Wow. Is it that time again already? Seems like it was just yesterday. Oh well, let’s check and see what’s in the bag for us this month. Ooh, I like this one.
A good low budget zombie film that is certainly not getting the credit it deserves. When it comes to zombie films, I’m all about the blood and guts. The more graphic the better, so the fact that this remains one of my top three favorite zombie movies despite an almost complete lack of blood says something.
Let’s take a look back at Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things!
It’s late at night and egotistical stage director Alan (Alan Ormsby) and his band of abused actors have just landed on an island for a little voodoo ceremony. They make their way through the forest, past the cemetery, and finally stop at a deserted cottage. After breaking in, they begin to make themselves at home. Alan (wearing the most hideous looking pants in the history of film) opens the crate they’ve been lugging and tells them of his plan to summon the dead, who will, of course, then do his bidding. Somehow, I think not.
Heading back to the cemetery, they dig up Orville Dunworth to use as their guinea pig, unaware it’s actually Roy, one of Alan’s friends. Orville has already been removed. Roy and his partner Emerson give them all the scare of their life before Alan gets down to the actual summoning ceremony now that the midnight hour is upon them. As this goes on, Anya (Anya Ormsby) begins to get a bit flaky about the proceedings. The spell is finished and…nothing. Alan rails against Satan for not delivering as the others laugh at him. Little does he know. They take the real Orville back to the cottage for his “coming out” party, starting out with his wedding to Alan. Back at the cemetery, Alan’s spell begins to take effect.
As the fun continues at Orville’s expense, Anya looks out into the darkness and can feel the evil slowly closing in on them as Alan continues to humiliate his little band. Anya knows it’s about to hit the fan, but all Alan can do is continue to belittle her. Anya tells him they have to leave because they won’t forgive us but Alan just has Orville hauled upstairs to the bedroom where they can be alone. Roy and Emerson, left at the cemetery to fill in the graves are attacked as the dead begin to rise up.
Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things (1972)
(For a low budget film this is really one of the best rising dead scenes I’ve ever seen. Really pretty creepy.)
Tired of his nonsense, the rest of them tell him they’re leaving but are met at the door by a dying Roy and a hoard of the undead. They surround the house and start looking for ways in as the boarding up begins. With nowhere to run, they make a break for the boat and are quickly forced back to the cottage where Alan tries a recalling spell which seems to work.
Cautiously, they again make for the boat only to be attacked and driven back to the cottage where Alan feeds Anya to the ghouls to save his own skin. With nowhere else to go, he locks himself in the bedroom where Orville is patiently waiting for him.
This was one of the earliest of director Bob (Benjamin) Clark’s films. He would also give us Black Christmas, Murder By Decree, and the greatest Christmas movie ever…A Christmas Story. Of course, he also gave us two Porky’s movies and Rhinestone but I forgive him just on the strength of Christmas Story. A creepy and well made movie that I certainly enjoyed going back and watching yet again. So take the time to watch and enjoy, Children, and next month we’ll look back to what I consider to be Dario Argento‘s best movie.