Quote:
Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs  The Children (1980) 
The Children (of Ravensback) is a creepy little low budget film that doesn't promise much on the surface, but ends up delivering a fairly entertaining little horror film by the time the credits roll.
The parents of Ravensback are all in a panic as their children have not come home after school. The school bus has been way-laid by means of a toxic gas cloud and all the children have become irradiating zombie-esque monsters with a vendetta against adults (particularly their own parents) and a penchant for black nail varnish.
Despite the premise and the budget involved the film manages to carry some tension with decent effect, almost exhibiting a Village of the Damned quality at times ....and although both are certainly very different films, the tone to Ravensback often reminded me of the '60s classic. The effects work is also pretty decent, and although a few of the kills are carried out off-screen there is a decent amount of slaughter and adults vs. children action, which in turn helps he story along with minimal lulls in pace.
The score also reminded me of Friday the 13th, which was no surprise, as having watched the film I discovered that both scores were done by Harry Manfredini the same year.
Overall, I had fun with this one and would definitely watch it again.
Originally posted here: Nightmare USA Films Discussion Thread |
I really like this film! Despite a wave of orthodoxy about it being shit, so I'm glad I found a fellow sufferer, Bizarre_Eye. The hacking of hands is particularly affecting and upsetting... and the whole thing creeps me out. I mean, in the eyes of cinema at large (read - polite society) it's boring and a waste of time, with not even enough real schlock to justify a "yeah, so I'm into bad films" nod for most... but there's a certain magic at work somewhere at its heart, and an undercurrent of grime and unease which cuts through the mediocre everything and the obvious moves.