This movie started off very well, and I was beginning to think that I had stumbled across a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, things weren't nearly as interesting in the second half, and so I can't quite recommend this one. The best scenes are when the chimps are displaying their remarkable talents. In fact, the pleasure of watching the chimpanzees is almost enough to make up for the otherwise mediocre story. The novelty does wear off, though, and the film suffers badly as a result. Shue and Stamp are both effective, but the script simply runs out of steam in the second half. Watch only if you love chimps.
39 Reviews
The critics hated this, but it's fun.
gridoon30 March 2003
Richard Franklin is a self-proclaimed Hitchcock fan (he made "Psycho II", after all), and you've got to hand it to him, "Link" is more artfully directed than the average mid-80s horror film, with some nice camera movements and some even nicer transition shots. It moves slowly, though, and some characters seem to be introduced only to pump up the body count. Elizabeth Shue, in only her second role, is admirable in the way she holds her own against the naturally scene-stealing chimpanzees. (**1/2)
A bizarre but fascinating thriller with monkeys and Elizabeth Shue
michael-4851 December 2001
I think this was a break-through movie for Elizabeth Shue. It was the first time I heard of her as an actress. I think I saw the movie back in 1988, but it made quite an impact on my young impressionable mind. After watching the movie, I had a real fascination with primate intelligence. The psycho-sexual interaction between Shue and the monkeys stayed in mind all this time. In particular, I remember quite vividly the bathroom scene. It was strange from me to see that back then. And, everytime I see anyone take a bath or shower with a pet in the bathroom on a movie or commercial, I think of that scene.
Link
brerbryan24 December 2002
Although this was not academy award material,i thought 'link' was an enjoyable and educational movie. I saw this movie when i was 16 years old,and had no idea that chimpanzees were so strong. After watching the film, i studied a book at the library about them,and was amazed at the things they can do. Most people don't realize just how large they can be. Many chimpanzees in the zoo can weigh 175lbs as adults, which is the same as a human. They are over a foot shorter than we are, but they have denser bone and muscle,which makes them heavier. Interesting animals.
Adventures in Babysitting II: Monkey Business
Coventry11 October 2015
I was about 8-9 years old in the late 80s and I remember having a huge crush on Elisabeth Shue
She starred in one of my favorite childhood movies called "Adventures in Babysitting" (a.k.a. "A Night on the Town") and I remember being crazy in love and simultaneously jealous because the babysitters that I had those days nearly weren't as cool as she was. Anyways, back then I didn't know that Miss Shue previously already starred in a horror movie that I wasn't allowed to watch yet. With a bit of crazy imagination, "Adventures in Babysitting" is actually similar to "Link", since in both movies Elisabeth Sue gets into serious trouble whilst babysitting, only in "Link" she's babysitting a rather different type of animal species.
"Link" is an entertaining and unpretentious '80s horror creature-feature, well-written by the Aussie genre veteran Everett De Roche ("Long Weekend", "Razorback") and well-directed by the Aussie genre director Richard Franklin ("Patrick", "Psycho II"). After attending just one lecture, the ambitious American zoology student Jane Chase eagerly accepts the rather eccentric Professor Steven Philip's proposal to come and work for him in his spooky old mansion somewhere high up on the cliffs in the middle of Scottish nowhere. Jane gets welcomed by Link, a clever orangutan in a butler's outfit, and Prof. Philip also has two other apes running around: the chimpanzees Imp and Voodoo. Both Link and Voodoo are getting a bit too old and difficult to work with, so Dr. Philip arranges for a sleazy animal trader to come take them away. Soon after he mysteriously vanishes and Jane remains trapped at the estate with the apes. She discovers that Link knew what fate Philip had in store for him and suddenly it's no more Mr. Nice Orangutan Richard Franklin built his entire career around the fact that he's a massive Alfred Hitchcock fanatic and he once again demonstrates it in this movie as well. Apart from a couple of 'Hitchcockian' plot aspects, Franklin also copies a lot of stylistic and visual trademarks of The Master of Suspense. Jerry Goldsmith's catchy score also reminded me quite a bit to the legendary music used in "Psycho". All the action and suspense takes place during the last half hour, or even less, but Franklin cannot be rushed and patiently takes his time to build up towards a dazzling climax. Of course, the crew member who deserves the most praise remains Ray Berwick, as he was the animal trainer and thus responsible for the impressive stunts that Imp and Link perform.
