In 1977, director Fred Walton delivered his horror/thriller short, The Sitter. The 20-minute film – based on the urban legend of ‘the babysitter and the man lurking upstairs’ – showed a great deal of potential and was given the go-ahead to be turned into a full, feature-length movie.

The feature-length film was When A Stranger Calls – which arrived in cinemas in 1979. But it wasn’t the only entry in the series.

So, how many When A Stranger Calls movies are there?

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The When A Stranger Calls movies in order

To date, there are four When A Stranger Calls movies. The When A Stranger Calls movies are as follows:

  • The Sitter (1977)
  • When A Stranger Calls (1978)
  • When A Stranger Calls Back (1993)
  • When A Stranger Calls (2006)
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Are all of the When A Stranger Calls movies part of the same series?

Image: ©Columbia Pictures

The When A Stranger Calls movies break down as follows:

  • The Sitter is a 20-minute short which provided the premise/loose template for the movie series as a whole.
  • When A Stranger Calls 1979 is an extended remake of The Sitter. It begins with a reworking of the 20-minute short, then expands the story to fill out a 97-minute running time.
  • When A Stranger Calls Back is a belated TV movie sequel to When A Stranger Calls 1979. The film includes some of the characters from the previous movie. 
  • When A Stranger Calls 2006 is a remake of When A Stranger Calls 1979. This film is not connected to the previous entries.
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Who are the cast of the When A Stranger Calls films?

Notable cast members in the When A Stranger Calls film series include Lucia Stralser, Curt Sanders, Carol Kane, Charles Durning, Jill Schoelen, Camilla Belle, Lance Henriksen, Katie Cassidy, Tessa Thompson, Clark Gregg, and Dianna Agron.

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Is the When A Stranger Calls series the work of the same director?

Image: ©Screen Gems

The When A Stranger Calls movies are the work of two directors. Fred Walton directed The Sitter, When A Stranger Calls 1979 and When A Stranger Calls Back, while Simon West directed When A Stranger Calls Back 2006.

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What is the best When A Stranger Calls movie?

Image: ©Screen Gems

When A Stranger Calls 1979 and When A Stranger Calls Back are regraded very favourably by fans and critics. If you have not seen these movies, give them a watch!

As for the critical opinion of IMDb, the When A Stranger Calls films are ranked as follows:

  • The Sitter (1977) – 6.6/10
  • When A Stranger Calls (1978) – 6.5/10
  • When A Stranger Calls Back (1993) – 6.2/10
  • When A Stranger Calls (2006) – 5.1/10
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I hope this information about the When A Stranger Calls film series has proved useful. Should you wish to read more posts, please check out the recommended reads below.

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