Children, The |
  • USA • 1980 • 93m •   • Directed by: Max Kalmanowicz. • Starring: Martin Shakar, Gil Rogers, Gale Garnett, Shannon Bolin, Tracy Griswold, Joy Glaccum, Jeptha Evans, Clara Evans, Sarah Albright, Nathanael Albright, Julie Carrier, Michelle La Mothe, Edward Terry. • Music by: Harry Manfredini.      A busload of children has disappeared from the quiet New England town of Ravensback, and Sheriff Billy Hart is on the case. A short while later, he manages to track down the kids, but unfortunately they seem to have been transformed into murderous zombies by a cloud of radioactive gas. How can he stop the killer tykes before they destroy the town?
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Some funny touches highlight the script co-written by producer Carlton Albright, specifically the rich variety of people living in this area. The most overt comedy relief is supplied by Edward Terry, who wrote the movie with Albright, and who would star in his subsequent effort "Luther the Geek". (Terry's buddy is played by Peter Maloney, who any self-respecting genre fan will recognize as Bennings in John Carpenters' "The Thing".) The movie is ludicrous, even laughable, but it's also a great deal of fun, managing to be somewhat creepy if never truly scary. Kudos to these filmmakers (Max Kalmanowicz was the director and co-producer) for entertaining and breaking that old cinematic taboo of killing off kids.
Filmed in Massachusetts, this uses a few of the same crew from the New Jersey-shot "Friday the 13th": cinematographer Barry Abrams, composer Harry Manfredini (and you can tell it's him: the score sounds awfully familiar at times), and camera operator Braden Lutz. The makeup effects by Craig Lyman are pretty good for a low budget picture. The acting by heroes Shakar and Rogers is decent, but singer actress Gale Garnett is off-putting and annoying as Shakars' wife. (This, however, results in some unintentional (?) humour as Shakar snaps at her to "MAKE THE DAMN COFFEE!".) The kids playing the homicidal nuclear-spawned little demons are suitably amusing; Albrights' children Sarah and Nathanael are among those cast in these roles. And Rita Montone, the hooker in "Maniac", has a small supporting part.
Highly recommended to B-horror fans, this depraved little flick hits the spot, and comes up with a hilarious ending to send its viewers away with a smile.
Review by Hey_Sweden from the Internet Movie Database.
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