O Poço Macabro

The description on the box said our protagonist is autistic and taunted by other children, which would surely make him a very sympathetic character. However after watching the film, either the box was in error or the writers didn't know anything about autism. The character displays no symptoms of autism, but instead just appears to be a very creepy and disturbed kid. There are a couple of kids that make fun of him, but other than that the movie revolves mostly around his peering in windows at naked women and luring people to this pit in the woods. Instead of feeling sorry for him, you want just want him to die.

I first saw this on a couple of UHF (pre-cable for me) stations in the late 80s or early 90s. The first time was, I think, on Grampa Munster's (Al Lewis) Saturday morning B-movie show on TBS (which is a broadcast station for the Atlanta area). The second time was on another Saturday on our then Fox affiliate, WATL. Like any traumatic experience that defines one's life from then on, I have a great love-hate relationship with this movie. The second time I saw it was like looking through a photo album from an extremely romantic and cherished relationship...albeit with the eating of human beings, a teddy bear with an oscillating head, snakes, frogs, abuse of the handicapped elderly, childhood cruelty, jealousy, and lust. This movie really is quite effective. The composition of the shots works well, the movie is technically competent, the acting...is creepy. As mentioned previously, Sandy is almost just as unsettling a presence as Sammy. Personally, a couple of my favorite characters are the cartoonishly prim librarian (check out those glasses) and her butt-ugly daughter who laughs hysterically at Jamie. Oh yea, who can forget the beginning scene with the Halloween party and Jamie getting punched in the face and being laughed at. This film has a...rawness too it that's hard to put into words. It's more disturbing than most movies with twice the dialogue, twice the names and twice the violence. You must see it.

I've heard a lot about this movie, each time hearing it was boring, stupid, pointless, etc. Ok not really boring but definitely the latter of the complaints. I recently acquired a copy and from start to finish, I was having the time of my life. The movie just threw me for a loop time and time again. At first I felt bad for the main character, Jamie. He's looked down upon and pretty much hated by the local people. But after he acted perverted on several occasions (which grants the viewer with a handful of RANDOM GRATUITOUS BREAST SHOTS!!!!) I called into question how I felt about him. And another thing that confused me was Jamie's demonic Teddy Bear (which may have been the main character originally, hence the film's original title "Teddy"). But I ignored that fact since it added to the feeling that maybe Jamie was crazy, or just didn't get the love and appreciation he needed. And the Pit itself? It contains four flesh eating beasties that Jamie names the Tra-la-logs (or Trolls, but that isn't nearly as much fun to say). Jamie kind of treats the monstrous creatures as pets, first feeding them beef he purchases with his babysitters money; later feeding "nasty people" to the Tralalogs. All in all, I liked this one. It's different, it's strange, and there are plenty of funny scenes (and the occasional breast shot for the guys) that keep it interesting. Plus it has a great (but somewhat predictable) ending. I don't know about anyone else, but I'd certainly sit and watch it again.

I totally agree with Mike from K.C. This film is obviously bad, but you will definitely find yourself enjoying it. I am lucky enough to have a local video store that carries loads of obscure horror movies quite like this. I am spending much of my free time in the summer watching eccentric horror movies at night and this time I wasn't let down. I personally believed Jeannie Elias (Ms. O' Reilly) was a total babe. The funniest thing about this film was the fact that the little trolls resemble the stage costume of Rob Zombie. G'day, eh!

The Pit could be the most unintentionally funny movie that I have ever watched. And let me say that I've seen a lot of those. There are some parts that are so funny. Like ever time someone accidentally falls into the huge, gaping hole in the ground that no one can seem to see. The wheelchair scene is a standout. And I'm not saying that the movie is bad. I own it and I recommend it to friends. Mainly because of the dark comedy elements. And also because Jamie gives me the creeps. He's way scarier than the Tra-la-logs. The back of the box mentions that he is autistic, but no where in the movie is the word autism ever used. Instead, you hear words like weird, stupid, crazy, funny person, and even hippie. The Pit is an extremely ridiculous movie, and I hope no one takes it too seriously.