User reviews

This movie freaked me out when I saw it many years ago. The plot concerns a young single mom raising a rebellios teenage daughter(Lisa) who, tired of what she deems her mom's overprotectivness, begins crankcalling handsome strangers and unwittingly begins a phone flirtation with a serial killer.

This movie would be a great choice for mothers and daughters to view. What makes it so scary is it's realism.This is a situation that could happen to anyone, It stays with you, there are a few really terrifying scenes.I'd recomend this movie to anyone who likes thrillers, "Lisa" will make girls wonder just who it is their striking up a conversation with.

Lisa is a lesser-known seductive thriller that toys with the perils of connecting with a stranger over the phone (back then, a landline) in the late 80s. When 14-year-old Lisa (a cute Staci Keanan) falls for the much older, outwardly charming Richard (D.W Moffett), she stalks him and connects with him virtually over phonecalls. This is particularly fueled by the fact that Lisa's (single) mom Katherine (the lovely Cheryl Ladd) doesn't want her to date until she's 16, while her bestie Wendy is allowed by her parents to do so. Little does she know that Richard is a serial killer targeting young women, and he gives chase to Lisa, thinking she's her mother.

The film hasn't exactly aged well and is filled with questionable logic but it delivers pretty solidly as a cat-and-mouse thriller. The horror is minimal - if you think a killer leaving recorded messages and jumping out of the shadows leaving a trail of violence in his wake is good enough, it does alright. But in terms of building an atmosphere, it's pretty far behind. We're introduced to Richard's antics early on, and by the time the second kill happens, we already know his pattern and it really doesn't build any further layers of mystery. And the way the character has been written too is quite ordinary.

What works in the film are the following: the uneasy mother-daughter chemistry between Keanan and Ladd, the charming 80s Los Angeles setting, the pulpy elements (like Lisa getting unexpectedly stuck in Richard's car), and the blood-soaked finale.

Staci Keanan of 'My Two Dads' and 'Step by Step' stars as the title character, a girl in her early teens. She's a little too eager to grow up, especially since her mother Katherine (Cheryl Ladd), doesn't want her dating for at least another two years. One night, Staci literally runs into older man Richard (D. W. Moffett), and is struck by his good looks. She develops an obsession with Richard that includes following him to see where he works (he runs a restaurant). This escalates to a point where she goes ahead and phones him, and they engage in some seductive calls, with him not knowing that this mystery caller is the young girl whom he's just met. Ultimately, she's playing with fire: we learn early in the movie that Richard is the evil Candle Light Killer who has been offing various unlucky local women.

People who love the other works of director Gary Sherman, such as his horror features "Deathline" (a.k.a. "Raw Meat") and "Dead & Buried", and his sleaze drama "Vice Squad", may be caught a little off guard at first with the tamer nature of this film. But in his own words, he basically made this for teenage girls, having also co- written it with Karen Clark. Taking it for what it is, it's watchable enough, with some adequate suspense and a climax that actually doesn't go overboard with violence. Joe Renzettis' music is good, and the lighting by Alex Nepomniaschy is appropriate from scene to scene.

Keanans' appealing performance does go a long way towards making this work as well as it does. Moffett is similarly effective - he's charming when he needs to be, and refrains from being an over the top bogeyman, playing the part with some restraint. Ladd is good as the overprotective mom who believes to have the best interests of her daughter at heart; she doesn't want her to make the same mistakes she did as a kid. Tanya Fenmore is engaging as the best friend, and a rather under utilized Jeffrey Tambor gets little to do as the best friends' father.

Even if "Lisa" is not really anything special, one could also do a lot worse.

Six out of 10.

Lisa (the lovely Staci Keanan) is 14 and boy-crazy, but Katherine, her overprotective single mother, refuses to let her date until she turns 16. While Lisa is out getting groceries one night, she literally runs into Richard and instantly develops a crush on the much older man. Along with her best friend, she finds out where he works and uses sneaky tactics to get his phone number. She begins calling him repeatedly, engaging in seductive conversations without revealing her identity. When Lisa's stalking gets more and more risky, her friend convinces her that if she revealed herself to Richard, he'd be furious about the age difference. Lisa then devises a plan to push Richard and Katherine together in an attempt to get her mother's mind on something other than controlling her life. What Lisa doesn't know is that Richard is a serial killer who was leaving the scene of his latest crime when she bumped into him.

Director Gary Sherman's output has always been largely ignored. Even "Dead & Buried", which is one of my absolute favorite horror films, wasn't widely known for the longest time. "Lisa" is no different. Unlike the aforementioned gem, however, it doesn't have a DVD or Blu-ray release to help it gain more viewers. That said, it is certainly worth seeking out.

