Next of Kin *** (1982, Jacki Kerin, John Jarratt, Alex Scott) – Classic Movie Review 11,800

The 1982 Australian horror film Next of Kin was featured in the documentary Not Quite Hollywood where it was praised by Quentin Tarantino, comparing its pacing and atmosphere to those in The Shining.

Director Tony Williams’s 1982 Australian horror thriller Next of Kin stars Jacki Kerin, John Jarratt and Alex Scott.

The usual psycho killer stuff starts when a woman teacher, Linda Stevens (Jacki Kerin), inherits her estranged mother’s home for the elderly, a rural estate called Montclare, and finds out that the old lady’s mentally-ill sister is alive and on the vengeance trail.

Director Tony Williams keeps up the tension and suspense in this steadily-building Aussie shocker in a startling-looking, well-crafted film with a satisfyingly eerie atmosphere and a strong central role for a woman, a role capably handled by the little-known Kerin.

It is co-written by Tony Williams and Michael Heath.

The cast are, Jacki Kerin as Linda Stevens, John Jarratt as Barney, Alex Scott as Dr. Barton, Gerda Nicolson as Connie, Charles McCallum as Lance, Bernadette Gibson as Mrs Ryan/ Rita, Robert Ratti as Kelvin, Vince Deltito as Nico, Tommy Dysart as Harry, Debra Lawrance as Carol, Matt Burns as Mr Collins, and Kristina Marshall as Linda Stevens aged four.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,800

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