SUMMER OF FEAR (1978)

 

(a.k.a. STRANGER IN OUR HOUSE; director: Wes Craven. Teleplay by Glenn M. Benest and Max A. Keller, based on Lois Duncan’s 1976 YA novel Summer of Fear.)

Review

When a California family, the Bryants, take in a tragedy-struck, teenage relative (Julia Trent) from the Ozarks they have no idea who they’re harboring. Strange things happen, often to Julia’s cousin, adolescent daughter Rachel Bryant, prompting her to suspect something is off with Julia: why is every male within Julia’s range obsessed with the young new arrival’s every whim? Why does Rachel’s horse, Sundance, act spooked, skittish, around Julia, who quickly evolves from wallflower to beauty in record time?

Rachel’s jealousy and suspicions become alarm when she─suddenly sick and nightmare-stalked─finds odd, crudely made objects and marked up photos of herself hidden amongst Julia’s things. Then those who displease Julia begin dying in rapid succession. Is it too late to stop Julia, who is most assuredly a malefic witch?

Based on Lois Duncan’s 1976 young adult novel, Summer of Fear, this made-for-television movie─then titled STRANGER IN OUR HOUSE in the US─originally aired on NBC on October 31, 1978. (In Europe, it was released theatrically under the title SUMMER OF FEAR.)

As television works go, this is a mostly solid, predictable PG-13 flick (back then it would’ve warranted a PG rating). Wes Craven (THE HILLS HAVE EYES, 1977) helmed this bloodless, often brightly lit movie, with the rest of his cast and crew matching Craven in their competence. I write “mostly solid” because of occasionally clunky dialogue and Plot Convenient Stupidity (PCS) that makes up some of the dialogue and actions of certain characters (e.g., Rachel bluntly confronts Julia, broadcasting how she intends to stop Julia’s dark magick, further endangering Rachel and those she loves).

Fortunately, these are minor nits, given the talent involved in the project, contributors like John D’Andrea and Michael Lloyd (DEVIL’S DEN, 2006), whose spooky soundtrack is impressive for its medium.

Just as impressive is SUMMER’s cast. Linda Blair (THE EXORCIST, 1973) is her usual excellent self as Rachel Bryant. Jeff East (PUMPKINHEAD, 1988) played her brother, Peter, and Jeremy Slate (THE DEAD PIT, 1989) played Tom, her father. Fran Drescher (HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, 2012) played Carolyn Baker, Rachel’s best friend.

Lee Purcell (NECROMANCY, 1972) played Julia Trent. John Steadman (THE HILLS HAVE EYES, 1977) played a “Veterinarian.”

SUMMER is an entertaining work if you don’t expect much and can overlook its sometimes-clunky writing and PCS-character moments.