The film contains some strong performances. Staci Keanan, who was the sole reason to watch popular sitcom, "Step by Step", carries the picture. She is infinitely charming with a quick wit and my kind of quirkiness. She's also great at portraying this naive, vulnerable girl who thinks she's tougher than she is. Lisa and her mother share a good relationship, but we see the wedge that is driven between them as the former grows increasingly bitter due to the rules placed over her. It doesn't help that she witnesses Katherine spurn a friendly guy at the local bowling alley, an act which leads Lisa to believe that she's being punished for her mother's past mistakes. Cheryl Ladd is well-cast as Katherine, and her chemistry with Keanan is palpable. Short of casting Jordan Ladd herself in the titular role, I don't think we could have seen a more believable mother and daughter pairing. D.W. Moffet makes for an interesting maniac. Rich, good-looking and suave, he could easily get women, but he would rather slaughter them. Dubbed the "Candlelight Killer" by the press, he leaves messages on his victims' answering machines warning them of what he's about to do before he does it. Jeffrey Tambor is in the film too, but he's underused in a throwaway role.

We get some solid suspense here, particularly during a scene where Lisa finds herself stuck in Richard's vehicle. It's made worse by the fact that she doesn't know just how bad it would be if he found her. The film's climax is also tense and surprisingly violent. We also get an amusing bit, be it intentional or unintentional, where Richard uses Katherine to head-butt her own daughter. I will say that the film falters a bit towards the end, mainly due to a poor decision made by one of the characters. This in turn makes for a predictable finale. I also thought that the look of the film wasn't as impressive as it could have been, especially taking into account the eerie, fog-drenched photography of "Dead & Buried". The score sort of made up for the generic look, being moody whereas the atmosphere wasn't.

In the end, this is a worthwhile effort thanks in large part to the performances on display. It's a well-acted film, and the suspense benefits as a result.

This film begins with a young teenager by the name of "Lisa Holland" (Staci Keanan) who enjoys playing flirtatious pranks on slightly older men. As it so happens, one night while returning from a nearby grocery store, she happens to bump into a man by the name of "Richard" (D. W. Moffett) and she immediately becomes mesmerized by his good looks. Determined to know more about him she secretly follows him and upon learning his name decides to tease him in her usual manner. What she doesn't realize, however, is Richard is a psychopath who the newspapers have dubbed "The Candlelight Killer" who has recently raped and killed 8 other women-and he now wants to find out more about Lisa in the worst sort of way. Now, rather than reveal any more, this film had a bit more suspense than I initially expected and for that reason it left me pleasantly surprised overall. Likewise, having a beautiful actress like Cheryl Ladd (as Lisa's mother "Katherine Holland") certainly didn't hurt in any way either. Be that as it may, while this film may not be a blockbuster by any means, it was certainly good enough for the time spent and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Lisa's character is super annoying. What a dumb kid. Nosey, stalking, naive, stupid kid who put herself and her mom's life in danger.

A young girl, looking for adventure with the opposite sex, develops a long distance crush on a handsome stranger. This leads to the man noticing her and her mom which, instead of being a nice meeting of friends, winds up putting both in danger. Good, nerve wracking chiller containing a very evil, totally sinister killer.

This film is a prime example of seeing a movie for the first time and liking it, then viewing it again years later and finding it completely ridiculous.

I wouldn't put such a strong label as "completely ridiculous" on this film, but it's fairly close descriptor. "Lisa" is the story of a teenager who, with her best friend, basically stalk men that they think are "cute": Keeping scrapbooks of their polaroid snapshots, etc. This tactic finally goes horribly wrong when Lisa inadvertently fixes her attention on a man who ends up being "The Candlelight Killer", a serial killer who is terrorizing the city.

As stated earlier, I had seen this movie about 12 years ago and thought it was fairly suspenseful. None of that suspense was apparent to me watching it this time, and unfortunately I can't blame it on knowing what was going to happen because I couldn't remember any of the scenes. The only vaguely interesting element to the film that made the film barely tolerable was the fact that the eventual "victim" was unknowingly stalking the killer - but I think I'm being generous in my assessment. This was basically a straight to video type film that could have been featured on the Lifetime network, and probably has been since it also features the horrible Cheryl Ladd. Unless you have a lot of patience to sit through a film with an unfulfilling ending, I would suggest bypassing this one.

--Shelly

"Lisa" follows a 14-year-old girl who is beginning to harbor an interest in the opposite sex, to the disapproval of her protective single mother, Katherine. When Lisa encounters a handsome, well-dressed man, she begins to harmlessly stalk him, even gaining his phone number and making anonymous calls; unbeknownst to Lisa, the man is in fact a smooth-talking serial killer dispatching women around Los Angeles.

