Dial “M” for Microwave
Murder by Phone is what happens when someone looks at a rotary dial and thinks, “You know what this needs? The ability to liquefy a human brain.” In this Canadian-made sci-fi slasher, Richard Chamberlain plays Nat Bridger, an ecology professor who somehow gets roped into investigating a series of bizarre telephone-related deaths. And by “bizarre,” I mean the victims pick up the phone, hear a weird noise, and then have a seizure so violent you’d think the receiver was piping in live footage from a Nickelback concert.
The Villain: Bell Canada’s Worst Employee
The killer is a disgruntled phone company technician who builds a high-frequency death device, because apparently this was before HR had a solid grievance process. He’s like the lovechild of a Bond villain and your uncle who refuses to upgrade to fiber optic. His master plan? Murder anyone who gets in the way… which, in practice, means a body count mostly composed of people who were just trying to answer calls without *69’ing their last breath.
Chamberlain vs. The Switchboard of Doom
Richard Chamberlain brings his usual gravitas to the role, as if Shakespeare had written a monologue about deregulated telecommunications. John Houseman, meanwhile, floats in and out of scenes like he’s waiting for the phone company to connect him to the real plot. Sara Botsford plays Ridley Taylor, a character who exists largely to look concerned and provide Nat someone to talk to when the script needs exposition.
The Kills: Shockingly Good (Pun Fully Intended)
Here’s the thing—while the premise sounds like a made-for-TV oddity, the death scenes are surprisingly well-executed. Victims spasm, their faces contort, glass shatters, and sparks fly as if the killer’s weapon is powered by 1-800-CALL-LUCIFER. The movie turns the simple act of answering the phone into a gamble more dangerous than telemarketing roulette.
Toronto in the Early ’80s: The Real Star
Filmed in Toronto before the city became a go-to “fake New York” location, the film gives us a delightfully drab urban landscape. There’s something oddly fitting about its gray skies and chunky public phones—places where you’d expect a killer phone tech to lurk just out of frame, waiting to unleash his 20,000 volts of customer dissatisfaction.
Final Verdict
Murder by Phone is part slasher, part corporate conspiracy thriller, and part public service announcement for why you should let unknown numbers go to voicemail. It’s ridiculous, yes, but it’s also oddly gripping—like a B-movie mashup of The China Syndrome and Final Destination.
Cast Richard Chamberlain as Nat Bridger John Houseman as Stanley Markowitz Sara Botsford as Ridley Taylor Robin Gammell as Noah Clayton Gary Reineke as Lt. Meara Barry Morse as Fred Waites Alan Scarfe as John Websole James B. Douglas as Jack Gilsdorf Ken Pogue as Fil Thorner Neil Munro as Winters Tom Butler as Detective Tamblyn Colin Fox as Dr. Leon Alderman Jefferson Mappin as Alex Luba Goy as Beth Freemantle Lenore Zann as Connie Lawson George R. Robertson as George Lord Jo-Anne Hannah as Sandra Thorner Duncan McIntosh as Dave Misner Martha Gibson as Mrs. Andersen Angus MacInnes as Lab Guard Elva Mai Hoover as Phone Woman Neil Affleck as Phone Tracer
