Visiting Hours (1982)

Film Overview
"Visiting Hours", directed by Jean-Claude Lord, is a 1982 Canadian slasher thriller. It features William Shatner, Michael Ironside, Lee Grant, and Linda Purl among others. The plot absolutely nos in on a socially progressive tv reporter, Deborah Ballin, who is targeted by a misanthropic misogynist, Colt Hawker, in response to her advocacy for a battered female on a live program.

The Initial Attack and Hospitalization
Colt Hawker (Michael Ironside), a deeply disturbed misogynist, is activated by television journalist Deborah Ballin's (Lee Grant) passionate plea for a battered lady during a news section. Hawker by force enters her home after the program, brutally assaulting her. In spite of being seriously hurt, Ballin handles to leave. She is then confessed to the city's General Hospital where her long-time pal and manufacturer Sheila Munroe (Linda Purl) and anchorman Gary Baylor (William Shatner) learn of her dreadful experience.

Stalking in The Hospital
Although health center security is boosted following the attack, Colt handles to slip in disguised as a flower delivery man and continues his pursuit of Ballin. As the health center becomes his stalking ground, Ballin along with Sheila and other clients and employee systematically end up being targets of Hawker's wrath. Colt methodically hunts Deborath, leaving several victims in his wake, which serves to increase tension within the medical facility passages and spaces.

Character Progression and Thrilling Confrontations
While Deborah recovers and braces herself for the upcoming threat, Sheila gets increasingly stuck in Colt's fatal web. She grows suspicious and finds the real identity of Colt, which causes an extreme confrontation. During the film, Deborah's character goes from being an effective profession female to someone fighting for her life. At the same time, Sheila, who at first plays Deborah's supportive buddy, develops into a crucial character as she recognizes the threat and prepares to eliminate back.

Final Showdown & Conclusion
In the climax of the thriller, Colt attacks Sheila in her apartment, however she handles to fight him off. She then races to the healthcare facility to save Deborah after recognizing he's targeted the latter as well. On the other hand, an unarmed Deborah, caught in the health center building, must deal with an armed Colt on her own. In the end, Colt is defeated by Sheila and Deborah together, hence the survivors terminate his horror.

Important Reception
At the time of its release, the movie brought in controversy for its specific violence and portrayal of females's fear. It was slammed for reducing the institutional setting of a hospital into a searching ground for a psychopath. However, as an outcome of its graphic scenes and suspense-filled narrative, "Visiting Hours" likewise found a location in cult scary fandom. Today, it is viewed as a testament to the horror culture of the '80s as well as in 'women in peril' sub-genre. In terms of performance, Michael Ironside's portrayal of the chilling villain has actually been especially applauded.

In summary, "Visiting Hours" may appear like a common slasher film on the surface, however at its heart lays a story about strong ladies who, despite being at their susceptible worst, manage to defeat a skilled predator. The film seeks to highlight the power of resilience, brotherhood, and eventually survival.

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