See, what this movie has is one of the scariest looking villains I've ever seen. That alone makes this film worth watching. When he shows up for the first time, it's enough to scare the cheese and crackers out of any poor unsuspecting sap watching this for the first time. He's modelled after Nosferatu from the original black and white classic and while this isn't necessarily how the character is set up in the original Stephen King novel, it doesn't matter. This blue skinned nightmare means business. Scary business.
Okay, so blue guy aside, what you have here is a somewhat faithful adaptation of one of King's best works. It works more often than not. The bad parts come about only because of the usual problems with translating works to the small screen. I thought David Soul and Bonnie Bedelia deserved a special mention as they were both really good and believable. This movie has a pretty good cast other than those two, with James Mason, Lance Kerwin, Fred Willard, George Dzunda, Geoffrey Lewis and Kenneth MacMillan turning in solid performances.
I think this is a pretty good King adaptation and it's definitely chilling. The scenes with the vampire children floating outside of the bedroom windows, clicking their nails on the glass and beckoning to be let in are just downright creepy. Tobe Hooper does a good job directing and manages to preserve the menace from the novel intact.
So while the film isn't necessarily the best of the King TV movies (my personal favorite is "Storm of the Century"), it holds up pretty well, considering its age.
And remember, you'll have that blue bastard to keep you company in your nightmares after you see him, so at least you won't leave empty handed.
RATING: ***1/2 out of *****.
Okay, so blue guy aside, what you have here is a somewhat faithful adaptation of one of King's best works. It works more often than not. The bad parts come about only because of the usual problems with translating works to the small screen. I thought David Soul and Bonnie Bedelia deserved a special mention as they were both really good and believable. This movie has a pretty good cast other than those two, with James Mason, Lance Kerwin, Fred Willard, George Dzunda, Geoffrey Lewis and Kenneth MacMillan turning in solid performances.
I think this is a pretty good King adaptation and it's definitely chilling. The scenes with the vampire children floating outside of the bedroom windows, clicking their nails on the glass and beckoning to be let in are just downright creepy. Tobe Hooper does a good job directing and manages to preserve the menace from the novel intact.
So while the film isn't necessarily the best of the King TV movies (my personal favorite is "Storm of the Century"), it holds up pretty well, considering its age.
And remember, you'll have that blue bastard to keep you company in your nightmares after you see him, so at least you won't leave empty handed.
RATING: ***1/2 out of *****.