Stardate 08.31.2026.C: Latest Addition - 1981's 'Death Valley' Has Been Added To The Daily Archives For August 31st!

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On this day in 1981 (in the U.S.), the big city of Phoenix, Arizona served as host for an exclusive theatrical preview engagement of Death Valley.  Directed by Dick Richards from a story by Richard Rothstein, the film starred Paul Le Mat, Catherine Hicks, Stephen McHattie, and others. 

​According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"A divorced mother, her young son and her new boyfriend set out on a road trip through Death Valley and run afoul of a local serial killer."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

Death Valley is a 1982 American slasher-thriller film (often attributed or copyrighted to 1981) directed by Dick Richards. [1, 2]

Plot Overview

• The Premise: A young boy named Billy (played by Peter Billingsley) goes on a vacation to Arizona and a road trip through Death Valley National Park with his mother, Sally (Catherine Hicks), and her new boyfriend, Mike (Paul Le Mat).
• The Conflict: While exploring, Billy accidentally stumbles upon a mobile home where a brutal murder has just taken place and unknowingly picks up a killer's medallion.
• The Chase: The local serial killer identifies Billy as a witness and targets the family as they travel through the isolated desert. [1, 3]

Cast and Crew

• Director: Dick Richards
• Screenwriter: Richard Rothstein
• Main Cast: Peter Billingsley, Paul Le Mat, Catherine Hicks, Wilford Brimley, Stephen McHattie, and Edward Herrmann. [2]

Production and Release

• Filming Locations: Shot in late 1980 across locations in Arizona, New York, and Death Valley National Park in California.
• Inspiration: Screenwriter Richard Rothstein conceived the story after experiencing a tense moment on a lonely desert road where a mysterious car approached his family's vehicle.
• Release: Though produced around 1981, the film received a theatrical release in the United States on May 7, 1982, distributed by Universal Pictures. [2, 4, 6]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083805/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Valley_(1982_film)
[3] https://paulsmoviereviews.wordpress.com/2025/06/30/death-valley-1981/
[4] https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/07/movies/death-valley.html
[5] https://filmpedia-the-films.fandom.com/wiki/Death_Valley
[6] https://www.imdb.com/Title/tt0083805/