"Link" is an entertaining and unpretentious '80s horror creature-feature, well-written by the Aussie genre veteran Everett De Roche ("Long Weekend", "Razorback") and well-directed by the Aussie genre director Richard Franklin ("Patrick", "Psycho II"). After attending just one lecture, the ambitious American zoology student Jane Chase eagerly accepts the rather eccentric Professor Steven Philip's proposal to come and work for him in his spooky old mansion somewhere high up on the cliffs in the middle of Scottish nowhere. Jane gets welcomed by Link, a clever orangutan in a butler's outfit, and Prof. Philip also has two other apes running around: the chimpanzees Imp and Voodoo. Both Link and Voodoo are getting a bit too old and difficult to work with, so Dr. Philip arranges for a sleazy animal trader to come take them away. Soon after he mysteriously vanishes and Jane remains trapped at the estate with the apes. She discovers that Link knew what fate Philip had in store for him and suddenly it's no more Mr. Nice Orangutan Richard Franklin built his entire career around the fact that he's a massive Alfred Hitchcock fanatic and he once again demonstrates it in this movie as well. Apart from a couple of 'Hitchcockian' plot aspects, Franklin also copies a lot of stylistic and visual trademarks of The Master of Suspense. Jerry Goldsmith's catchy score also reminded me quite a bit to the legendary music used in "Psycho". All the action and suspense takes place during the last half hour, or even less, but Franklin cannot be rushed and patiently takes his time to build up towards a dazzling climax. Of course, the crew member who deserves the most praise remains Ray Berwick, as he was the animal trainer and thus responsible for the impressive stunts that Imp and Link perform.
Link goes ape.
BA_Harrison14 June 2019
American zoology student Jane Chase takes a job working as assistant to English anthropologist Steven Philips (Terence Stamp). At Philips' remote cliff-top home, she is introduced to the other inhabitants: chimps Voodoo and Imp, and Link (who I think is supposed to be a chimp, but is actually played by an orangutan), an ex-circus ape who dresses as a butler and likes to smoke cigars.
When Philips decides to have the ageing Link taken care of (i.e. put to sleep), the hairy beast fights back, killing its owner and terrorising Jane.
Philips isn't a very nice man: he continues to dress Link in human clothes and perpetuates the ape's smoking habit, and he treats all of his animals cruelly. Worse still, he makes cups of tea in the microwave, which is just plain wrong. In short, he deserves a nasty death. Jane, on the other hand, is played by the lovely Elisabeth Shue, and although she probably makes tea with ice and lemon, she can be forgiven because she is American and hot. She will clearly survive to the end. It's predictable stuff, but still a whole lot of fun thanks to smart direction from Richard Franklin (Psycho II), who gradually builds the pace to an exciting climax, great performances from the apes (kudos to trainer Ray Berwick), and a wonderful locale (the house is magnificent). There's even a nude scene from Shue, the shapely beauty ogled by Link (and who can blame him?) as she prepares for a bath.
Even the film's less-than-perfect moments prove highly entertaining: there's a wonderfully tacky scene transition from a pair of spectacles to the view from a pair of binoculars; we have dreadful use of The Kink's classic Ape Man; a 'dummy falling down a well' death scene is hilarious; also try not to laugh when Shue slaps the monkey (NOT a euphemism); and don't forget about Link lifting a transit van and pushing it over a cliff (just how strong is he supposed to be?). It's the stuff that bad movies are made of, but also enjoyable ones. The only thing I genuinely didn't like was Jerry Goldsmith's score, which is way too derivative of his music for Gremlins.
Philips isn't a very nice man: he continues to dress Link in human clothes and perpetuates the ape's smoking habit, and he treats all of his animals cruelly. Worse still, he makes cups of tea in the microwave, which is just plain wrong. In short, he deserves a nasty death. Jane, on the other hand, is played by the lovely Elisabeth Shue, and although she probably makes tea with ice and lemon, she can be forgiven because she is American and hot. She will clearly survive to the end. It's predictable stuff, but still a whole lot of fun thanks to smart direction from Richard Franklin (Psycho II), who gradually builds the pace to an exciting climax, great performances from the apes (kudos to trainer Ray Berwick), and a wonderful locale (the house is magnificent). There's even a nude scene from Shue, the shapely beauty ogled by Link (and who can blame him?) as she prepares for a bath.
Even the film's less-than-perfect moments prove highly entertaining: there's a wonderfully tacky scene transition from a pair of spectacles to the view from a pair of binoculars; we have dreadful use of The Kink's classic Ape Man; a 'dummy falling down a well' death scene is hilarious; also try not to laugh when Shue slaps the monkey (NOT a euphemism); and don't forget about Link lifting a transit van and pushing it over a cliff (just how strong is he supposed to be?). It's the stuff that bad movies are made of, but also enjoyable ones. The only thing I genuinely didn't like was Jerry Goldsmith's score, which is way too derivative of his music for Gremlins.
Bring on the Monkeys!
gavin69427 July 2014
A zoology student (Elisabeth Shue) must try to out smart a murderous and super-intelligent orangutan.
The 1980s were a strong decade for monkey-themed horror. Not only did we get Argento's "Phenomena", but one of George Romero's better films, "Monkeyshines". This one has probably fallen through the cracks, despite coming from director Richard Franklin ("Psycho II") and starring a pre-babysitting Shue and the wonderful Terence Stamp.
The film also raises some great ethical and philosophical questions about how primates should be treated. Are murderous monkeys responsible for their behavior? And is the professor in this film a hero of science or a villain who mistreats his experiments?
The 1980s were a strong decade for monkey-themed horror. Not only did we get Argento's "Phenomena", but one of George Romero's better films, "Monkeyshines". This one has probably fallen through the cracks, despite coming from director Richard Franklin ("Psycho II") and starring a pre-babysitting Shue and the wonderful Terence Stamp.
