Hi, everyone. I’ll be honest and say I don’t know that you guys will be able to help me. I’ve been looking for this movie since prior to the existence of the Internet itself and have, unfortunately, made absolutely zero progress.
The problem is that I have never actually seen the film. I remember watching the trailer for it when I was about 7 or 8. It was a horror film of some sort and I begged and pleaded with my mother to take me to the theater so that I could watch it. My parents, being the sensible individuals that they were, absolutely refused.
The trailer begins with a man standing at the foot of a stairway. The camera perspective is such that the stairs begin at the bottom of the screen and go to the top rather than going from left to right or vice versa. To the best of my recollection, there is a handrail on the right hand side. At the top of the stairs is a closed door leading to another room. The voice over begins with the phrase “At the top of these stairs is a door. Behind this door is a nightmare.” It then goes into a number of individual shots just as you would expect in any other film trailer.
That’s unfortunately all I can remember and that’s why I say I’m afraid you may not be able to help me. I recognize that this is precious little information to go on, so I’d completely understand if it is not enough to ring any bells with anyone. I’d like to think that one day I will finally find this film, but at this point I am starting to rather lose hope.
I am crossing my fingers in hopes that someone here can perform the impossible.
Thanks!
If it was around 1960, your movie is: Psycho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTJQfFQ40lI
“It was at the top of these stairs that the second murder took place.”
No. It’s not Psycho, I do know that. I’ve seen Psycho too many times. Plus the trailer is in color.
I’m not sure how I managed to neglect putting this in the original description, but this would have been in the late 70s. I’m thinking 77 or 78. That certainly would have been a helpful bit of information to give you.
Perhaps: Burnt Offerings (1976)
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GxAEqNBvNI
“In this old house, up this staircase, behind this locked door, something lives.”
“Behind this door lies a horror beyond imagination.”
No. Unfortunately, it is not this one either. I appreciate your efforts so far, though.
The Changeling 1980 perhaps. It doesn’t have the voiceover you remember but it fits the description of what you remember.
OK. Now this is interesting.
Although I have seen The Changeling a couple of times and suspected that this was not the film I had in mind either, I still went to YouTube to check the trailers.
I did see one with a thumbnail of a man walking up a set of stairs, but they were on fire. For one brief moment, I had a glimmer of hope that I had finally found it. Unfortunately my original suspicion proved to be correct.
I will say, though, that this is the closest that I think anyone has come to helping me find the actual film in question. This was close, but it still eludes me.
Thank you just the same. I appreciate the effort.
Well let’s see if the second try is the winner.
Don’t Go in the House 1979
https://youtu.be/_Hm64IuoT6Q?si=TrDf0WdWsD4FTzD-
I cannot believe my eyes.
You found it.
This movie has been rolling around in my brain for the better part of 45 years and the short, disjointed description I gave you was enough for you to know what I was talking about.
This is like finally being able to scratch an itch that has forever been out of reach. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for this.
I was hoping this would be it. I know how it feels to not be able to scratch the impossible itch. As a fellow 70s kid I acknowledge that we were fortunate to have a lot of neat yet obscure entertainment.
Your clues were actually very helpful. It occurred to me that television trailers and those run in the theater were significantly different, so I went that route.
Happy I was able to help!
I did not think this one was going to get solved either. Congratulations on your first Solve, lcjmc5/Claudia!
Thank you!