Tip your doorman next time or be TOO SCARED TO SCREAM with Scorpion Releasing's Blu-ray of the obscure eighties slasher.

When high-class prostitute Cynthia Oberman (Victoria Bass, TRACES OF RED) is stabbed to death in her apartment, Lt. Alex Dinardo (MANNIX's Mike Connors) must include among the suspects his former partner (Murray Hamilton, JAWS) who was so obsessed with her that he threw away his career stealing contraband to give her as gifts. When widow Mrs. Hornesby (Ruth Ford, THE WOMAN WHO CAME BACK) is literally hacked to pieces, however, Dinardo turns his investigation toward the residents of the apartment building and particularly cultured nighttime doorman Vincent (Ian McShane, THE BALLAD OF TAM LIN) who all the residents like and even the day shift doorman Eddie (Chet Doherty) admits is a perfect gentleman. Vincent, however, seems too good to be true, working a dead end job even though he and his mute, partially-paralyzed mother (Maureen O'Sullivan, TARZAN THE APE MAN) seem to live comfortably, if completely in the past. As the murders continue and Dinardo can find nothing tying them to Vincent or anyone else, he must risk the safety of junior partner Kate Bridges (Anne Archer, FATAL ATTRACTION) to go undercover in the building as a new resident to draw the killer's focus.

Directed by actor Tony Lo Bianco (THE HONEYMOON KILLERS), TOO SCARED TO SCREAM is a gritty little thriller whose slasher leanings make sense in that it was produced in 1981 as THE DOORMAN – the same year screenwriters Neal Barbera, Glenn Leopold had their screenplay for THE PROWLER produced – but not released until 1984 under its current title. As a slasher, it is more DRESSED TO KILL than FRIDAY THE 13TH, and indeed owes as much to PSYCHO as De Palma yet this one takes another twist that is outlandish but entertaining. Connors is rather one-note while Archer has a bit more to do as the spunky partner, but the film belongs to McShane as the effete, Shakespeare-quoting doorman fending off female attentions young and old while looking the other way for the male residents and devoting all of free time to his mother whose shifty looks communicate unease. As befitting a film directed by a veteran actor, the film's supporting cast is rich in familiar character actors enlivening stock background characters like Leon Isaac Kennedy (PENITENTIARY) as another detectives, FORT APACHE THE BRONX's Rony Clanton as a sex show barker, DOG DAY AFTERNOON's Sully Boyar as a fashion buyer who preys on models, Carrie Nye (CREEPSHOW) as a fashion designer who pimps out her models to sell her designs, Beeson Carroll (MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN) as Cynthia's rich and abusive last client who gets his just desserts, stuntman Harry Madsen (THE WARRIORS) as his chauffeur, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN's Val Avery as the medical examiner, and John Heard (C.H.U.D.) as a lab tech. The title song is composed and performed by Charles Aznavour (SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER) while the more pop-infused end credits rendition is performed by Phyllis Hyman.

Given scant theatrical release by 21st Century Film Corporation after sitting on the shelf for a couple years, TOO SCARED TO SCREAM was most visible on VHS from Vestron Video with eye-catching creepy artwork (reproduced on Scorpion's Blu-ray cover) setting the viewer up for a slasher while the back cover shot of Connors and Archer suggested a more run-of-the-mill cop thriller. Scorpion Releasing's 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.78:1 widescreen Blu-ray marks the digital debut of the film. Although it begins with a disclaimer about utilizing MGM's best materials for the film, there is little to complain about. The print may be a couple generation away from the negative with some typically 1980s diffusion during the daylight exterior park scenes but detail holds up in close-ups of clothing, facial features and textures. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track is clean and the mix itself undemanding, with the scoring of Aznavour collaborator Georges Garvarentz (DANIELA BY NIGHT) less distinguished than the theme song. Optional English SDH subtitles are included.