The film also raises some great ethical and philosophical questions about how primates should be treated. Are murderous monkeys responsible for their behavior? And is the professor in this film a hero of science or a villain who mistreats his experiments?
Smart old Circus Orangutan is going to raise some hell.
loomis78-815-9890343 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
American college student Jane Chase (Shue) lands a job at a seaside British Mansion. Her job is with Professor Phillips (Stamp) who is doing research on chimpanzees. Jane is introduced to an old circus Orangutan named Link who doubles as the house butler and a younger one named Imp. When Link overhears that the Professor has plans to put him down, the over smart Ape kills one of the other chimps and soon after the Professor turns up missing. Jane must match wits in a battle to survive with Link on the rampage. Hitchcock enthusiast Richard Franklin brings his nice Directorial style to this slightly odd story written by Everett De Roche. The movie takes a little while to get going and isn't very gory or bloody. This is an exercise in action and suspense and Link does very well in this department. Elisabeth Shue is believable as young Jane; But Stamp sleeps through his role and looks like he is waiting for his paycheck to arrive. Some ambitious photography and just the right amount of suspense make this an entertaining film, but not a scary one. Jerry Goldsmith's effective score ads to the fun.
Dumb but fun.
Hey_Sweden9 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Elisabeth Shue, in her first top-billed role, plays Jane Chase, an American student living in England. She desires to work with renowned anthropologist Dr. Steven Phillip (Terence Stamp), and gets a job as his assistant. But soon after she arrives at his coastal estate, she finds that the "good" doctor is a jerk towards his simian housemates. Phillip disappears, and the apes take over the asylum. Janes' nemesis is the orang-utan Link (played by Locke), who's been acting and dressing like a butler. Link goes crazy, supposedly a reaction to some news he may have heard.
The film is decidedly quirky for a while, owing to a silly script by Everett De Roche, who usually turned out better material than this. It does seem to be played as tongue in cheek at first, considering how goofy the dialogue and situations are. It really starts to "cook" once the flustered Jane has to try to babysit these out of control apes (the other two occupants are a pair of chimps). It's hilarious at times, coming up with some truly ridiculous moments. Apparently Link can go anywhere and do just about anything. The film also gets some mileage out of the ever-likeable Shue, who's easy to watch as always. Stamp is fairly amusing in his brief time on screen. But Locke has to be the real star of this thing - his actions, and reactions, are a riot. Kudos, also, to veteran animal trainer Ray Berwick, who guided the feathered antagonists for Hitchcocks' "The Birds", and trained the apes here.
Nice use of rural locations (that countryside can be gorgeous) is a bonus. Jerry Goldsmith, ordinarily a very reliable composer, is not averse to repeating himself, though: his score here often calls to mind the one he did for "Gremlins" two years previous.
This viewer will give producer / director (and known Hitchcock disciple) Richard Franklin some credit: his nutty animal-attack thriller does deliver one of those rip-roaring finales that truly brings the house down. Lockes' final scene is hysterical.
One might team this with "Shakma" for a double dose of killer-ape schlock.
Five out of 10.
The film is decidedly quirky for a while, owing to a silly script by Everett De Roche, who usually turned out better material than this. It does seem to be played as tongue in cheek at first, considering how goofy the dialogue and situations are. It really starts to "cook" once the flustered Jane has to try to babysit these out of control apes (the other two occupants are a pair of chimps). It's hilarious at times, coming up with some truly ridiculous moments. Apparently Link can go anywhere and do just about anything. The film also gets some mileage out of the ever-likeable Shue, who's easy to watch as always. Stamp is fairly amusing in his brief time on screen. But Locke has to be the real star of this thing - his actions, and reactions, are a riot. Kudos, also, to veteran animal trainer Ray Berwick, who guided the feathered antagonists for Hitchcocks' "The Birds", and trained the apes here.
Nice use of rural locations (that countryside can be gorgeous) is a bonus. Jerry Goldsmith, ordinarily a very reliable composer, is not averse to repeating himself, though: his score here often calls to mind the one he did for "Gremlins" two years previous.
This viewer will give producer / director (and known Hitchcock disciple) Richard Franklin some credit: his nutty animal-attack thriller does deliver one of those rip-roaring finales that truly brings the house down. Lockes' final scene is hysterical.
One might team this with "Shakma" for a double dose of killer-ape schlock.
Five out of 10.
Elisabeth Shue's first starring film with a deadly orangutan called Link
tbills223 June 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Link is an orangutan on a murderous spree in a bad polyester suit, and neither of these things are his fault. Blame the misguided doctor mistreating the apes with untempered threats of aggression and useless mindless experiments who dressed him. Keep pet apes in a mansion estate in the middle of sheep country, just treat the loving apes like apes. The chimps and orangutan are what really makes Link so good to watch and I would like to say that they are the real stars, but clearly Elisabeth Shue is. Elisabeth is so bright and affectionate to the camera that her lackluster emotional drive for the character is far less important than her beautiful nature and sexy charm. I love Elisabeth Shue. She's so gorgeous. Terrance Stamp is excellent as the mad ape doctor, Dr. Phillips, as he mostly is. Stamp can make any character sensationally interesting. The apes are maybe the best part of Link and watching them perform in Link is endlessly amusing. Too many people underestimate the animal's true strength and intelligence. Link is the best killer ape movie made. I love the parts where they find clues to the crazy ape's mischievous works and the natural progression of relations shared between Link and Jane which slowly turns deadly. Link is a very good horror that's not really scary moreso entertaining and suspenseful. The way Link is so effectively killing his victims is a bit unimaginable. I really enjoyed it.
