I purchased this on Blu Ray for $8.00 and I watched it and the beginning of the movie is the best part with the phone calls, but after that, it's really tame for an R-Rated movie. I guess in 1979, they didn't have PG-13 to balance it out??
shareI'm not entirely sure why When a Stranger Calls received an R rating either, given its relatively tame content. In my home country, it didn't receive such a harsh rating. If I were to speculate, I'd say the movie might have suffered from a case of guilt by association.
The 1970s saw an unprecedented surge in horror films, some of which were highly controversial for their depiction of women and violence. Right around the release of When a Stranger Calls, a wave of these exploitative horror movies had hit the screens, stirring public concern. Even Siskel and Ebert dedicated an entire episode to this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BpdCOyXV4Oo&pp=ygUhU2lza2VsIGFuZCBlYmVydCAgd29tZW4gaW4gZGFuZ2Vy
Personally, I always thought When a Stranger Calls was a pretty solid film. However, its marketing might have echoed some of those less savory films, which could have made censors more cautious. My guess is they were trying to avoid any potential controversy by erring on the side of caution and playing into the public sentiment of the time by slapping it with a harsher rating.
Horror in the 70's is definitely a difference in how horror is in 2024. Women were definitely exploited compared to how you see it in modern day with the overpowered female now
shareI guess in 1979, they didn't have PG-13 to balance it out??