When the mysterious lady with the guitar didn't flinch as the bus carryingthe two teen stars of this thriller almost runs into her in the middle of theroad, I couldn't take my eyes off the TV. While the film never played inthe theaters, it played on cable for some time, and is now available on DVD.It features
excellent performances by the two leads, Eric Foster and Kim Valentine, and a scary performance from Brinke Stevens. The plot concerns2 orphaned siblings who go to live with their grandparents somewhere inRedlands, California, only to find that there are some very sinister secretsand happenings on their citrus farm. Grandparents are played by Ida Leeand Len Lesser (Seinfeld's TV father). There are some gaps in logic alongthe way, and some scenes, while tense, are confusing as to their purpose, but overall, there are some very natural moments, some humor, and someshocking scenes, and an interesting ending, adding up to a very satisfyingthriller, with restraint as to unnecessary gore, making this one of my veryfavorite films in this genre. An unexpected and little known treasure.
March 28, 2008
