When CHILDREN OF THE CORN was released I was working as a
theater manager in Indianapolis. I had access to most movies coming out, was an
avid fan of horror films and when I couldn’t see them that way would rent them
since this was the early age of the VCR. When I heard that a new movie was
coming out based on a Stephen King novel I looked forward to it, expected to be
chilled to the bone. The end result was entertaining but not quite that
frightening.
The story opens with a town in which all of the young people
for reasons as yet unexplained kill off the adults. They do so at the behest of
Isaac (John Franklin), a holy roller styled child preacher. Fast forward to
several years later was young couple Burt and Vicky (Peter Horton and Linda
Hamilton) are on their way to Burt’s new job as a doctor. Driving through the
fields of corn they hit a young boy standing in the middle of the road. Burt
realizes he didn’t die from the accident but from a slit throat so the couple
go searching for help.
They find themselves directed to the tiny town of Gatlin
with its empty streets and corn stalk filled cars and stores. Eventually they
come across two small children, our movie narrators, who don’t tell them much.
When the rest of the youth find them they capture Vicky and plan to offer her
as a sacrifice. Will Peter be able to rescue her? Will he discover what is
actually going on in this town? And will the evil that has been behind it all
be revealed?
Based on a short story the plot is fairly simple and the
story here is as well. It involves a lot of moving from one place to another
and listening to two factions in the town struggling with one another: Isaac
the long term leader who has controlled it from the beginning and the devout
follower Malachi (Courtney Gains) who thinks things haven’t gone far enough. Their
struggle is as menacing to watch as is the deaths they’ve perpetrated and now
prepare for.
The acting here is what one would expect from two pros like
Horton and Hamilton. Both were well on their way to stardom when making this
film, he on TV’s THIRTYSOMETHING and she in the TERMINATOR films. What makes
this movie stand out though is the performances of the young people involved.
Franklin (although older than he looks) is the perfect fit for the character of
Isaac. And Gaines looks like the local skateboard teen who could be trouble but
in this case carrying a butcher knife and proving that he is.
For being a horror film as well as one with an R rating
there is very little in the way of blood or gore here and no nudity at all
which makes one wonder why the MPAA would choose to pass this off with that
rating. In the extras even the producers were stunned by the rating which was
given without any explanation as to how to fix it. In any event, fans of the
film and of Stephen King will want to pick this one up.
That being said with a blu-ray edition out earlier why would
anyone pick up this one? Two words: Arrow Video. Yes, I’m still singing their
praises. The quality of the picture here is fantastic with a gorgeous transfer.
The extras are very numerous and include a brand new audio commentary track
with horror journalist Justin Beahm and CHILDREN OF THE CORN historian John Sullivan,
an audio commentary track with director Fritz Kiersch, producer Terrence Kirby
and actors Franklin and Gaines, HARVESTING HORROR: THE MAKING OF CHILDREN OF
THE CORN a retrospective piece on the film full of interviews, AND THE CHILDREN
SHALL LEAD THEM a brand new interview
with actors Julie Maddalena and John Philbin, IT WAS THE EIGHTIES! an interview
with Linda Hamilton, FIELD OF NIGHTMARES a brand new interview with writer
George Goldsmith, RETURN TO GATLIN a brand new featurette revisiting the film’s
original Iowa locations, STEPHEN KING ON A SHOESTRING an interview with
producer Donald Borchers, WELCOME TO GATLIN: THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF CHILDREN
OF THE CORN an interview with production designer Craig Stearns and composer
Jonathan Elias, CUT FROM THE CORNFIELD an interview with actor Rich Kleinberg
on the infamous lost Blue Man scene, DISCIPLES OF THE CROW a 1983 short film
adaptation of the original King story, a storyboard gallery, the original
trailer and a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned
artwork. With all of these extras you can see why if you’re a fan of the film
you need to pick up this version for your shelf.
Click here to order.
No comments:
Post a Comment