When a film lacks originality, it has to make up for it in some other manner if it wants a chance at succeeding. As I have recently explored with The Victim and The Screaming Woman, the 1970s were an especially hot time for made-for-television films. Due to the almost assembly line nature of the productions, the quality could vary from project to project, but there was often at least one element that had you tuning in. When Gordon Hessler (The Oblong Box) debuted Scream, Pretty Peggy in November of 1973 as an ABC Suspense Movie, no one would have accused the feature of breaking new ground. Nevertheless, it had an ace in the hole with one key piece of casting; Academy Award-winning actress Bette Davis (All About Eve, The Letter) was not as in-demand as she once was, but her presence in a film still guaranteed eyeballs from a certain audience. The movie is no grand piece of art, but for a passably entertaining horror film there are worse ways to spend an hour or so.
The tale begins in an appropriately eerie fashion as a young woman (Tovah Feldshuh, The Walking Dead) is trying to escape from a large house before being butchered in the driveway by an ethereal woman in a nightgown in the driveway. The fate of this woman does not register as good news for young college student Peggy Johns (Sian Barbara Allen, You’ll Like My Mother) who eagerly seeks a job from the campus employment office as the housekeeper of the residence where that crime was just committed. Her excitement with the position is a bit dubious considering the pay is below minimum wage and “light” housekeeping is a relative term with a home that large, but motives seem a bit more clear as this aspiring art student comes face to face Jeffrey Elliott (Ted Bessell, That Girl), an acclaimed sculptor. She charms Jeffrey into matching minimum wage and starting immediately against the strong objections from his mother (Bette Davis), an overbearing woman who does not want anyone in the house. This ambitious girl weasels her way deeper into Jeff’s good graces, but she may be in for a deadly surprise.
The movie is fairly successful at building on the initial excitement despite some of the expected plot developments that crop up. The seeds of mystery are planted as Peggy is told not to clean the room above the garage, a room that is eventually said to house Jeff’s unwell sister who is hiding away from the world. The walls close in a bit more when the father of the initial victim, a housekeeper for the family, shows up in search for his missing daughter. Despite many red flags, Peggy is not swayed away from the household, choosing to admire the demon sculptures molded by Jeff rather than take Davis’ advice to get out of the house. The feature makes the intriguing choice to have our protagonist not be perfect or even sympathetic, but you still get wrapped up in the drama of her experience. This is not a very bloodthirsty film, especially airing on television in the 70s, choosing instead to rely on some unsettling imagery that may be a bit tame but remains entertaining.
Will fans of the genre get anything new out of the experience? Definitely not. The thrills and revelations are very conventional, but it is executed in a manner that is pleasant in a junk food kind of way. At only 74 minutes long the plot is not overly padded, and seeing Davis in camp mode is always a blast even if she is underutilized. Those who go in not expecting much should appreciate it for what it delivers.
Video Quality
Scream, Pretty Peggy comes to Blu-Ray with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer derived from a new 2K master that is outstanding. Kino Classics has once again rescued a television film from obscurity with a stunning new presentation that is very impressive. This print is in much better shape than one could ever dream up considering it’s not an A-list title. It maintains the natural film grain of the source without any hints of digital tinkering. The grain presents as organic rather than overwhelmingly noisy, which allows for greater depth to the image. Instances of print damage have been cleaned up immensely with no apparent blemishes that stand out. Overall clarity and detail is tremendous, and skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Colors are well saturated with vivid hues popping off the screen, especially in some of the sculptures on display. Black levels are deep and hold up well with crush not serving as a noticeable issue. Kino Classics has done an amazing job with this release.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that accurately captures the intended sound of the film. The subtle environmental sounds of the house are rendered well alongside everything else. The music from Bob Prince is handled well throughout the duration of the film with excellent fidelity. There is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. Kino Classics has delivered an audio presentation that brings the story to life in a pleasing manner.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson provide an entertaining and incisive commentary track in which they discuss the story, the careers of the talent involved, the assembly-line nature of the production, the shooting location and more. This is a fun listen for those who enjoy the feature.
- TV Spots: There is a 30-second TV Spot provided for Scream, Pretty Peggy. There are also TV spots provided for Fear No Evil, Ritual of Evil and Kolchak: The Night Stalker (Bad Medicine).
Final Thoughts
Scream, Pretty Peggy is a solidly entertaining made-for-television horror film that succeeds in spite of a fairly pedestrian narrative. The performances are strong for the type of film that it is with Bette Davis likely being the draw for most. Kino Classics has delivered a Blu-Ray sporting a lovely A/V presentation and a great commentary track. If you are a fan of the genre, it is unlikely you will be disappointed by this one. Recommended
Scream, Pretty Peggy will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on October 5, 2021.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
