Michael has apparently been dead for 15 years. So how could he possibly start phoning his sister, Helen (Elizabeth Ashley), after all this time? Plus, the voice sounds just like the young Michael--not some adult. It's weird and hard to explain. What's weirder and harder to explain is that after these calls, folks start to die--with each call, a new dead person! On hand to help her are her ex-husband (Ben Gazzara) and other brother (Michael Douglas). In many ways, this is like the "Twilight Zone" episode "Night Call" and this show surely must have influenced the writer of this film. However, fortunately, it is different enough and enjoyable on its own. A silly and fun little horror film--just the sort of thing at which the "ABC Movie of the Week" excelled at making. Well worth seeing.

This made for TV film is based on a novel by John Farris and it's a dreary and uneventful domestic drama, not a thriller, and though only 73 minutes long, it feels endless. The film has no atmosphere or style, and Phillip Leacock's low key direction brings the movie to a halt. The title refers to phone calls from Michael a supposedly dead boy who ought to stay that way. His phone calls are more bothersome than creepy, and the characters' react with so little concern that there is absolutely no sense of urgency or suspense, and the characters are the dullest group of would be suspects ever assembled, and the actors seemed to have phoned in their performances. My advice, If Michael calls, hang up! If you like films featuring menacing phone calls, try Talk Radio, Who Killed Teddy Bear?, Black Christmas, or When a Stranger Calls instead. Even Sorry, Wrong Nuumber or I Saw What You Did! have more substance. Besides being awful, When Michael Calls is outdated. Thank God for caller ID!

I am a big fan of The ABC Movies of the Week genre. I am only 27, meaning I wasn't even born until after the series ended, but I am trying to collect as many of them on DVD as possible. I have about a dozen or so. I had read such wonderful things about this film, both on here and elsewhere, that I was really excited to see it. I just received my DVD in the mail today and watched it anxiously. I'll admit that the first one or two phone calls did give me the creeps - that boy's voice would give anyone the creeps! But it began to ware off fast and the entire divorce subplot was stupid. I also figured out that Michael Douglas was the antagonist about a half an hour before the movie ended. As soon as that story was told about how Elizabeth Ashley's character had locked up his mother, I knew something was fishy. Plus, didn't anyone ever think to ask him why he happened to suddenly appear that night when the fire occurred in the barn? I'll admit that I thought he was coaching a boy at the school to make the phone calls. I didn't guess the mute boy part or the pre-recorded tapes (did they ever say whose voice that actually was? I doubt Douglas could ever get his voice that high?).I am only giving this movie a four out of ten because I actually liked most of the acting in it. Ashley especially is great.It's a shame, because this movie has such a great premise, but oh well, thats what happens sometimes when one gets his or her hopes up for a movie too much.

When Michael Calls or Shattered Silence is a fine film especially for a TV film. Michael Douglas, Ben Gazzara, and Elizabeth Ashley are in this movie. All three veteran actors all performed well. I was amazed by Gazzara and his character interaction with his daughter. The music was good and fits the film good. The movie has good direction by Philip Leacock. There are some cool scenes in the picture. The movie is unusual and will have you guessing through out so if you like thrilling mystery movies and like to see Michael Douglas, Ben Gazzara, and Elizabeth Ashley in a film then see if you can catch this movie on television, rent, or even buy it because its a good movie.