God made man, and he used a monkey to do it...
hitchcockthelegend14 October 2013
Link, a British horror film starring Terence Stamp, Elisabeth Shue, two chimps and an orangutan. The Link of the title is the orangutan, though we are asked to believe he is a chimp, and he's getting on a bit and his master, Dr. Steven Phillip (Stamp), is ready to send him of to the primate farm in the sky. Only Link is a smart cookie, he likes a smoke, and he likes to menace Jane Chase (Shue) who is working for peanuts as Steven's housekeeper so as to get experience from the good doctor.
So, when Steven vanishes half way through the movie, Jane is left to her own devices with mad primate and good primate. But wait, a clumsy set-up sees her joined by some pals late in the day, the cannon fodder has arrived, hooray! Ludicrous and lacking genuine suspense, while the primates out act their human counterparts. But boy are those primates trained brilliantly, especially the expressive Link (Locke). 3/10
So, when Steven vanishes half way through the movie, Jane is left to her own devices with mad primate and good primate. But wait, a clumsy set-up sees her joined by some pals late in the day, the cannon fodder has arrived, hooray! Ludicrous and lacking genuine suspense, while the primates out act their human counterparts. But boy are those primates trained brilliantly, especially the expressive Link (Locke). 3/10
Link for president...
dag_nabbet5 May 2003
Best monkey horror movie ever - no other comes to mind so its not like there is too much competition. But who cares, this movie is great fun especially for us monkey fans. And who ever you might be, there is no denying that Link is one funky monkey.
All ye nay-sayers stop your monkey buisness and vote Link for president.
All ye nay-sayers stop your monkey buisness and vote Link for president.
I totally disagree
missourimule7 February 2003
This was a good film, the second half is when the action picks up. The tension between Shue and the old circus ape is truly scary. The only complaint I have is the awful music in the background. If you are a true horror fan I suggest you give this movie a chance.
Link
BandSAboutMovies17 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Richard Franklin had optioned a short outline wof this film, which he said was "a sort of Jaws with chimps.," but it sat until writer Everett de Roche showed him a National Geographic article in which Jane Goodall discussed violence among chimpanzees, including "the cannibalizing of young chimpanzees by one particular mad female chimp. She observed actual inter-tribal warfare, not unlike the opening of 2001, between two groups of chimps. The whole '60s idea of man being the only animal to make war against its own kind was suddenly thrown out the window. Since then, they've discovered that lions and other animals do it as well, but that, to me, was a really interesting idea for a good thriller."
As Franklin tried to get financing, he ended up making Psycho II and Cloak and Dagger, which gave him the ability to get this movie made. He compared it to The Birds, but then realize that people may think that he was basically making another Hitchcock sequel.
While the movie was originally going to be released by Universal, Frankin said that the studio's "...instinct will probably be to release it this summer, which I really hope they don't do. It's not a Spielberg movie. It's quite different and, in a way, I wish Psycho II had been given the chance to make more money by playing fewer theatres for a longer period of time. Link is a very special thriller and should be treated accordingly."
Then Cannon released it, chopping out eight minutes in the U. S. and five more in England, a process that Franklin said was When the film was horrifying with "each new one chipping a little more away until my wife was moved to liken the plight of my monkey movie to that of the horse in Black Beauty."
Dr Steven Phillip (Terence Stamp) is an anthropologist trying to learn more about just how smart chimpanzees are and the link between man and ape by bringing three of them - Link, Imp and Voodoo - to his isolated estate in the English countryside. Jane Chase (Elisabeth Shue) is his assistant and she's instantly shocked by Link, a former circus chimpanzee who now serves as Phillip's butler, dressed in a perfect uniform.
After the doctor disappears, Jane remains alone with the test subjects, who become more violent, take over the mansion and begin fighting over territory and Jane.
The Jerry Goldsmith and some of the comedic antics may seem sort of wacky, but it all works, because when things start going wrong, the juxtaposition is startling. I'm all for movies where apes rise up and give humans what they deserve, so I loved Link, even if Franklin's true vision was cut down.
As Franklin tried to get financing, he ended up making Psycho II and Cloak and Dagger, which gave him the ability to get this movie made. He compared it to The Birds, but then realize that people may think that he was basically making another Hitchcock sequel.
While the movie was originally going to be released by Universal, Frankin said that the studio's "...instinct will probably be to release it this summer, which I really hope they don't do. It's not a Spielberg movie. It's quite different and, in a way, I wish Psycho II had been given the chance to make more money by playing fewer theatres for a longer period of time. Link is a very special thriller and should be treated accordingly."
