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Scott Jacoby, Kim Hunter, Dabney Coleman, Cindy Eilbacher, Lisa Eilbacher
For me, Scott Jacoby was the Errol Flynn of the small screen. OK, maybe he was more like Christopher Atkins, but Errol sounds better. A strong presence on the Movie of the Week scene, he starred in everything from melodrama (The Man Who Could Talk to Kids) to groundbreaking (That Certain Summer), not to mention he played Bea Arthur’s son on the Golden Girls. In short, the man is a god. And as luck would have it, he’s also wonderfully talented.

But what makes Scott all that and a bag of chips is that he never turned his back on horror (many of us are all to familiar with the auc-tore who turns their nose on what made them famous), and it’s suffice to say Scott contributed to two of the most unheralded genre movies of the 70s. The first would be that hard to find nugget of gold, The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane and the second would be this masterpiece of claustrophobic suspense, Bad Ronald.

Scott is Ronald Wilby, a misbegotten youth who is firmly attached to Mother’s apron strings. His Mother (Kim Hunter) is a caring but overly cautious type who tries to discourage him from things like dating – she does however slightly encourage him to expound upon a fantasyland he’s created for himself. She’s terrified Ronald will leave, so she runs into a bit of luck when he accidentally smashes a young girl’s head against a rock. Intent on holding onto him, Mrs. Wilby walls him up in a bathroom located in the center of the house and pretends as though he’s run away. By day, Ronald studies, exercises, and pontificates about the Princess Vancetta, who resides in his fantasy world of Atrana. By night, he slithers through a crawlspace into the kitchen and visits Mommy. The plan seems to be going right on track until Mrs. Wilby checks into a hospital and never checks out. So Ronald wastes away on chocolate and spends more time visiting Atrana. Soon after, a new family moves in and wouldn’t you know it, the youngest daughter bears a striking resemblance to Vancetta. Now it’s time for Ronald to get reeeaaal bad!

Bad Ronald is claustrophobia magnified by 1,000. At the beginning, it’s obvious that if his mother has her way, Ronald won’t be able to get out of his town. After the murder, he can’t get out his house and after his mother’s death, he can’t get out of his own head! Directed with finesse, Buzz Kulik really brings this potboiler home by lingering on the rat like Ronald, forcing you to live every desperate second with him. A must see! (ed: also features Lisa Eilbacher of the glorious 10 to Midnight!)

Recap by Amanda By Night