The Spring

Town where no one ages, folks are kept forever young by drinking water from a magic spring. Along comes Kyle MacLachan and his Son, Joseph Cross. Enamored with the strange behaving residents, they are gradually enlightened to the price one pays for brief immortality. This bland TV movie really goes nowhere beyond the initial idea, and gradually peters out. The town's bizarre method of controlling overpopulation of the potential immortals is beaten to death with several 100th birthday rituals. There isn't enough material here to maintain interest for 93 minutes. As a "Twilight Zone" episode, "The Spring" would have been totally acceptable, but the reality is, as a full length film it is simply too long. - MERK

This is the typical "small town with something to hide" story. In this case, the "something" is a spring that keeps the inhabitants perpetually young -- until they reach their centennial. When a townie reaches the age of 100, the community throws a lavish birthday party, the climax of which is the murder of the guest of honor. One way to control the population, I guess.

Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" is a much better example of the genre.

The most notable thing about this movie is that the author of the book upon which the movie is based, Clifford Irving, did 14 months in jail for defrauding his publisher with a phony "authorized" biography of Howard Hughes.

There's nothing great or really memorable about this movie, but it's a pleasant enough way to kill a couple of hours.

This made for TV movie is about a father and son who accidently discover a "foutain of youth" in a small town.The son gets hurts and spends some time in the local hosptial.Unknown to the dad and son, everyone is the town has not aged!!The locals allow people to live up to one hundred years old. When this occurs, the locals hold a party and procceds to kill the birthday party guest!The town offers the travelers to stay but they cannot ever leave again!It was OK for the small screen, I just wish they would of had the idea of explaining about the children living there!?Just how are they born and age?Other than that it also asks us about questions about aging and playing god with people's lives!!?The cast was decent, but I wish Alison Eastwood(clint's daughter) character was better developed!!

While driving on vacation with his son Nick Conway (Joseph Cross) in a lonely road, the widow writer Dennis Conway (Kyle MacLachlan) helps a young couple that crashed their classic car out of the road. Dennis uses his van to tow the car back to the road and later Nick finds a duffel bag with an address forgotten by the couple on the ditch. They drive to Springsville to return the bag and after locating the house, they spend the night in town. On the next morning, while waiting for the breakfast, Nick has an accident with a logging truck in the gas station and breaks his leg. They are forced to stay and Nick has a crush on Dr. Sophie Weston (Alison Eastwood) that is treating his son. When Dennis discovers that the dwellers do not get old or sick due to the water of the local spring, Dennis asks Sophie to convince the council of the town to stay in Springsville. However, when he discovers the dark secret of the one hundredth birthday party of the locals, he evaluates his decision.

"The Spring" is a pleasant made for TV movie about a place like a contemporary Shangri-La. The story has flaws, like for example would the children keep their age forever?; but anyway it is an enjoyable family entertainment. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Mistério da Fonte" ("The Mystery of the Fountain")

This movie was a confusing piece of garbage. You never knew what was going on. The characters were poorly written and for the most part they were totally unsympathetic except for Gus (played masterfully by George Eads). I hate this movie but compared to others (Dark Harvest, Dracula's Curse) it should have won an academy award. It was particularly sad to see a talented actor like George Eads in such a disgraceful and tacky film. Lifetime you have sunken to whole new low. Someone needs to make sure that this director never works in movies again. Also was this supposed to be a horror film because it was a lot more funny than scary. For shame Lifetime, For shame.