6) Dark Night of the Scarecrow

Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)

Directed by Frank De Felitta

Starring Charles Durning, Tonya Crowe, Larry Drake

Bubba Ritter (Drake), who is mentally challenged, is falsely accused of murdering his young friend Marylee (Crowe). Local postman Otis Hazelrigg (Durning) gathers a few of his friends and together they go on the hunt for some mob "justice" .  Bubba is found hiding in a scarecrow, and Hazelrigg and Co. execute poor Bubba, only to find out seconds late Bubba had actually saved Marylee's life, not taken it.  They cover up their murder, but soon a scarecrow begins to stalk them one by one.  Does someone know what they have done, or is Bubba back from the grave?

First things first, this movie was made for TV and aired in October of 1981.  This is easily one of the best horror films I've seen that was made for TV.  I will be adding this to my collection, as it is quite terrifying at times.

The acting is great throughout the whole film.  Larry Drake does a phenomenal job portraying the mentally challenged Bubba, and the emotion in his eyes when he is found as the scarecrow is one of the best scenes in the movie.  Durning does a great job playing the despicable Hazelrigg, who might just be losing his mind.  As the film progresses, he crosses more than one line.  His mob of friends are portrayed by some great actors, including the late Lane Smith (of The Mighty Ducks and Lois & Clark), Claude Earl Jones, and Robert Lyons.  Jocelyn Brando brings out the cast as Bubba's mom Mrs. Ritter.

The suspense is great, and there is a lot of build-up in each scene.  Harless Hocker (Smith) is the first to see the scarecrow on his property, which at first he thinks is a prank from his cohorts.  But it is not, and after investigating some sounds late at night in his barn (bad idea, Harless), an untimely fate is met.  This sets off the other three, and Otis visits Mrs. Ritter, whom he thinks is behind all that is going on.  An eye for an eye, and all that jazz.

I really don't want to divulge too much more of the plot, as it is worth seeing.  The score is haunting, and helps with the tension and suspense that last throughout the film.  This is a very effective movie, with no gore (given the made for TV aspect), but that does not detract any.  If anything, it helps it, as it proves you do not need blood & gore to make a great horror film.

Highly recommend this one.  9/10