976-EVIL



976-EVIL is a 1988 Horror Film directed by Robert Englund.

Spike (the bad boy) and Hoax (the introverted nerd) are cousins who live with Hoax’s overly religious mother. They stumble across a mysterious premium-line phone number, 976-EVIL, which appears at first to be just a fun novelty hotline that offers creepy fortunes to those who call, but they soon discover that it’s a direct line to hell--literally. Spike loses interest, but Hoax uses the powers the number gives him to exact revenge against everyone who has wronged him, inavertantly allowing his soul to be slowly taken over by Satan. Spike must race to stem the tide of destruction Hoax is perpetrating, hoping like hell that he can save his cousin’s soul.

A direct-to-video sequel, 976-EVIL II, was released in 1992.


 * From Nobody to Nightmare: Hoax uses the powers granted by the phone line to get back at everyone who’s wronged him.
 * Technology Marches On: The 976 exchange is no longer used for pay-per-call phone numbers, having been superceeded by the 900 area code since this movie was released.
 * Title by Number