Horror Hotel Cinema : Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)

Every self respecting Horror lover appreciates a scarecrow themed Horror film....

So for this weeks show, I have an absolute stunner for you. DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW was originally made for TV, and while its roots were humble, its developed something of a cult following over the last few decades, and for many, is the last word in 'scarecrow horror'.

Its a genuinely eerie work. A haunting story that will stay with you, and it boasts perhaps the creepiest damn scarecrow ever put on screen. If you haven't seen this little known masterpiece, your in for a good time, folks. Scarecrows are a sparsity in Horror, sadly. I've never understood why, as for me, theres something fundamentally frightening about those silent figures, deep within the corn-rows, lifeless and poised. They freak me out, man. Ever patient sentinels waiting to strike the unaware.

I think us Horror fans are about due a really good film dealing with these weirdos, and seeing as we've had to suffer some seriously cheesy movies over the years dealing with them, its a real trip to be able to sit back, dim the lights and experience such a chilling work.

DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW tells the sad tale of a mentally disabled man named Bubba, who befriends a young girl, much to the chagrin of her family and the townsfolk, who eye him with suspicion and contempt. When the girl is mauled by a rabid dog, some of the local rednecks jump to the conclusion that the child has been molested, and decide to take matters into their own hands. Their hunt for an innocent man comes to an end when they find him hiding out in a field, disguised as a scarecrow, and in a heartbreaking and frightening scene, they take his life.

Soon afterwards, the killers begin to be hunted, one by one, by a mysterious figure, dressed in the rags in which Bubba met his sad end.....
 
Its a great film, with a stellar cast at the top of their game. And its a genre defying one, too. Part slasher, part drama, and part supernatural tale. Dark, poignant and intense all at once. Enjoy.......