Largely forgotten, underrated and unjustly overlooked horror film about a town where a satanic cult of senior citizens is on a mission to possess the bodies of the local kids. The film opens with a bang that sets the tone for the rest of the film: A child's toy tank is shown, and apparently transforms itself into a large truck that easily crushes a car with someone inside. McEveety's direction of this opener is flawless. WIthout any real special effects, he pulls the scene off with raw, creative filmmaking. After this opener, the story is a little muddled, the pace a little slow, but if you like horror films that are as alienating as they are eerie, this film is for you.
A single-child family traveling cross-country comes across the destroyed automobile, and head into town looking for the sheriff. They find a community that has apparently gone insane, with no help in sight. Supernatural forces prevent them from leaving town, and they're left to confront a satanic cult that has taken over the community.
Featuring one of the most terrifying mad cult scenes ever filmed (the group turns on a local woman too weak-willed to be a member), this is a must-see for any fear-flick aficionado. There's a great scene where a local parent is killed by a possessed doll and chilling scenes with the town children wandering the night, in search of their occult masters. Parts of it have a similar feel and tone to "Rosemary's Baby." It naturally isn't as good as that movie, but it is a solid horror film from roughly the same era. So if you're a "Rosemary" fan, you also may want to check it out.
Although it was out of print for years on video, it was unleashed on DVD in 2002 in a gloriously remastered widescreen print. It's not a perfect movie, but the positives (evil kids, a wacko cult, plenty of down-to-earth early 1970s horror style) far outweigh the negatives.