Then Cannon released it, chopping out eight minutes in the U. S. and five more in England, a process that Franklin said was When the film was horrifying with "each new one chipping a little more away until my wife was moved to liken the plight of my monkey movie to that of the horse in Black Beauty."
Dr Steven Phillip (Terence Stamp) is an anthropologist trying to learn more about just how smart chimpanzees are and the link between man and ape by bringing three of them - Link, Imp and Voodoo - to his isolated estate in the English countryside. Jane Chase (Elisabeth Shue) is his assistant and she's instantly shocked by Link, a former circus chimpanzee who now serves as Phillip's butler, dressed in a perfect uniform.
After the doctor disappears, Jane remains alone with the test subjects, who become more violent, take over the mansion and begin fighting over territory and Jane.
The Jerry Goldsmith and some of the comedic antics may seem sort of wacky, but it all works, because when things start going wrong, the juxtaposition is startling. I'm all for movies where apes rise up and give humans what they deserve, so I loved Link, even if Franklin's true vision was cut down.
Species Showdown...
azathothpwiggins19 August 2020
College student, Jane Chase (Elisabeth Shue) gets what should be a dream job as assistant to her primatology professor, Dr. Phillips (Terrence Stamp). All she has to do is move into Phillips' remote castle, and help him with his ape experiments. Jane is amazed by the two chimpanzees named Imp and Voodoo, but is really intrigued by the orangutan "butler" named LINK. Everything goes smoothly, right up until Dr. Phillips goes missing, leaving Jane at the mercy of an increasingly menacing Link!
Any other human visitors are dealt with rather savagely, and the injuries and deaths begin to mount.
Ms. Shue's character is charming, and even manages to be firm with Link when necessary. Stamp is superb as always, though his role is more of an extended cameo. This is a superior "animals run amok" movie, with some actual terror generated by the simians involved. Link (Locke the Orangutan) himself is quite convincing in his intimidating role! An unexpected treat...
Any other human visitors are dealt with rather savagely, and the injuries and deaths begin to mount.
Ms. Shue's character is charming, and even manages to be firm with Link when necessary. Stamp is superb as always, though his role is more of an extended cameo. This is a superior "animals run amok" movie, with some actual terror generated by the simians involved. Link (Locke the Orangutan) himself is quite convincing in his intimidating role! An unexpected treat...
good idea turned out a bad horror
moritzgedig9 July 2008
Link could have been a good thriller, but in the setting, story and behavior of the people it is a horror.
because of this I didn't like the movie, but it is was good idea.
when they wanted this to be a horror, why did they shoot it at day?
well, as I said, it could have been a great movie, if they hadn't taken the easy path of making it a horror, it started out very promising.
an old and underestimated monkey turns on his owner and anyone who finds out, after overhearing a phone call.
The acting of the monkeys is so good. it must have taken a lot of work to teach them, because they are in every scene of the movie.
the movie could have elaborated on many topics such as ethics and human intelligence. how guilty is the monkey? (today many people still don't understand Darwin, even Biologists. (see the "intelligent design" debate))
Link is not a chimp, Imp is.
because of this I didn't like the movie, but it is was good idea.
when they wanted this to be a horror, why did they shoot it at day?
well, as I said, it could have been a great movie, if they hadn't taken the easy path of making it a horror, it started out very promising.
an old and underestimated monkey turns on his owner and anyone who finds out, after overhearing a phone call.
The acting of the monkeys is so good. it must have taken a lot of work to teach them, because they are in every scene of the movie.
the movie could have elaborated on many topics such as ethics and human intelligence. how guilty is the monkey? (today many people still don't understand Darwin, even Biologists. (see the "intelligent design" debate))
Link is not a chimp, Imp is.
real world scary
SnoopyStyle24 March 2024
Dr. Steven Phillip (Terence Stamp) is a professor at London College of Sciences and he trains chimpanzees. He takes on student Jane Chase (Elisabeth Shue) as his new assistant. She arrives at his remote estate where he has three chimps at various stages of training. Link is the oldest and the smartest.
The nude scene is the most disturbing cross-species scene since Howard the Duck. Quite frankly, I was afraid for these actors throughout the movie for real. Elisabeth Shue should definitely call in HR for some of these scenes. That kind of real world fears can actually heighten the horror tension of the movie. This has plenty of horror tension. Despite being an orangutan, Link still looks really scary. With Shue dealing with Link, the tension never goes away.
The nude scene is the most disturbing cross-species scene since Howard the Duck. Quite frankly, I was afraid for these actors throughout the movie for real. Elisabeth Shue should definitely call in HR for some of these scenes. That kind of real world fears can actually heighten the horror tension of the movie. This has plenty of horror tension. Despite being an orangutan, Link still looks really scary. With Shue dealing with Link, the tension never goes away.
