Cult Movie Challenge 2018 | 49/52 | Killer Kids
A storm is brewing tonight outside the Nordon estate. Young Rosalie walks outside to a grave to lay flowers. She retrieves a kitten from the basket she brought with her. A hand emerges from behind the grave and takes the kitten.
Alicianne, the new nanny for Rosalie, gets stranded on the way to the Nordon house when a barrel rolls across the road, forcing her to swerve off the road. Her car is stuck, so she walks through the woods. She comes across Mrs. Whitfield, who points her in the right direction but invites Alicianne back to her place, which she used to run as a boarding house before the woods scared all the boarders away. Mrs. Whitfield thinks it may have been Rosalie’s tricks. She sends Alicianne down a path, telling her to go through the graveyard to get to the Nordon’s. And to hurry.
On the path, Alicianne sees a mutilated cat. As she approaches the graveyard, a thick mist builds. Through the fog, she sees a hand with claws. She rushes through and into the house. Joshua Nordon, the patriarch, greets her. When she mentions the hand, Joshua mumbles a complaint about tramps. She also meets Joshua’s adult son, Len, and Rosalie. That night, Rosalie leaves with another basket. Over the horizon are multiple figures ambling down the way. Mrs. Whitfield hears her dog yelping.
What is going on at the Nordon estate? Who are these figures that seem to eat animals? What is Rosalie’s role in all this?
The film’s budget is clearly limited. The cinematography has fun where it can, but struggles with interior shots. The lighting is rough going as they only seem to use natural light. That said, the movie has some serendipitous moments where everything comes together quite nicely.
Members of the crew performed multiple roles on the set. For example, Laurel Bennett, who played Alicianne, also worked on costumes (i.e., thrifted period clothes). Also, almost everyone is a first-time actor. They give sincere performances despite the clunky dialogue.
That said, the movie sets an atmosphere and does a pretty good job sustaining it. The score does a lot of work, but it’s kind of necessary work. Also, the sound design is reasonably considered and adds some needed tension and catharsis.
Where the movie shines brightest is in its practical effects, which are shockingly grotesque. I wouldn’t call it believable, but a lot of care went into it. I’m guessing it’s because of these effects that the movie ended up on the Video Nasties list.
When the movie drops the script and lets people wander around and get chased, it’s at its best. I doubt this one will blow anyone away, but if you like a dash of dread and a thoughtful collection of effects, you’ll have a good time.
Stray Thoughts / Spoilers
- Alicianne is handling things pretty well, considering she’s come across bloody claw marks and a disembowled cat.
- Joshua and Rosalie laugh together over a story about Boy Scouts who accidentally poisoned themselves with oleander and died.
- I swear, they introduce a little boy who lives with Mrs. Whitfield, but he’s gone for the rest of the movie.
- I love the drawing Rosalie has of feeding cats to zombies.
- Rosalie has a Halloween party with a bunch of kids, all conspicuously outside (AKA not in the movie).
- The Jack-O-Lantern!
- “I don’t listen to you anymore, old man!”