''Chiller'' (also known as ''Wes Craven's Chiller'') is a 1985 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...

directed by

Wes Craven Wesley Earl Craven (August 2, 1939 – August 30, 2015) was an American film director, screenwriter and producer. Amongst his Wes Craven filmography, prolific filmography, Craven worked primarily in the Horror film, horror genre, particularly sla ...

and written by J.D. Feigelson. It follows corporate executive Miles Creighton ( Michael Beck), who dies and is cryonically preserved in the hopes that he can be revived. Ten years later, the procedure is a success, and Miles returns, but without his soul. The film premiered on CBS on May 22, 1985.

Plot

Miles Creighton is cryonically preserved. When his storage tank malfunctions and begins to thaw, Miles is rushed to a hospital. His mother, who has missed her son terribly during his 10-year incapacitation, arranges for surgeons there to perform a procedure that was not possible when Miles was originally frozen. The operation is a success and Miles revives. Miles returns to the company which his father (now deceased) had started. He ruthlessly strips down anything that the company does not require to be profitable, and fires the man responsible for keeping the company running in Miles' absence. A series of mysterious deaths occur and circumstantial evidence implicates Miles. His mother, of course, does not want to believe her beloved son is a heartless killer. It is only when Father Penny arrives at the hospital in critical condition that she is convinced her son is evil. Penny tells her that Miles was responsible, and she rushes home to save her step daughter and have Miles arrested. The events that follow pit Miles against his mother, and she ends up locking him in a walk-in freezer. The police arrive and discover that Miles, though apparently frozen, is still alive. His mother comes to the rescue by shooting her son in the chest with a policeman's revolver. At the hospital later, it is implied Miles survived but it is unclear if he will survive the surgery as the techniques to save his life 'aren't quite there yet'. The final scene is set at the cryogenics facility, where another alarm goes off as another storage tank malfunctions and begins to thaw. This is followed by several more storage tanks malfunctioning.

Cast

* Michael Beck as Miles Creighton *

Beatrice Straight Beatrice Whitney Straight (August 2, 1914 – April 7, 2001) was an American theatre, film, television and radio actress and a member of the prominent Whitney family. She was both an Academy Award and Tony Award winner, as well as a Primetime Em ...

as Marion Creighton * Laura Johnson as Leigh Kenyon * Dick O'Neill as Clarence Beeson *

Alan Fudge Alan Fudge (February 27, 1944 – October 10, 2011) was an American actor known for his roles in four television programs, ''Man from Atlantis'', ''Eischied'', ''Paper Dolls'' and ''Bodies of Evidence'', along with a recurring role on ''7th Hea ...

as Dr. Stricklin *

Craig Richard Nelson Craig Richard Nelson (September 17, 1947 – March 3, 2025) was an American actor in theater, film and television. Life and career Nelson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and grew up as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sa ...

as Dr. Collier *

Paul Sorvino Paul Anthony Sorvino (, ; April 13, 1939 – July 25, 2022) was an American actor. He often portrayed authority figures on both the criminal and the law enforcement sides of the law. Sorvino was particularly known for his roles as Lucchese cri ...

as Reverend Penny * Jill Schoelen as Stacey Creighton * Anne Seymour as Mrs. Bunch * Russ Marin as Dr. Sample * Jerry Lacy as Jerry Burley * Edward Blackoff as 2nd Technician * Kenneth White as Technician #1 * Ned Wertimer as Mr. Hanna * Wendy Goldman as Secretary * Joseph Whipp as Detective * Brian Libby as Orderly * Karen Huie as Nurse #1 * Melanie F. Williams as Nurse #2 * Perla Walter as Night Nurse * Starletta DuPois as Nurse * Mimi Craven as Nurse Cooper * Bill Dearth as Officer #1 * Roger Hampton as Officer #2 * Clare Torao as Newscaster (as Clare Nono) * William Forward as Anesthesiologist

References

External links

* {{Wes Craven 1985 films 1985 horror films 1985 television films American horror television films Films about suspended animation Films directed by Wes Craven American science fiction television films American science fiction horror films 1980s English-language films 1980s American films English-language horror films