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ERA
Did you know
40 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Fantasist
"He loves women to death."
1986 1h 38m EN
💀
4.3
SKIP
★4.3TMDB · 8
HorrorThrillerCrimeDrama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A young Dublin woman is stalked by a telephone charmer who poses victims nude and then stabs them.
“He loves women to death.”
Where to watch · US
Cast
Moira Sinise
Patricia Teeling
Christopher Cazenove
Inspector McMyler
Timothy Bottoms
Danny Sullivan
John Kavanagh
Robert Foxley
Mick Lally
Uncle Lar
Bairbre Ní Chaoimh
Monica Quigley
Jim Bartley
Hugh Teeling
Deirdre Donnelly
Fionnuala Sullivan
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Robin Hardy
- Writers
- Robin Hardy
- Languages
- English, Irish
- Countries
- Ireland, United Kingdom
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Irish.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: Ireland, United Kingdom.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Robin Hardy, shot by Frank Gell. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Stanisław Syrewicz. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Thomas Schwalm shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Moira Sinise and Christopher Cazenove and Timothy Bottoms carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "He loves women to death.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Robin Hardy directs. Frank Gell behind the camera. Stanisław Syrewicz scores. Thomas Schwalm cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Ireland, United Kingdom. Dialogue in English, Irish.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 140 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Irish.
- 3International production across 2 countries: Ireland, United Kingdom.
- 4Directed by Robin Hardy, shot by Frank Gell. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Stanisław Syrewicz. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Thomas Schwalm shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Moira Sinise and Christopher Cazenove and Timothy Bottoms carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "He loves women to death.".
- 9IMDB entry: tt0091032 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Only 8 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 11Classified under 11 themes, including "farm", "dublin, ireland", "easter", "teacher".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Frank Gell
- Original score
- Stanisław Syrewicz
- Editing
- Thomas Schwalm
- Production design
- John Lucas
- Costume design
- Maeve Paterson
- Makeup / hair
- Rosie Blackmore
- Runtime
- 98 min · 1h 38m
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
Also by
Robin Hardy
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- NE
New Irish Film Productions
ITC Entertainment
GB
Key crew
- Executive ProducerMike Murphy
- Associate ProducerVivien Pottersman
- Script SupervisorLaerke Sigfred Pedersen
- ProducerMark Forstater
- NovelPatrick McGinley
- EditorThomas Schwalm
- CastingNuala Moiselle
- Production DesignJohn Lucas
- Costume DesignMaeve Paterson
- Makeup ArtistRosie Blackmore
- Prosthetic Makeup ArtistNick Dudman
- Special Effects SupervisorGerry Johnston
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- farm
- dublin, ireland
- easter
- teacher
- murder
- serial killer
- slasher
- stabbing
- ireland
- killer
- first date
Release history · US
When it landed
- Physical1989-04-01R
Also known as
International titles
- A titokzatos telefonálóHU
- Dolofonos me paraisthiseisGR
- O Estripador de DublimPT
