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The Scarecrows [1988] (REGION 1) (NTSC)


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Corn --- y horror flick?
Review date: 2008-05-12 Rating: 10 out of 10

I loved this film when it first came out on VHS here in the UK back in 1990 --- what could be cooler than a bunch of maniacal scarecrows roaming the woods in search of human prey? A bit dated now, but nevertheless a good watch with a few jars on a dull evening.

What's the general plot, then ---

~ A group of armed bank robbers in full military attire have hijacked a plane and subsequently bail out over a stretch of jungle, while the plane's owner and his daughter are forced to land nearby and wait. They discover a run-down and abandoned wooden house and use this as a base of operations. But it seems that they are not alone --- the neighbours are roaming the woods, scarecrows who crave human prey. The money, it turns out, is blood money, although the act of revenge is never really explained. Greed is soon forgotten as they are forced to make their way back to the plane ~

You could say dated. Corny. Badly-acted. Ridiculous in premise. And you may be right. Unless, like myself, you have been a fan of cool and creepy, dark and violent horror films since a kid. If so, you'll love this film.

Check out also 'Night of the Scarecrow' and the 'Scare-CrOw Slayer' trilogy.

Matt Lee-Williams

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Reviews


This is lovely!
Review date: 2008-05-06 Rating: 10 out of 10

A real, good, absorbing, creepy horror movie. Just the way I like them!
No silly attempts at injecting humour into it, which ruins so many horror movies today, but loaded with menace and atmosphere, and so what if the story itself is a bit preposterous? (Spirits of three long dead people living on by inhabiting scarecrows) It works! And that is the main thing.
The main premise of the plot is a group of robbers hijack a small plane and force the pilot and his daughter and their dog, to fly them away, but one robber bales out with the money and they go after him, and that's where the real story begins. I like the way that it's not all explained away and resolved with a neat, but boring, ending. The ending is great and most satisfactory. A must-see for all those who like a more in-depth horror movie with no real clear cut distinction between goodies and baddies and not one favoured over the other by the spooky and unnatural forces at work.
When I first watched it years ago, it was on a very dark vhs tape recording, seeing it on dvd for the first time (I have the region one version) was a revelation.
Great to see some of these old much loved movies getting dvd releases now.

very scary !
Review date: 2007-11-15 Rating: 8 out of 10

there is another release of " scarecrows" from jef films ,but this is better quality , the region 1 unrated version ,the picture is sharp & the soundtrack is good & its uncut! mgm have done exremely well here except there is no extras ! but its a gripping horror drama ,lots of gore
& action . a group, of mercenaries hijack a plane after a robbery & they
need to get to mexico ,but one of them is greedy & parachutes off with the
money & lands smack in the middle of a field of scarecrows! the others
force the plane to land & find a deserted farmhouse & the creepy scarecrows ,but this is just the start of a night of terror ! one criticism
is most of the film is in the dark & you are struggling to see what is
going on but ,its one hell of a movie ,buy the r1 on mgm ,sure to be a classic ! worzel gummidge it aint !

OVERRATED BUT STILL GOOD
Review date: 2007-10-31 Rating: 6 out of 10

After making a daring escape from a military base, a group of robbers, Corbin, (Ted Vernon) Curry, (Michael David Sims) Roxanne, (Kristina Sanborn) Al, (David James Campbell) and Bert, (B.J. Turner) lose their money in a cornfield, and after dealing with a traitor in their ranks, the group comes upon a small, abandoned house on the grounds. Thinking it's the perfect place to regroup, they hole up and decide on a plan of action. After trying to make an escape, they find the scarecrows in the field are alive and hinting them down one by one.

The Good News: This actually wasn't as bad as I thought. One of the best things about this film is that it conjures up an effective and genuinely creepy atmosphere. The mystery surrounding the scarecrows is absolutely creepy, as they look just right and the aura created from them is remarkable. So much is derived from them and their look that they literally carry the film in the beginning. The biggest example of this is the first romp through the stalks. It's a very long, drawn out sequence built around the faces and suspense from the scarecrows. A lot of it's success is based on the scarecrows. It's also pretty gory for what it is, and there's some nice blood-splatter. The kills are nice and brutal as well, and feature a good dose of blood. There's a hacksaw used to cut off a hand, a sickle repeatedly stabbed into the leg, and several stabbings. A gag with a bag up in a tree and the fact that every murder always features a graphic dissection doesn't hurt it either. It's simplistic story is also a big plus, keeping it upbeat along the way and putting all the focus where it should be.

The Bad News: There's several things in here that didn't really sit all that well. First, and most aggravating was that the majority of conversations were held over headsets, and often times made it seem like no one on-screen was actually speaking. It's incredibly irritating and makes it completely disjointed. This makes it worse as it's during the best part of the film. There's also an uncut version around that is far gorier than what is given, which seems believable as what's on display is kinda choppy at times and looks like it was edited. But outside of a few other very small nit-picks, this wasn't all that bad. Not great, but not bad.

The Final Verdict: A little bit undeserving of it's status as a cult classic, but it's still a genuine creepy, features a memorable villain, and has some great moments spread throughout. There is some merit to it, though, so give it a chance. It's fast enough that it won't hurt much.

Most underrated horror film i've seen.
Review date: 2006-04-18 Rating: 10 out of 10

First saw this film by chance about 15 years ago and it left a big impression on me. In short, a bunch of bankrobbers wind up in a remote area where they're attacked by psychotic scarecrows. Doesn't sound too promising on paper, but trust me this film is fantastic.

Excellent performances from the tiny cast (esp. the guy who plays Curry), impressive direction that creates a dark, eerie atmosphere, appropriate sound track and great script.

My favourite bits (you might not want to read this bit if you're intending on watching it)......One of the Scarecrows saying to Burt, "Put the gun down Burt you're not going to hurt us"......Curry going a bit mad in the house and wondering if what was going on was real or if they were all actually dead.......When Burt stops the car, checks under the bonnet only to find the car's been running with no engine.

You know what, i'm going to go over to my video collection, pluck it out and watch it again right now. Truly great film.


Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Ted Vernon
Michael David Simms
Kristina Sanborn
Richard Vidan
Victoria Christian

Creators:
Ted Vernon (Primary Contributor)
Michael David Simms (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: MGM
Manufacturer: MGM
EAN: 0027616085627
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Colour, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Widescreen, NTSC,
Release date: 2007-09-11
Universal product code (UPC): 027616085627
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 83 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1988
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Spanish (Original Language)
Language: French (Original Language)

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