Vengeance diabolique

An interesting ghost story about Jim Norman and his older brother Wayne. Both of the young boys were touted by a group of older boys, greasers if you will. These greasers ended up stabbing Wayne in a train track tunnel one day, a train came and during the madness all were killed except Jim and one of the greasers - both got away safely. Years later Jim ended up married with a young boy of his own and became a school teacher. They moved back to Jim's hometown where his older brother and the greasers were killed. Now the the vengeful greaser ghosts are wanting Jim dead - they will stop at nothing.

Not a bad film. These are a gang of evil vengeful spirits, just as nasty and no good as they were when they were alive. They can manifest themselves, materialize, into solid matter. They seem to be seen by others only when they want to be seen and they seem to have the ability to chose who sees them.

6/10

Sometimes They Come Back is a ghost story with scares, nostalgia, and heart-a rare Stephen King adaptation that strikes a perfect balance between chills and emotional depth. Tim Matheson delivers a standout performance as Jim Norman, a teacher haunted by a gang of greaser ghosts from his past. These spectral delinquents are a wonderfully menacing mix of leather jackets, pomade, and bad intentions.

Director Tom McLoughlin crafts a visually striking film, with eerie lighting and perfectly staged scenes that keep the tension simmering. While the special effects are solid for the era, one clunky train sequence-featuring a model train in a brick tunnel-sticks out like a ghost at a family reunion.

The ending, with its touch of schmaltz, might not please every horror fan, but it's hard to deny the satisfaction of a story where redemption takes center stage. It's a heartfelt conclusion in a genre that often leans into despair.

For fans of Stephen King or anyone seeking a ghost story with soul, Sometimes They Come Back is a nostalgic, spooky delight that lingers long after the credits roll.

90's character actor tim matheson stars in a surprisingly scary adaptation of a stephen king short story about a guy returning to the town he lived in when he was a child which brought back nightmares of the incident that led to the deaths of his brother and the three hoodlums who tried to mug them. It takes a lot to spook me but the 3 main villains in this really played their part and played their bad guys role to the extreme. I was surprised to see this was merely a TV movie, there's always a diamond in the rough and this is one of them. While there are some glaring plot holes and some questions that are not answered, it doesn't detract from being a chillingly entertaining tale about past indisgressions in small town America.

I wasn't a huge fan of Sometimes They Come Back the first time I saw it about 4 years ago. Returning to it now I definitely appreciated it more. It's not one of King's best adaptations, and the fact that it's made-for-tv does hold it back when it comes to the really good stuff you like to see in horror movies, particularly gore. However, the film looks great and its performances and budget lift it into the quality of any normal theatrical movie, and being a car guy I absolutely loved the 1955 Chevrolet 150 that spits fire from the exhaust pipes. It sadly changes some things from King's original short story including adding on a sentimental happy ending which the short story didn't have. Despite this if your a fan of King's work or adaptations then its definitely worth a look.

I'm not saying this is a great film(it clearly isn't), nor a great horror film, but it had its' moments and I expected a bit less than what I saw, and that was a pleasant surprise. I was impressed with Tim Matheson's performance, although I'll forever link him to Animal House, but he portrays a serious role in fine form in this film and is very convincing. I never read King's story so I can't compare one to the other, but this version was fairly easy to follow with creepy moments throughout, although it seems that I've seen the "car greasers" in other King adaptations before this movie as well, like Stand By Me and Christine. As a horror buff, let me add that this isn't very scary, but as a stand alone film it isn't that bad. I recommend it, but not that highly, as there's a reason this film is rarely on. I would say watch this for Matheson's performance and some creepy scenes too.