This titled-on-the-nose thriller plays like an edgier, bloodier ABC After-School Special, and as such, has an undeniable charm of its own. Directed by Gary Sherman (the director of the divisive "Poltergeist III"), the film often has the soft look of a television movie, but it is peppered with moments of hard-edged violence (particularly in the last act) and subject matter that toes the line of controversy.

What elevates "Lisa" form being utterly silly is that it is very well-acted, and there is a relatively high level of suspense ratcheted up as it progresses. Staci Keanan and Cheryl Ladd make for a very believable mother-daughter combination, and both turn in naturalistic performances. D. W. Moffett is aptly suave and smooth-talking, though his character does feel flat at times, with more focus being placed on Lisa, her best friend, and her dynamic with her mother. The sunny Venice Beach locations are perfectly captured here, and the film, though released in 1990, has that late '80s aesthetic hangover.

All in all, "Lisa" is an entertaining, well-acted thriller that is suspenseful though not particularly unnerving. It is most enjoyable as a time capsule of its era, where voicemails and landlines could unwittingly put one in touch with a serial killer. Lisa never quite realizes the danger she's in, and, though she most definitely is, the stakes never feel too dramatically high-which is what makes this type of film an undeniably fun watch. 7/10.

Staci Keanan (star of TV show My Two Dads) plays Lisa, a precocious fourteen year old schoolgirl who becomes infatuated with Richard (D. W. Moffett), the handsome stranger she bumps into while returning home from the grocery store. Resourceful Lisa finds out Richard's name and phone number and plays flirtatious games with him, unaware that she is toying with a serial killer. Lisa's games eventually put her overprotective mom Katherine (Cheryl Ladd) in danger.

Directed by Gary Sherman (Death Line, Dead & Buried), Lisa plays it frustratingly safe, feeling every inch like the made-for-video film that it originally was (it received a limited theatre release before finally hitting home video and cable). For the most part, the film is fairly tame, with scenes of mild peril rather than genuine horror; after much tepid thrills, the final act ramps up the excitement, as Lisa arrives home while Richard is attempting to add Katherine to his long list of victims

This being a thriller primarily aimed at teenagers, we get the predictable Hollywood ending, as Katherine and Lisa join forces to put an end to the killer's reign of terror. I wonder whether Sherman ever considered a more shocking ending: Lisa arriving home to find her mother already dead would have been a real punch to the gut.

I watched this movie back on Cinemax and Showtime on cable when I was a kid and just got my hands on a VHS release of it not to long ago. Just as good as I remember it. Lots of obscene phone stalking by a 14 year old. Anyway the movie involves 2 cute supposedly 14 year old hotties and they toy with a serial killer and don't know how far they have pushed this psycho!!A really cool movie with a gory ending. Slasher reviewer gives this one a thumbs up and yells check it out for sure!!!!!Great acting, great storyline, cute chicks, unique kill scenes, what more could you ask for?

I watched this movie as a fan of Staci Keanen from MY TWO DADS and STEP BY STEP. It piqued my curiosity.

It is a suspense thriller that isn't very suspenseful or thrilling. Everything in the movie is building up to the final showdown scene. Meanwhile there is some melodrama between the mother and daughter.

Movies like WHEN A STRANGER CALLS and of course SCREAM build up tension using the plot device of a phone call. In this movie there isn't any.

We find out quickly that Richard is a serial killer who woos women, stalks them, leaves them threatening voice mails before killing them and somehow always getting away before the cops come. Nobody ever suspects it is him.

Lisa is a precocious hormonal teenager who likes to stalk men and call them using her "sultry adult voice" for fun.

Of course Lisa calls Richard and then it is a long wait until the showdown scene.

In that final showdown the villain/would be killer gets it worse than the victim. Cheryl Ladd the Mom gets head butted and knocked out. Richard meanwhile is stabbed twice, has mace thrown in his face, and hit by a baseball hat before falling out a window into an alley below. No kill like overkill.

Just a really boring, slow burn of a movie.

This was a beautifully crafted suspense thriller about an overprotected 14-year-old girl named Lisa (played by Staci Keanan) who, in her innocent attempts to have some involvement with the opposite sex, becomes tied up in conversing by phone with a handsome guy, who unknown to her is the crazed serial killer responsible for several murders of young single women in the area where she and her single mom live.

Staci Keanan and Cheryl Ladd made a wonderful mother-daughter team. There are many suspenseful moments involving Lisa and the killer, yet the whole time she has no clue just how dangerous this handsome young man she stalks really is. It would make any teen think twice before trying to pick up a handsome stranger. I was thirteen when this film was first released in 1990. "Lisa" sure scared the hell out of me when I first saw it.

