The Bad Seed (1956)
Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins
Synopsis: The plot of William March's successful novel was tailor made for Hollywood. Combined with beautiful black-and-white photography and fabulous performances, THE BAD SEED is one of the eeriest films of the 20th century. The scientifically dubious theory behind the title is that an evil... The plot of William March's successful novel was tailor made for Hollywood. Combined with beautiful black-and-white photography and fabulous performances, THE BAD SEED is one of the eeriest films of the 20th century. The scientifically dubious theory behind the title is that an evil disposition can be an inherited trait. Patty McCormack plays Rhoda Penmark, a seemingly sweet, beautiful, smart grade school girl who is in attendance at a school picnic in which a classmate dies. No one suspects that the accident was the result of murder except for Rhoda's apartment building janitor, a simpleton named LeRoy (Henry Jones). But when Rhoda's mother, Christine Penmark (Nancy Kelly), finds out that her real mother is a cold-blooded killer, she begins to suspect her own daughter. Her fears of what Rhoda might do conflict with her protective instincts as a mother, forcing Christina to make terrible decisions--decisions that themselves might be too late. [More]
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Starring: Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, Eileen Heckart, Henry Jones, Evelyn Varden
DVD Info
Release:
Aug 10, 2004
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case
- Full Frame - 1.37
Audio:
- Mono - English
Buy It On DVD
Reviews
Scandalous and popular at the time, but extremely outdated and false, this well-acted melodrama was one of the first to deal with criminal conduct as biologically conditioned
Wrung to the point of unwatchable by meandering monologues and slow reveals.
...behind the blonde, pigtailed facade lurks a sinister and slippery sociopath.
The movie has influenced dozens of "evil children" flicks, from The Omen to Problem Child.
The Bad Seed reflects Slant Magazine’s blind, abject terror of precocious, well-behaved little blonde girls.
LeRoy's classic terrorizing tale of a deceptive delinquent with menacing motives to match is chillingly hypnotic.. The Bad Seed is a savvy psychological seesaw that carries its destructive mode brilliantly.
It is less a movie about dementia than a movie which itself seems demented, though it is anyone's guess whether or not this effect is intended.
Stagy pacing and a few woeful missteps can't change the fact that this is a creepified horror classic.
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