Visiting Hours
by Kent Rembo
1982 Pinnacle
Colt Hawker is a psychotic woman-hater who attacks feminist journalist Deborah Ballin because she supports a woman on trial for killing her husband in self defense. After a failed attack at her house involving a dumb-waiter escape, he sneaks into the hospital and tries again. He fails, kills someone else, escapes, then sneaks back in. This happens three times. In between, he rapes a neighborhood girl and stalks one of the nurses.
The film is only notable for Michael Ironsides' performance. I've always been impressed that even though he always plays psychos, he plays each one a little differently. On the other hand, William Shatner is hardly in the film, and acts even less. Not scary, not gory, not particularly fun or watchable.
The book is better, more depth, better characterizations, and nastier. There are a few extra scenes, possibly scenes cut from the original script. Some more background on Hawker's traumatic childhood, more interactions with his neighbors, an implied fisting, and of course, Hawker's complex masturbation ritual.
In case you're wondering, he watches his chubby female neighbor through his window. She turns on an aerobics program and stands in front of the TV, but doesn't actually work out. Hawker turns on his own TV to match the same show, does bicep curls, and shoots off hands free in his sweatpants.
Includes photos and extensive cast biographies.
Paperback from AbeBooks