This isn't cute monkey business.
lost-in-limbo22 June 2007
Jane Chase a young American grad student studying at London Institute of Science takes a job as an assistant/housekeeper for anthropology professor Steven Philip at his isolated country house on the coast. There she would meet Philip's chimpanzees Imp and Voodoo, and very well trained orangutan Link. Here she would learn how to act around them, so when the professor has to go somewhere. He knows nothing will happen. However one-day Philip suddenly disappears and Jane notices that Link's behaviour is becoming more assertive, as he cuts off any chance of her escaping.
What is a series of effective set pieces make up this simple minded, but extremely tight and conniving cat and mouse monkey on the loose thriller. The Australian pair of director Richard Franklin and writer Everett de Roche (who both brought us "Patrick", "Road Games" and "The Visitors") does an able job of giving the film a professional touch, but the real stars of the show are the monkeys themselves. Trainer Ray Berwick does a splendid job of milking out the personalities and acting abilities of these chimps. Link's blank facial expressions are downright unnerving, because there's a real sinisterness hiding behind that placid (and well-dressed) frame! Roche's minimal set-up for the screenplay is truly inspired for what is a systematic exercise, while slowly letting the mysterious factors of story unfold and leaving the characters dangling there as they realise what's actually happening. Streaming through the script is a dry sense of humour that fitted right in, but there's a real vagueness surrounding certain details that really do stick out. Franklin's interesting direction is visually adept and the steady pace constantly builds the suspenseful situation, where it finally takes off in a rapid, nail-biting final half. The violence is not particularly graphic, with most of it off screen. He also uses the Victorian setting of the mansion within the gorgeously secluded backdrop to take shape and become a formidable presence. Underrated cinematographer Mike Molloy's atmospheric and abstract framing was that of high quality and the reliable Jerry Goldsmith flavoured score captures the right bounce with its ever-changing tenor of styles. The adorably bold Elisabeth Shue (just her second role after "The Karate Kid (84)" and showing some skin) is agreeably strong and convincing. The always-fine Terence Stamp, gives a subtle off-wired performance that was probably a little too short and abrupt.
What is a series of effective set pieces make up this simple minded, but extremely tight and conniving cat and mouse monkey on the loose thriller. The Australian pair of director Richard Franklin and writer Everett de Roche (who both brought us "Patrick", "Road Games" and "The Visitors") does an able job of giving the film a professional touch, but the real stars of the show are the monkeys themselves. Trainer Ray Berwick does a splendid job of milking out the personalities and acting abilities of these chimps. Link's blank facial expressions are downright unnerving, because there's a real sinisterness hiding behind that placid (and well-dressed) frame! Roche's minimal set-up for the screenplay is truly inspired for what is a systematic exercise, while slowly letting the mysterious factors of story unfold and leaving the characters dangling there as they realise what's actually happening. Streaming through the script is a dry sense of humour that fitted right in, but there's a real vagueness surrounding certain details that really do stick out. Franklin's interesting direction is visually adept and the steady pace constantly builds the suspenseful situation, where it finally takes off in a rapid, nail-biting final half. The violence is not particularly graphic, with most of it off screen. He also uses the Victorian setting of the mansion within the gorgeously secluded backdrop to take shape and become a formidable presence. Underrated cinematographer Mike Molloy's atmospheric and abstract framing was that of high quality and the reliable Jerry Goldsmith flavoured score captures the right bounce with its ever-changing tenor of styles. The adorably bold Elisabeth Shue (just her second role after "The Karate Kid (84)" and showing some skin) is agreeably strong and convincing. The always-fine Terence Stamp, gives a subtle off-wired performance that was probably a little too short and abrupt.
Link (1986)
SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain13 December 2011
Unfortunately it's never as creepy as the poster, but it does come close. Link sees Elisabeth Shue take a job minding Stamp's cottage where 3 apes live. An elderly domineering female, a youngling hat can communicate via a computer, and an old geezer dressed as a butler. The latter, known as Link, soon becomes a bit obsessed with his new female house guest. Mysterious goings on soon give way to extended chase scenes. It gets a bit tiresome as you'd think some competent person could take out an orangutan in this situation. The ape that plays Link is incredible. His facial expressions put the human cast to shame, and it looks like he does a lot of his own physical scenes. Enjoyable, and sometimes creepy, it can also drag on in places.
Primate terror!
paulclaassen7 July 2022
Elizabeth Shue stars as zoology student Jane, who admires Professor Steven Phillip (Terence Stamp), and wishes to be his assistant at the University. Instead, he hires her to help her at his seaside mansion, where he trains chimpanzees.
The apes are cute at first, but Jane clearly does not approve of Steven's methods. I honestly didn't know what to expect with this movie, as I've never watched the trailer prior to watching the movie (I actually prefer not to.) 'Link' is a slow burn horror, and the first act merely revolves around Jane and Steven's interactions with the primates. We get to know Link, Voodoo and Imp. (Voodoo and Imp are chimpanzees while Link is an orangutan). The first act felt like a Sunday afternoon Disney family movie.
The second act turns more mysterious, while the third act is a true nail-biter with suspense all the way. It becomes a bit of a slasher, which I believe it could have done without. Elizabeth Shue delivered a good performance as did Locke as Link. He became all the more creepy as the film developed.
