L'épouvantail de mort

Young Ned Poindexter (Jonathan Smith) and his buddy Les (Daniel McLaren) are just a couple of kids twiddling away their summer vacation in the 1950s. The same night they steal some chickens, a young girl is found murdered and the arrival of a stranger (John Carradine) coincides with this event. Ned begins to fear for his sister, Prudence (Tracy Mann), as she is fast approaching womanhood and he suspects she might be the killer's next victim. This is definitely more of a mood piece than a Friday THE 13th-style slasher (no murders are on screen) and director Sam Pillsbury pulls it off the "dark town with even darker secrets" incredibly well. Ultimately it is a story about the loss of childhood innocence, be it through the kids finding out about murder or Prudence finding out about sex. Carradine is actually very creepy as the stranger and, despite his clear illness, has one incredibly powerful scene where he performs some magic tricks for the family and briefly hypnotizes the young girl.

This unusual little film has a way of staying with you afterwards. Indeed, you will feel compelled to watch it again and again for its plot subtleties and seemingly (deliberately?) inadvertent sexual tension.

Veteran nasty John Carradine doesn't disappoint. The two young lads are realistic, if overly naive, but Tracey Mann is very fetching here and seems to float along the ground as she walks, unaware of her innocent yet animal-like appeal. You can't take your eyes off of her! You almost want to travel downunder to see if you can find someone just like her! Based on the brilliant novel "The Scarecrow" by the late Ronald Hugh Morrieson, there is inevitably much from it that cannot be included in the film--particularly the private thoughts of young Ned Poindexter, Pru's brother.

Savour this treat!

This film, while very 'NZ' could still hold it's own against many American made films of the same genre. The acting is great and whoever the old man, who was the 'Scarecrow' is, you are a legend! The film portrays a young boy growing up amongst his own problems added with the ever increasing number of bodies, rather well. The cinematography is superb and it will leave NZ locals wondering, "where did they film that? That looks like my house!" The slow tension is added to by an eerie soundtrack of slow, moody strings and the film is under great direction from a New Zealand legend, Sam Pillsbury. For anyone outside of New Zealand, I suggest you see this film. It may not have the cliche' Hollywood effects but the overall package is something superb. A great film! 8/10

Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Klynham Summer; here's the breakdown of my ratings:

Story - 1.25 Direction - 0.75 Pace - 0.75 Acting - 1.25 Enjoyment - 1.00

TOTAL - 5.00 out of 10

Klynham Summer has a similar feel to Stephen King's Stand By Me. And I believe, with the correct handling of the story, it would have been on par with that movie. Sadly, it doesn't come close, and I think this is down to the direction and possible screenplay. Not having read the novel, but now on the lookout for it, I have no comparison base - I don't know what was left in or changed. So I will stay within the movie's boundaries.

The story is jagged, to say the least. Though there's not too much going off in the little Australian township, the narrative becomes confusing and hard to follow, especially concerning the timeline. It would have been nice to have more definition when a substantial time period had elapsed. What is delightful are the characterisations, particularly the children. The two boys of the piece, Ned and Les, are starting to notice girls, and Ned's sister, Pru, is on the verge of breaking out - Hitting those troublesome teenage Girl/Woman years. Their exploits are the glue to the tale. The audience and easily relate to them. It would've been in their best interest to either build on the hinted at supernatural elements a tad more or to drop them altogether. I felt more than a little wanting in that department. It's unclear as to where they wanted the tale to head. I don't dislike uncertainty; it's just that it needs a smidgen more to make it work better.

The director gives the viewer an average rendition of the screenplay. As always, a tad more inventiveness would have gone a long way in making the film more entertaining. Stepping up the flow of the storytelling to a brisker pace would also have helped, in this respect. On the whole, the film feels sluggish. I believe that when the principal characters are children, the movie should be shot at a fairly rapid tempo, if not varied.

The cast is delightful in their roles, especially Tracy Mann, who has Pru's sassiness and burgeoning womanhood down pat. The performers make the movie pleasurable and memorable. I liked that they chose John Carradine for his role as the down on his luck magician - come supernatural evil one. The arthritis in his hands looks truly painful. Seeing those knarled hubs perform a magic trick just adds something extra to the scene, because you think those hands aren't made for prestidigitation.

Klynham Summer, aka The Scarecrow, is an okay lazy Sunday afternoon flick. I wouldn't recommend rushing out to find a copy, though.

Please feel free to visit my Absolute Horror and Killer Thriller Chiller lists to see where I ranked Klynham Summer.

Take Care & Stay Well.