When a Stranger Calls is an American film series that comprises three standalone psychological thriller horror films, as well as an originating short film. The original film has gained a large cult following, with its first 20 minutes consistently regarded as one of the scariest opening scenes in movie history, inspiring many others, including the critically acclaimed hit Scream (1996) and its sequels. Inspired by Fred Walton's 1977 horror-thriller short film The Sitter, The series serves as a suspenseful retelling of the urban legend of "The babysitter and the man upstairs", about a babysitter, Jill Johnson, who is menaced by mysterious and frightening phone calls which are finally revealed to be coming from inside the house. The 1979 film is an expanded remake of Fred Walton and Steve Fe