I loved the production design and cinematography. 'Link' transformed from a cute family movie to a really good thriller. I enjoyed it.
The apes are cute at first, but Jane clearly does not approve of Steven's methods. I honestly didn't know what to expect with this movie, as I've never watched the trailer prior to watching the movie (I actually prefer not to.) 'Link' is a slow burn horror, and the first act merely revolves around Jane and Steven's interactions with the primates. We get to know Link, Voodoo and Imp. (Voodoo and Imp are chimpanzees while Link is an orangutan). The first act felt like a Sunday afternoon Disney family movie.
The second act turns more mysterious, while the third act is a true nail-biter with suspense all the way. It becomes a bit of a slasher, which I believe it could have done without. Elizabeth Shue delivered a good performance as did Locke as Link. He became all the more creepy as the film developed.
I loved the production design and cinematography. 'Link' transformed from a cute family movie to a really good thriller. I enjoyed it.
I quite liked it for what it was.
poolandrews2 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Link starts in London where American student Jane Chase (Elizabeth Shue) is studying at the College of Sciences, Jane needs to earn some extra money & when she discovers that Dr. Steven Philip (Terence Stamp) is looking for an assistant she applies for the position. Dr. Philips agrees to hire Jane as a sort of housekeeper at his huge coastal mansion during the summer, Jane couldn't be happier & looks forward to starting. A few weeks later & Jane travels to Dr. Philips home where he carries out his experiments & writes his bestselling books, he is particularly interested in Chimpanzee behaviour & has three living with him, one called Imp, one called Voodoo & a dominant male named Link. All three seem remarkably intelligent, they all seem able to communicate with & understand human beings, then Dr. Philips suddenly disappears leaving Jane alone with the three Chimpanzee's. Jane finds it hard to control Link as his behaviour becomes more unruly & violent...
This English production made by the infamous Cannon was produced & directed by the late Richard Franklin who also helmed the surprisingly good Psycho II (1983) a couple of years earlier & I have to say that I quite enjoyed Link for what it was, I am not entirely sure why but I did enjoy watching it. The script is interesting but a little empty, various things are hinted at but never fully explained & just when I thought I was following what was happening the film deviates or leaves issues unresolved. It's never made clear why Link is menacing Jane in the first place or why he killed Dr. Philips or his mate Voodoo with only vague suggestions to reasons why, I just would have liked the script be a little bit more definite & give me a reason why I should believe what is going on. When all said and done Link is just another horror thriller in which some young girl is trapped alone somewhere & menaced by some killer, sure the killer's a Chimpanzee here but he's still a fairly motiveless killer who seems to everywhere at once & can predict the future, the killer Ape film has never really took off & it's sort of easy to see why with this & George Romero's killer Monkey film Monkey Shines (1988). At over 100 minutes Link is a little slow, the first third of the film does tend to drag & fails to build much momentum but the climax is pretty good as Link finally gets some people to kill.
I am not quite sure what the makers were aiming for here, a straight horror or suspense thriller as it satisfies on neither count. The body count is disappointing low with all the kills off-screen, there's no blood or gore & minimal violence. There's a slightly off putting scene in which Janes undresses to take a bath & Link stands in the door looking at her naked body, it's kind of perverted & fells wrong to even watch it. The Chimpanzee's do a great job & really express themselves well but I just didn't find them scary or threatening, you can tell most of the time they are just playing rather than being nasty & it's hard not to like Link with his goofy smile & sad looking blank eye's. Special mention must go the the fantastic music by Jerry Goldsmith who nails it with a bizarre mix of African rhythm's, electric pop & classical music to produce a memorable if sometimes inappropriate score.
Filmed mainly in St. Abbs in Scotland I would say Link is a pretty obscure film & no-one I know has even heard of it, it hasn't seen a video release of any kind over here in the UK since 1992. The acting is alright, Elizabeth Shue is decent & is left to carry most of the film on her own as the always watchable Terence Stamp is wasted.
Link is a film I quite liked, it's a bit different & is well made with some odd moments but it's too long & has too low a body count. It has it's good points & it's bad points but overall I think it's worth a watch as long as you don't expect any sort of masterpiece.
This English production made by the infamous Cannon was produced & directed by the late Richard Franklin who also helmed the surprisingly good Psycho II (1983) a couple of years earlier & I have to say that I quite enjoyed Link for what it was, I am not entirely sure why but I did enjoy watching it. The script is interesting but a little empty, various things are hinted at but never fully explained & just when I thought I was following what was happening the film deviates or leaves issues unresolved. It's never made clear why Link is menacing Jane in the first place or why he killed Dr. Philips or his mate Voodoo with only vague suggestions to reasons why, I just would have liked the script be a little bit more definite & give me a reason why I should believe what is going on. When all said and done Link is just another horror thriller in which some young girl is trapped alone somewhere & menaced by some killer, sure the killer's a Chimpanzee here but he's still a fairly motiveless killer who seems to everywhere at once & can predict the future, the killer Ape film has never really took off & it's sort of easy to see why with this & George Romero's killer Monkey film Monkey Shines (1988). At over 100 minutes Link is a little slow, the first third of the film does tend to drag & fails to build much momentum but the climax is pretty good as Link finally gets some people to kill.
