Anne Ditchburn Movies

This derivative Canadian thriller plays like a distaff version of Samuel Fuller's cult classic Shock Corridor fused rather crudely to a standard mad-slasher plot. The story takes place primarily at the country villa of a sleazy horror film director (scenery-chomping John Vernon), where auditions for the title role of his new film Audra are taking place. The casting session is called after the film's intended star had herself committed to an asylum in order to properly research her Frances Farmer-type role, then found herself unable to get out. It comes as little surprise, then, that the six actresses vying for the plum role in her absence are not long for this world, as a witch-masked marauder is wandering the premises with some well-honed implements. This film's surprisingly stylish look is probably due to the initial direction of acclaimed cinematographer Richard Ciupka, but the film was actually completed by a pseudonymous replacement. (The credited director, "Jonathan Stryker," is actually the name of Vernon's character.) ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

This sentimental tearjerker is also a slice-of-New York-life melodrama directed by John G. Avildsen as his follow-up to the career-high smash success of Rocky (1976). Paul Sorvino stars as Lou Friedlander, a Manhattan newspaper columnist who is instantly smitten by Sarah Gantz (Anne Ditchburn, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for her debut performance). A ballerina who's just moved into Lou's apartment building after a breakup with her boyfriend, Sarah soon gets the news that she is terminally ill and should quit her strenuous dancing career. Despite the medical advice, she continues anyway, and Lou begins writing a piece for his employer about her valiant struggle. As he assembles the article, he and Sarah begin to fall in love. At the same time, Lou is also nurturing a story about an orphaned Hispanic kid who's a junkie but is managing to rise above the harshness of life on the city's ghetto streets. The Friedlander character was reportedly inspired by and loosely modeled upon writer Jimmy Breslin. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide