The People Across the Lake

Well, this is an unusual little number. Other reviews range from 'okay' to 'not particularly glowing' to 'blah', but the plot sounded intriguing enough to me, and it's got a good cast.

Yes, it contains many of the standard made-for-tv melodrama features: sitcom stars Harper and McRaney--flipped from their usual light-hearted TV personas and quite convincing as a couple tired of the stress of city life; their winsome little kid and wiseacre teenager; and apparently enough money to go from their nice place in the city to a little slice of lakeside heaven.

As it progressed, I found that it went from average tv-movie quality to a pretty nifty (if unlikely) ending; the suspense in the last few scenes is especially good. The two leads are well matched and you root for them. Some viewers may guess who the heavy is but it's atmospheric--the lakeside locales are lovely -it moves along briskly, and is well acted. Worth a watch.

Don't think of this movie as a horror movie; as such it would be a disastrous "1". It's almost entirely predictable and you've certainly seen everything in it before in movies that are far, far better. Instead, think of this movie as a comedy/parody. If you do so, then it's at least a "5" (out of 10).

It begins ordinarily enough, but as the movie goes on, watch as Barry Corbin goes farther and farther over the top. By the end, it has truly become hilarious.

Some weekend afternoon, when it runs on The Mystery Channel or some other cable/ satellite channel, cue it up and practice your Mystery Science Theater 3000 routine but in the horror genre: You won't be disappointed -- this movie is the Mother of all horror movie Bombs.

Atlant

A family moves into a new lakeside home and discovers a terrible secret about the community -- that there are a series of unsolved murders in the area. It's a movie you can watch on television or streaming. A family moves into a new lakeside home and discovers a terrible secret about the community -- that there are a series of unsolved murders in the area and they aren't sure what is going on. Anyway, not much more to add but the acting is very good and the script isn't as bad as a lot of the reviews here say. It's a mistake to watch this as a comedy unless you're really young or just like sci Fi movies.

Chuck Yoman (Gerald McRaney) and his wife, Rachel (Valerie Harper) lead very busy lives, and live in a very secure home with their kids. Rachel has had enough of the fast pace and stress, and convinces Chuck to move to a rural house on a lake.

At first, all goes well, other than a few backward locals. Then, Chuck decides to take a swim in the lake, and makes a gruesome discovery. Suddenly, he has a very cold swimming partner! He goes to get the Sheriff, but when they return, the evidence has vanished. When the deputy tells a story of several past disappearances, the Yoman's wonder just what sort of place they've moved into. Strange occurrences and more deaths add to the mystery. Can Rachel and Chuck figure it all out... and live?

THE PEOPLE ACROSS THE LAKE is a different kind of suspense thriller. It's got a TWIN PEAKS weirdness mixed in with the chills. It's a black comedy about family dysfunction, wrapped in a psychological horror story. A nice change of pace for the fear fanatic!

Co-stars Barry Corbin in a unique role for him...

Rachel and Chuck Yoman (Valerie Harper, Gerald McRaney), decided the city is too busy and dangerous for their family, so they packed up their reluctant son (Gregory Togel) and daughter (Tammy Lauren) and moved back to a lake like the one Rachel lived at as a child.

They say you can not go home again but this is an ideal rural home with what at first seems like a Mayberry feel. Later the residence seems to be more like the people in Deliverance. Soon bodies start turning up and everybody looks suspect with the exception of a few friendly faces. This does not keep the family from enjoying running around and messing around in the woods.

We find that they have to be super ignorant to find the secrets and not tell anyone until they get ax-cepted as the antagonists.

Can the ignored young Stevie save his parents or will their pursuer(s) put his/her foot in it?

This film is more than most parodies as it was played with strait faces. They could not have chosen better actors and Daryl Anderson was exceptionally creepy. An added plus is that they let us know what is happening before the characters find out, instead of pulling a clue out of the hat after the fact. Anyway this made for TV movie is good for a few laughs.