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Michael Caine, Andrea Marcovicci, Annie McEnroe, Bruce McGill, Mara Hobel ... see more see more... , Viveca Lindfors , Pat Corley , Nicholas Hormann , Richard Altman , Charles Fleischer , Rosemary Murphy , John Stinson , Tracey Walter , Malcolm "Sparky" Watt , Oliver Stone , Ed Marshall

Oliver Stone's first directorial effort for a major studio (and his second horror film after the 1974 Seizure) came shortly after the phenomenal success of Midnight Express, which was based on Stone's... read more read more... Oscar-winning screenplay. The director turned to Mark Brandel's obscure thriller "The Lizard's Tail" as source material for what is essentially a silly psychosexual variant on low-budget horror films like The Crawling Hand. The title appendage belongs (for a while, anyway) to smug, conceited artist Joe Lansdale (Michael Caine), who owes his success to a popular comic strip featuring a macho, Conan-type hero. After Lansdale's drawing hand is sheared off in a grisly car accident, his career, dignity, self-control and even his sanity soon begin to abandon him as well. His tenuous relationship with his wife Anne (Andrea Marcovicci) falls apart as she takes steps to improve her own self-worth -- something she had never had the strength to do before the accident. Bitter and paranoid, Joe begins to lash out in anger at everyone around him ... and becomes convinced that his severed hand has come back, wandering in fields and dark alleys and squeezing the life out of everyone it comes in contact with. The question of whether the hand is real or merely a manifestation of Lansdale's rage is never answered, even in the film's "shock" coda. At any rate, it's impossible to take the film seriously -- the crawling-hand effects are laughably shoddy for a major studio production, reflecting none of the skills of effects wizard Carlo Rambaldi, and Caine's sweaty, pop-eyed histrionics are too goofy to be convincing. On the plus side, James Horner's score is remarkably chilling, contributing a great deal to a few effective suspense scenes -- but it belongs in a better film than this. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Flixster Users

27% liked it

1,749 ratings

Critics

14% liked it

7 critics

R, 1 hr. 44 min.

Directed by: Oliver Stone

Release Date: April 24, 1981

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DVD Release Date: September 25, 2007

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Flixster Reviews (135)

  • ajv2688
    January 10, 2011
    ajv2688
    An awesome horror movie starring Michael Caine, who's not usually in horror movies, but he is a great actor and he's great in this movie. The story may seem silly or predictable, but it can surprise you. I really liked this movie.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    January 25, 2008
    YosemiteSamFan
    Dated, dull, silly and not scary. No gore is shown when Michael Caine's hand is severed. A silly concept. The story takes a few turns, which almost saves it.
  • drblood
    June 24, 2007
    drblood
    Michael Caine does a great job... let's give him a big hand... ooops!
  • Dannyrovira
    December 14, 2011
    Dannyrovira
    A fascinating horror film of usual psychological intelligent that is really a unique character study, about a gifted cartoonist who's life comes apart when his hand is severed in a freak car accident, he slowly and painfully tries to adjust but his self-centered wife, played by A... read morendrea Marcovicci in superlative performance, has been having a affair with her yoga instructor and wants to leave him and take away his young daughter pushing him over the edge, his disembodied hand seems to come to life on its own and begins committing atrocious murders, killing anyone who angers him. Sir Michael Caine's vivid central performance is a rare treat in terror, portraying his character's ever growing mania perfectly leaving the viewer wondering if what's going on, is all in Caine's character's mind or that it is indeed real. Astute direction by Oliver Stone who also wrote the sharp screenplay. Stone has a amusing unbilled cameo as a ill-fated tramp who is killed by the hand. A well-made and entertaining chiller. Highly Recommended.
  • thirdway821
    November 12, 2011
    thirdway821
    Oliver Stone's "The Hand" is his second attempt at the horror genre after his 1974 independent picture "Seizure" and sadly "The Hand" doesn't really take off but feels more slow and well unscary. I don't think this is Stone's fault since this was his first picture for a major stu... read moredio (who wouldn't be scared directing for the first time for the majors? I would.) Stone had a lot of quarreling going on set, Producers wanted to see more of the Hand, CGI effects were still somewhat basic and still under development, a lot of the cast declined for the main roles (until Caine stepped up), and I think the screenplay was still in dire need of tuning.

    Imo "The Hand" is alright but it could have been a little better. I don't think it's a terrible film as a lot of people say (Alexander is more terrible then this) but I feel Stone was afraid to go all out and worked with the wrong film crew. Stone wouldn't direct another picture for another five years but that's alright, Stone was just getting warmed up and would later go one of America's best filmmakers of the eighties.

    P.S. - Stone's commentary on "The Hand" is excellent. I felt I got a good understanding with the ups and downs of this film and his early career as a filmmaker.
  • ileo
    January 13, 2008
    ileo
    Great movie! This is among one of my favorite horror films of all times. A severed hand possessed by dark forces. Interesting, even for Michael Caine.
  • loogenhausen
    July 27, 2011
    loogenhausen
    I'm pretty sure Michael Caine holds the record for most movie roles of all time. Just look at his filmography and you'll see what I mean. It ranges from classics to some of the worst movies ever made and then some. The Hand is none of the above, but more like somewhere in the mid... read moredle. In fact, it's actually a pretty clever little horror flick if you try to deconstruct it after viewing. Admittedly, the "hand" effects are a little goofy by today's standards. However, the initial accident where Caine's character loses his hand and the actual ending of the film are both very effective in their own right. Is the hand really killing people or is Caine pulling a Tyler Durden? Decide for yourself and check out this forgotten hoot of an 80's horror show.
  • The80sExpert
    May 28, 2010
    The80sExpert
    I thought this was a way cool movie, but it seems like other people aren't very impressed with it. I don't care, I still loved it, Michael Caine was really good, and the story was cool, and I enjoyed the movie. I love how it ends, and all the crazy things that happen. I recomm... read moreend seeing this movie.
  • miazappa
    June 3, 2007
    miazappa
    I remember this movie when I was a child. I would have dreams about a hand trying to catch me. WILD!!! I must have been 7 or 8.

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Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby
August 30, 2004
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Mr. Stone's screenplay is tightly written, precise and consistent in its methods, and seemingly perfectly realized in the performances of the very good cast headed by Mr. Caine. Full Review

Rob Gonsalves
April 9, 2007
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

Inescapably cheesy. Full Review

Ken Hanke
October 15, 2003
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Stupid horror film that's even more pointless in its anger than Stone's 'serious' work.

Christopher Null
November 13, 2007
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

Click to read the article Full Review

Jake Euker
July 17, 2005
Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
June 27, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Carol Cling
August 22, 2003
Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

Derek Adams
February 9, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Click to read the article Full Review

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