I got into horror when I was very young. Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, Michael Myers, and Freddy Krueger were all frequent guests on my television screen by the time I entered grade school, and none of them scared or disturbed me. However, there was one cinematic boogeyman who really got under my skin when I was a kid. That was John Kirby, the maniac played by Brian Libby in director Michael Miller's 1982 film SILENT RAGE.
Sure, SILENT RAGE is a Chuck Norris vehicle that features martial arts fights and some goofy humor, but whenever John Kirby was on the screen I was creeped out.
The synopsis for SILENT RAGE goes like this:
Chuck Norris, six-time World Karate Champion, stars in his first suspense film as the tough, street-fighting sheriff of a small Texas town terrorized by a psychotic killer.
Sheriff Stevens (Norris) is faced with the dilemma of stopping the invincible murderer, made virtually indestructible through genetic engineering. A young group of researchers are responsible for developing the genetically altering serum, and the head of the research institute is determined to continue the experiments, regardless of the consequences.
Norris displays fighting brilliance as he single-handedly routs a dozen brutal bikers from a truck stop hangout, while revealing a warm and sexy side when he rekindles an old romance with Alison Halman (Toni Kalem), a researcher at the institute. Excitement, horror, and romance prevail as Norris combats the killer.
It's been many years since I last watched SILENT RAGE, but I'm going to be strongly tempted to revisit it later this year when Mill Creek Entertainment releases the film on Blu-ray.
Details on the release have yet to be revealed, it's not clear if there will be any special features and a release date hasn't been announced, but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the information. John Kirby had such a chilling impact on my childhood, I think a SILENT RAGE Blu-ray probably deserves a spot in my collection.
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