A 14 years-old girl (Staci Keanan) inadvertently strikes up a secret relationship with a distinguished restauranteur in Hollywood (DW Moffett). Unfortunately, he might also be the notorious Candlelight Killer, which would put her and her mother in danger (Cheryl Ladd).

"Lisa" (1990) is a coming-of-age drama meshed with PG-13 slasher. Writer/director Gary Sherman knows how to make atmospheric horror in view of his well-done "Dead & Buried" (1981). I happened to see Brian De Palma's "Dressed to Kill" (1980) the night prior and it was thoroughly artistic and well-written with genuine surprises. This film, by comparison, strikes me as by-the-numbers, which no doubt had to do with the modest budget.

Nevertheless, "Lisa" is a perfectly serviceable film in which the mother & daughter are successfully fleshed out and you find yourself caring for them and their outcome. Staci was only 14 during shooting while Cheryl was 38. If you're a fan of either, this is certainly worth checking out, even though it's not exactly high art.

The movie runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot in Hollywood (the apartment, flower shop and school) and Muse restaurant on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles.

GRADE: B-

"Lisa" takes me back when I was about 11 or 12 years old. Sometimes bad movies can be good if you grew up watching them. I watch this movie now and I say: "Ok it was kind of stupid, but I still like it". I don't know, I guess I am hooked on the whole fact of Lisa being this stupid kid doing the exact opposite of what I would have done. I get a kick out of watching movies; especially if it is dealing with other people's problems,it makes me feel better if I am having a bad day. Still the movie has it's suspense, and charm, and its about a 14 year old girl making really stupid mistakes, and of course paying for them! Haven't we all! I still love this movie and I'm still going to buy it!

i was pleasantly surprised by this movie.i thought it was terrific.it's got loads of suspense and tension.i also liked the atmosphere over the movie overall.it's well acted.i found the interaction between the mother and her teenage daughter to be very authentic.the movie is not boring at all.in fact,it movies along at a very nice clip.there is one great ironic scene,which i thought was brilliant.it may not have been original,but it works in this case,regardless.the general premise isn't wholly original,but i like what they did with the material.to me,this movie is quite above average for the suspense/thriller genre.i caught this movie on cable,so it didn't cost me anything(other than my monthly cable bill,of course).i think it's well worth the two hours or so spent watching.for me,Lisa,AKA The Candle Light Killer is an 8/10

I remember watching this when I was a kid and my own growing pains were starting to act up.

This film is about 14 yr old Lisa. She lives with her single, over protective mother and is in a hurry to grow up. She's like most teenage girls. Boy crazy, eager to date and loves her best friend, Wendy, who seems to have all the freedom Lisa so desperately wants.

After accidently running into an older, but attractive man, she gets his phone number by way of his license plate and begins making flirtatious phone calls. Little does she realize the dashing man is a crazed rapist killer who has earned the title of "The Candlelight Killer" due to the romantic candle lit atmosphere he sets up for his victims just before killing them. Her playfulness creates an obsession within the killer and soon the prankster becomes prey.

I think this is a pretty solid, yet understated, thriller. While it holds some nostalgia for me, it has a decent storyline and the lead actress does a wonderful job with her character. It's also filmed well aside from a slight "made for tv" vibe.

This is a great film for a bit of suspense and remebering the innocent naivety of youth. I'd recommend it but it's not likely to be a film for everyone. I was just tickled to come across it after all these years.

I enjoyed this movie, and I don't enjoy most. This movie, although its main character is a teenie bopper, is quite satisfying. There is a killer, victims, suspense, and its surprisingly, interesting. It held my interest, and I wanted to know what would happen next. The acting wasn't that bad, either. This movie is surprisingly, good.

Chilling, well-observed thriller, whose message seems to be: "Careful when you're making telephone pranks, you never know whom you might mess with!". The bland cinematography gives it a TV-movie look, but it still has natural , believable performances by Ladd and Keanan, a well-cast actor as the handsome psycho, a good ear for dialogue and some moments that would make Hitchcock proud (especially the scene where the girl is trapped in the back seat of the killer's car). (***)

I thought this was a very good thriller as well as chilling, especially towards the end. Cheryl Ladd is one of my favorite actresses and I was riveted to her performance. She has done several riveting performances, but this one was one movie I could see over and over again. Staci Keanan was good as well, I've know her to do comedy as she did with Greg Evigan in "My Two Dad's", but her acting in a thriller/drama gave her more depth as an actress. Very good