lenore Zann as Lisa (The Mummy: Secrets of the Medjai)
Harvey Atkin as Vinnie Bradshaw
Michael J. Reynolds as Porter Halstrom
Len Watt as Clement Pine
Kirsten Bishop as Denise
Robbie Robinson as Matthew
Lorena Gale as First Nurse
Background:
The film’s shooting title was The Fright.
Trailer:
Free to watch online on YouTube [720p]:
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