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Released to television screens around North American in 1978 just before Halloween made him a star director, John Carpenter’s Someone’s Watching Me takes place in Los Angeles where we meet a recent transplant named Leigh Michaels (Lauren Hutton). When the film begins, she’s just moved into a fancy new apartment complex. She’s recently split up with her boyfriend and makes her living as a television director. It’s at her job that she befriends Sophie (Adrienne Barbeau). Leigh fits in pretty quickly in her new digs, and soon she’s even dating a dashing professor named Paul Winkless (David Birney).

Leigh’s luck changes pretty quickly when it turns out she’s got a bit of a ‘peeping tom’ problem. It starts off with a few odd phone calls and then things start arriving in the mail under the guise of them being prizes for contests she never entered. The cops are no help, but the telescope that she ‘won’ turns out to be more useful than she realized. As Leigh’s admirer’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, she realizes that she’s in danger and sets out to figure out who is watching her, why and how to get it to stop.

A strong thriller that is, at times, reminiscent of Rear Window, Someone’s Watching Me is a tense and well-acted film that showcases Carpenter’s impressive directorial skills.

Director: John Carpenter
Cast: Lauren Hutton, David Birney, Adrienne Barbeau
Country: USA
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

BD50 | 1080p AVC | 01:37:09 | 44.3 Gb + 3% rec
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Extras:

Both the original TV broadcast 1.33:1 aspect ratio and the reformatted 1.85:1 aspect ratio choices are available. Which options looks better, in terms of its framing, is really going to come down to personal preference – the 1.33.1 option obviously accurately represents its made for TV roots, while the 1.85.1 reduces some of the excess head room in certain shots and looks more theatrical. Either way, the image quality here is excellent.

• NEW Audio Commentary With Author Amanda Reyes (Are You In The House Alone?: A TV Movie Compendium 1964-1999) - in the future, Reyes needs to stick to her script as she rambles through this feature-length track with a lot of ahs and ums. She provides a bevy of factoids and nuggets about Carpenter, the actors, other TV movies of the period, Laura Mulvey and the male gaze, et al. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW Adrienne Barbeau: Looking Back at Someone's Watching Me! (10:32, 1080p) - Carpenter's first wife recalls how the California filmmaker saw her in Maude (1972-78) (leading to her casting in this telefilm), how Carpenter directed her in Someone's Watching Me!, and how her lesbian character Sophie bucked a trend. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW Carpenter's Enforcer – An Interview With Charles Cyphers on His Career in John Carpenter's Films (9:43, 1080p) - an unrecognizable Charles Cyphers reminisces on his casting audition on Assault on Precinct 13 as well as the combined eight feature and TV movies that he's done with Carpenter. Cypher proclaims that he'd be interested in reprising his role as Sheriff Brackett on a future Halloween if Carpenter calls. This interview seems trimmed as there are several quick fades to the next snippet. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW Horror's Hallowed Grounds – A Look at the Film's Locations Today (7:12, 1080p) - another featurette revisiting original filming locations hosted by Sean Clark, who guides viewers to several LA venues where Someone's Watching Me! was shot. In English, not subtitled.

• John Carpenter: Director Rising (6:14, upconverted to 1080i) - a brief interview with Carpenter that's carried over from the 2007 Warner DVD. Carpenter explains this TV movie's origins, his favorable impressions of Lauren Hutton's acting, and working at the Warner Bros. lot. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW TV Promos (1:01, upconverted to 1080p) - two TV spots (including a teaser) advertising Someone's Watching Me!.

• NEW Still Gallery (1:19, 1080p) - a brief slide show made up of seventeen images: black-and-white photos from the Warner press kit, production stills (in color), and foreign VHS covers of Someone's Watching Me! depicting some erotic artwork.