Many famous actors got their start in smaller productions in genres that they would move away from later in their career, whether it be Jennifer Aniston inLeprechaunor Charlize Theron in an un-credited role inChildren of the Corn III: Urban Harvest. While only playing a minor role,Tom Hanksfirst appeared on-screen in theHalloween-inspired movieHe Knows You’re Alone(1980). While Hanks has had some choice words about his debut, the film does have some intriguing elements for slasher fans to explore.
Inspired by Halloween and echoing an early form of self-awareness in horror that would come to a peak with 1996’sScream, we take a closer look at the little-known slasherHe Knows You’re Alone.
He Knows You’re Alone Plot and Cast
A serial killer begins targeting soon-to-be brides in an act of vengeance, having been rejected by an ex-girlfriend years previously. A cop, Len Gamble, having had his fiancée murdered three years previous by the same man, attempts to defend the city against a potential threat. At the same time, Amy Jensen is preparing for her wedding and has become unaware she has been made the next target of the killer, though her paranoia grows as she starts to believe a tall man is stalking her.
He Knows You’re Alonewas directed by Armand Mastroianni, who would direct several movies and TV series, including episodes ofTales from the DarksideandFriday the 13th: The Series; his debut slasher remains his most well-known work. Lewis Arlt played the role of Len Gamble and would have a career of little significance. However, the movie would boast some notable names; Don Scardino would go on to succeed as a director of TV and film, notablyworking on30 Rock; James Rebhorn went on to have roles in prominent films like Independence Day; Dana Barron would go on to play Audrey Griswald inNational Lampoon’s Vacation.
However, the biggest name to appear in He Knows You’re Alive is Tom Hanks, who played Elliot, the wisecracking nerdy horror fanatic.He Knows You’re Alonemarked the first time Tom Hanks appeared on the screen.
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He Knows You’re Alone Was Inspired by Halloween and Became a Precusor to Scream
1978’sHalloweencame to define the slasher genre, and while there were films that had come out previously (the Proto-Slasher) –Black Christmas(1974),Peeping Tom(1960),Deep Red(1975),Psycho(1960) –John Carpenter’s masterpiecewould launch the sub-genre into unparalleled popularity.Halloweenbecame the blueprint and would shape other era slashers; everything from the popularFriday the 13thfilms toSleepaway Campto lesser cult hitsMy Bloody ValentineandThe Slumber Party Massacremay not have existed withoutHalloween. While not reaching the same notoriety as any of the titles mentioned above,He Knows You’re Aloneis another direct example of a movie released shortly afterHalloweentrying to tap into the booming interest in the genre.
The most notable slasher film to predateScreamis undeniablyFriday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives; breaking the fourth wall and having characters predict their ghastly demise set up the tongue-in-cheek humor that would appear in many other films. However,He Knows You’re Alonemay be the first case of having a self-aware character in a horror film, breaking that fourth wall to present the audience with the fact that they are watching a horror movie.
Tom Hanks' character, Elliott, who is introduced in the latter half of the film, openly discusses how horror movies work and evenpoints to the tropeof the stalked protagonist when he tells Amy; “Have you seen this man while you were with us?” and “The hallucination will only manifest itself when you are alone,” which is followed up by her seeing him alone despite him being in a crowd. It is a small moment, but it is a bit of clever writing that often gets overlooked when discussing the history of self-aware horror movies.Scream 2would even acknowledge this connection, with the opening scene parodyingHe Knows You’re Alone.
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Tom Hanks has spoken about his brief role in the film, generally speaking down about it, though admitting it got him his SAG card. Hanks also claimed that his character was originally meant to be killed off, but the filmmakers liked him so much they decided to let him live. His remarks on his experience are best summed up inan interview with Letterman in 1986:
“I played a guy in this movie. I always said, if this was ‘Gilligan’s Island’, I would have played the professor. It was that bad a role. I had nothing to do in this movie whatsoever.” Tom Hanks on He Knows You’re Alone
Is He Knows You’re Alone Worth Watching?
If you are a fan of slashersand a completionist when it comes to the genre and have not yet watchedHe Knows You’re Alone, the movie certainly delivers that ’80s-era style of the genre that is so nostalgic. Regarding shock value, the movie has a few stylish kills but nothing overly sensational. It’s relatively tame in comparison to some of its contemporaries.He Knows Your Aloneis not particularly bad, but it is not great either, especially within the saturated slasher sub-genre. Still, the first appearance of Tom Hanks is a nice little curiosity, and the elements of self-awareness further add intrigue, which will be enough for some to want to check it out.
He Knows You’re Aloneis available to rent on Apple TV, Prime, or YouTube. You canstream Wes Craven’sScreamon Maxif you want to revisit or check out the horror film that helped re-invent and redefine the slasher genre with witty self-awareness.
