976-EVIL is a 1988 American supernatural horror film directed by actor Robert Englund in his directorial debut, and co-written by Brian Helgeland. It stars Stephen Geoffreys, Patrick O'Bryan, Jim Metzler, Maria Rubell, and Sandy Dennis. The film's title refers to the 976 telephone exchange, a now mostly defunct premium-rate telephone number system that was popular in the late 1980s but has since been superseded by area code 900.

Plot

Cousins Leonard "Spike" Johnson (Patrick O'Bryan) and Hoax Arthur Wilmoth (Stephen Geoffreys) are teenagers who live with Hoax's overtly religious and domineering mother Lucy Wilmoth (Sandy Dennis). While Spike is the neighborhood motorcycle bad boy, Hoax is an introverted nerd. Even though Spike genuinely cares for his cousin and protects him from bullies, Hoax is filled with resentment that he cannot stand up for himself or succeed romantically (both of which Spike does effortlessly).