The Black Phone

In the sweltering summer of 1978, a shadow loomed large over the tranquil streets of North Denver's suburbs, where Finley Blake (Finney) and his younger sister Gwen dwelled with their troubled father Terrence. The latter's life was marked by the devastating loss of his wife, whose mysterious psychic dreams ultimately led to her tragic demise. Against this backdrop of turmoil, Finney struggled to find solace, constantly harassed at school by his tormentors. Meanwhile, his loyal friend Robin offered a beacon of hope, bravely defending Finney from his bullies.

Gwen's inherited ability proved to be a double-edged sword, as she began to have recurring visions of the Grabber's sinister crimes, including the abduction of Bruce, a boy Finley knew through Little League. The local authorities, detectives Wright and Miller, took notice of Gwen's prophetic dreams and paid her a visit at school, hoping to glean insight into the mind of the elusive perpetrator. However, their inquiry only served to enrage Terrence, who responded with brute force, pummeling his daughter in a fit of rage.

The consequences of Terrence's actions soon became apparent as the Grabber struck again, snatching Robin and then Finley from their unsuspecting lives. Finney awoke in a dimly lit, soundproofed basement, where he found himself face-to-face with an eerie black rotary dial telephone that seemed to have a mind of its own. At first, it only produced static when he answered, but eventually, he heard the faint voice of Bruce, offering cryptic instructions on how to escape.

As Finley began to dig his way out, he realized the futility of his efforts, as the house's foundations were buried too deep. The Grabber, seemingly omniscient, left a meal and an unlocked door, only to reappear with a sinister smile, hinting at a twisted game that would soon unfold. Finley received a chilling phone call from Billy, another of the Grabber's victims, who warned him about the impending doom waiting at the top of the basement stairs.

Meanwhile, Gwen confided in her father about her recurring dreams, which only seemed to exacerbate Terrence's erratic behavior. As detectives Wright and Miller delved deeper into the case, they turned their attention to an enigmatic stranger named Max, who had taken a peculiar interest in the Grabber's nefarious activities. Little did they know that Finley was already trapped in Max's basement, at the mercy of the maniacal Grabber, whose true identity would soon be revealed as his own brother.

As Finney's desperation reaches a fever pitch, Griffin, the latest victim, shares the combination to the front door lock with him, revealing that the Grabber has succumbed to exhaustion. Seizing the opportunity, Finney slips out of the house, only to be recaptured by the cunning abductor when Samson's barks rouse the unconscious perpetrator. Undeterred, Vance, the juvenile delinquent, provides Finney with a glimmer of hope - a hidden entrance through a wall and into a freezer in the adjacent room. However, Finney finds himself thwarted once more as he discovers the door locked firmly in place. As despair settles over him, he receives one final call from Robin, urging him to take control of his fate and fight back by arming himself with the phone receiver.

Meanwhile, Gwen's premonition leads Wright and Miller to the Grabber's residence, where they uncover the gruesome reality of the abductor's crimes in the form of the buried bodies in the basement. Unbeknownst to them, Finney is trapped below, struggling to survive despite his valiant efforts. As the police close in, the Grabber takes his final victim - Max - with a brutal axe blow and sets his sights on Finney, intent on concluding his twisted game. However, Finney refuses to go quietly into the night, using the byproducts of his previous escape attempts to ensnare the Grabber in a pit he has dug. With the receiver now transformed into a deadly weapon, Finney exacts a merciless revenge upon his tormentor, ultimately breaking his neck with the phone cord as the ghosts of his past victims jeer at their oppressor.

As Finney makes his escape, he employs Samson's distraction to slip away from the house, only to discover that it lies across the street from the one the authorities have raided. In a poignant moment of reconciliation, Terrence, now overcome with remorse, implores Finney and Gwen to forgive his earlier mistreatment. As time passes, Finney emerges as a hero at school, his newfound confidence allowing him to sit beside his long-held crush in class, confidently suggesting that she can address him by the nickname Finn.