Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Horror Countdown 2015: Stranger in Our House (1978)

Stranger in Our House (1978) dir. Wes Craven, Finnegan Associates/Inter Planetary/Interplanetary Pictures Productions






Wes Craven's career was one of ups and downs. After directing two of the most groundbreaking horror films of the 1970's, how did he finish the decade out? With a made for TV flick staring Linda Blair.

Not to put down made for TV films. The 1970's and 80's saw quite a few films make their debut on the small screen, but working for NBC doesn't have the same prestige as working for one of the bigger studios or the creative freedom of an independent one.

The Bryant family is getting a new addition. Father Tom (Jeremy Slate) and Mother Leslie (Carol Lawrence) are expecting their niece Julie (Lee Purcell). Julie recently lost her parents in a car accident. Their sons Peter (Jeff East), Bobby (James Jarnigan), and daughter Rachel (Linda Blair) are nice as they can be to the girl, who seems withdrawn and more than a bit weird.

Her accent is off, for one. For someone who grew up on the East Coast she doesn't sound like she's ever been there. It's been ten years since Leslie saw her niece, so it's waved away. She also sometimes lacks a reflection in mirrors. Another thing is the way animals react. Rachel's horse goes berserk whenever Julie gets near. When Rachel finds a human tooth in her cousin's belongings she soon breaks out in painful hives.

The hives thing is rather important, as Rachel is in so much pain she can't attend the school dance. Julie offers to take Rachel's boyfriend Mike (Jeff McCracken)...to the dance she means. Mike then dumps Rachel for her cousin. Things get worse when Rachel's best friend Carolyn (Fran Drescher) decides to hang out with Julie as well.

The breaking point happens when Rachel, healed up enough to ride, enters her horse in a local competition. The horse breaks its leg during the show and is forced to be put down. This sets Rachel on a quest to find the truth. She discovers hair from her horse's tail and a marked picture of herself.

Taking the evidence to a local expert, Professor Jarvis (Macdonald Carey), Rachel begins to piece things together and the evidence adds up-Julie is a witch. The catch then becomes how does she prove it? And when Julie begins to suspect her dear cousin of knowing the truth, how long will she last against the full fury of the supernatural?

Not bad, although everything screams low budget. The twist of the story is shocking...although nonsensical if you think about it. Workmanlike and competent in visuals and story.
 













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