I am not quite sure what the makers were aiming for here, a straight horror or suspense thriller as it satisfies on neither count. The body count is disappointing low with all the kills off-screen, there's no blood or gore & minimal violence. There's a slightly off putting scene in which Janes undresses to take a bath & Link stands in the door looking at her naked body, it's kind of perverted & fells wrong to even watch it. The Chimpanzee's do a great job & really express themselves well but I just didn't find them scary or threatening, you can tell most of the time they are just playing rather than being nasty & it's hard not to like Link with his goofy smile & sad looking blank eye's. Special mention must go the the fantastic music by Jerry Goldsmith who nails it with a bizarre mix of African rhythm's, electric pop & classical music to produce a memorable if sometimes inappropriate score.
Filmed mainly in St. Abbs in Scotland I would say Link is a pretty obscure film & no-one I know has even heard of it, it hasn't seen a video release of any kind over here in the UK since 1992. The acting is alright, Elizabeth Shue is decent & is left to carry most of the film on her own as the always watchable Terence Stamp is wasted.
Link is a film I quite liked, it's a bit different & is well made with some odd moments but it's too long & has too low a body count. It has it's good points & it's bad points but overall I think it's worth a watch as long as you don't expect any sort of masterpiece.
A great movie!
Movie Nuttball13 October 2003
Link is a very good film. The acting by Elisabeth Shue and Terence Stamp was very good especially by Stamp but the real stars of the movie are the apes! The great ape that played Link was excellent! I couldn't help but laugh at him because of the way he acts, the things he does, the faces he makes, and the way he moves. I know it isn't suppose to be funny but he makes this classic a very serious but a hilarious film! The chase scenes with Link were cool! The music by Jerry Goldsmith is excellent! A very good theme he composed and the entire score is perfect for the movie! Link is great and is an entertaining movie! I strongly Recommend it!
Terrible suspense thriller
barnabyrudge16 December 2002
Director Richard Franklin is a bit of a Hitchcock borrower. He wrote and directed the sequel to Psycho, wrote and directed the Hitchcockian Road Games, and here he tries out a Hitchcock style thriller about a lone woman trapped in a maze-like mansion with danger round every corner. The thing which destroys this movie is that the danger in question is supplied by some scientifically tampered monkeys who live in the house, under the observation of scientist Terence Stamp.
Monkeys? I hear you cry! Yes, monkeys! A bunch of psychotic chimpanzees are the principle bad guys in this film. At this point, you suddenly stop wondering what delightful Hitchcockian surprises director Franklin has up his sleeve, and you begin to try hard not to let laughter seize you. How can the film possibly hope to succeed with such an inane and insane plot? How can it hope to scare you witless with such cute and cuddly animals in the role of the villains? How can a talented director and stars be working on such a ludcrous project as this?
The truth of the matter is that Link is a misjudgement by all concerned. It is Franklin's worst film, Shue's most embarrassing and Stamp's laziest ever performance. Still, at least the monkeys look cute and cuddly!
Monkeys? I hear you cry! Yes, monkeys! A bunch of psychotic chimpanzees are the principle bad guys in this film. At this point, you suddenly stop wondering what delightful Hitchcockian surprises director Franklin has up his sleeve, and you begin to try hard not to let laughter seize you. How can the film possibly hope to succeed with such an inane and insane plot? How can it hope to scare you witless with such cute and cuddly animals in the role of the villains? How can a talented director and stars be working on such a ludcrous project as this?
The truth of the matter is that Link is a misjudgement by all concerned. It is Franklin's worst film, Shue's most embarrassing and Stamp's laziest ever performance. Still, at least the monkeys look cute and cuddly!
Link throws a monkey wrench into the works.
dbdumonteil28 November 2001
The cast,featuring a young Elisabeth Shue and Terence Stamp,was appealing.But,as for the latter,he does his stint,then collects his money quickly ,as if he wanted to get out of this drivel as soon as possible.Anyway,he was miscast:Stamp needs excessiveness,he cannot do anything with a straight character.The "cultural" intro is de rigueur in these "experiment" movies,here Stamp bestows on us a whole lecture ,complete with pay-attention-I'll-ask-you-some-questions-next-week.
It seems that the humans are very strange and that everybody's got something to hide except for Elisabeth and her monkeys.The humans leave the stage for a while,and the beautiful girl is on her own ,on her planet of the apes.The movie is then crawling along at 20 and it becomes boring.The Kinks' "Apeman" signals the boys' arrival and the slow-moving "psychological" suspense becomes a ape-like "Friday the thirteen".Best avoid.
It seems that the humans are very strange and that everybody's got something to hide except for Elisabeth and her monkeys.The humans leave the stage for a while,and the beautiful girl is on her own ,on her planet of the apes.The movie is then crawling along at 20 and it becomes boring.The Kinks' "Apeman" signals the boys' arrival and the slow-moving "psychological" suspense becomes a ape-like "Friday the thirteen".Best avoid.
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