When Michael Calls

Released in 1972, 'When Michael Calls' is a horror film directed by John Huston. The story follows the life of John Van Shelley, a man with a troubled past. He is a troubled soul who had been a part of a dysfunctional family with many conflicts, his sister, Margaret, has to deal with an overwhelming burden to try and bring peace and stability to the family home. John Van Shelley eventually dies, leaving behind his family. Margaret continues to raise her nephew Michael, along with her sister's son. However, the relationship between Margaret and the family is strained, partly caused by John Van Shelley's presence being highly resented and partly due to Margaret's overbearing and strict attitude. As time passes, Margaret starts receiving phone calls from John Van Shelley who has since passed away. Initially, she dismisses the calls, attributing them to her imagination. However, she begins to notice a pattern. With each phone call from her dead nephew, one of her family members succumbs to death. The phone calls start off innocently but gradually become increasingly menacing. It is during these phone calls that we come to know that John Van Shelley had died as a result of his own family's dysfunction and lack of love towards him. Margaret is left feeling responsible for her family's well-being and becomes desperate to identify the reason behind the ominous messages from her deceased nephew. The family dynamics become tense, and the atmosphere at home becomes unbearable. As a family becomes increasingly torn apart by John's ghost, Margaret starts questioning her role in the situation. Michael, her nephew, starts behaving strangely and has a knack for knowing the family's innermost secrets. He is seemingly in touch with the world of the deceased. As the phone calls continue, Margaret comes to accept that John Van Shelley's messages hold the truth to their family's downfall. In her desperate attempt to unravel the mystery, Margaret uncovers a dark secret from her family's past, something she had unknowingly contributed to, or rather failed to address. Her discovery leads her to understand why her nephew John Van Shelley had taken such drastic measures to communicate with her. In the climactic ending of the film, it is established that John's ghost is at peace after Margaret makes amends with her family. The phone calls stop and the family is finally able to move on, albeit slowly. With John Van Shelley's presence now a distant memory, the film comes to a close with a glimmer of hope in the future of the now reformed Van Shelley family. Overall, 'When Michael Calls' takes its audience on a ride through a world of supernatural horror and the devastating power of unresolved family issues. The movie's dark exploration of themes such as grief, guilt, and the power of unexpressed emotions adds depth to the otherwise simplistic premise of a phone-answering horror.