Saw Link again last night, one of those movies I saw innumerable times in the late 80s and 90s but haven't seen for well over a decade. A young (and very cute) Elisabeth Shue and Terrance Stamp star in this mid-80s British comedy-thriller (with horror elements). Shue is an American zoology student in the UK who takes a summer job working as assistant to her anthropology professor (Stamp) in his isolated clifftop home, where he conducts research with his three apes, the aggressive voodoo, the mischievous Imp, and Link - a former circus animal who wears clothes and smokes cigars, and who has been trained as the perfect servant. But not long after she arrives, Voodoo is killed and the professor vanishes, along with his car. Shue finds herself trapped in the desolate house, with Link's behaviour becoming increasingly unpredictable - and increasingly dangerous. This is a shamelessly entertaining (and largely undeservedly forgotten outside cult circles) flick from director Richard Franklin (Psycho 2, Road Games, Patrick) that has aged very well. Stamp stamps his authority on a relatively small role, Shue is a spunky and appealing heroine (and almost indescribably cute throughout

) and the orangutan that plays Link almost steals the movie entirely. Crime fans will recognise Kevin Lloyd (aka DC Tosh Lines) as a seedy animal trafficker who feels Link's wrath. That never happened on The Bill!
Love this movie.
