Lil' movie help over here!

Dr. Kobb · November 29, 2005, 12:15:55 PM

There's a movie that used to play on TV when I was a kid in the late `70's that I would love to find. Unfortunately, I have little but faulty memory to go on, but you guys n' gals are the go-to crew for movie obscurities, so I thought I'd give you a try. Any help is sincerely appreciated.

The film may or may not have been a made-for-TV-movie. All I remember, was there was a person(I think it was a kid) who would visit this secluded area and scratch on the ground. There was a woman buried alive, and she would feebly scratch back. I vaguely recall that the woman MAY have been a wife that a husband was trying to get rid of.

I know that's damn little to go on. I have been collecting rare films for over a decade, but have had no luck rediscovering this one from my youth. I can tell you it's not either version of the movie "The Vanishing", nor is it the `70's sleazer, "Candy Snatchers", although both films have a similar theme of burial alive.

It's a long-shot, but maybe, just maybe, someone here has seen this???

ThadC · November 29, 2005, 12:31:56 PM

Boxing Helena? I am not sure. not much to go on. Anything else you can remember about the flic?

Mr_Vindictive · November 29, 2005, 12:38:22 PM

Kobb,

You said that it's not The Candy Snatchers, but damn it sure does sound like it.

You sure?

Dr. Kobb · November 29, 2005, 12:46:30 PM

Sadly, very little else springs to mind about the darn thing. Very similar to "Candy Snatchers", except that, if memory serves, the woman wasn't bound/blindfolded/gagged, and I seem to recall she was an older woman, perhaps even elderly.
Also, (again, if memory serves after all these years) I recall the area the person(child) visited as more of a low-laying forested area, as opposed to the hillock the mute child in "Candy Snatchers" visited. I don't recall this one as being nearly as graphic as that sick little number.

Definately not "Boxing Helena". This was produced prior to that one.

Many thanks for the ideas, though. I fear this one will remain a distant memory.

Mr_Vindictive · November 29, 2005, 12:54:02 PM

Kobb,

Ok, I know that this isn't the film, but you mentioned that it's possibly an elderly woman that is buried. Could it be Guarding Tess? It doesn't fit in with the time bracket you mentioned in the original post, but I do remember her being buried in the film.

Unfortunatly I don't recall much else.

Dr. Kobb · November 29, 2005, 12:58:14 PM

Aha!

I think I found it! I did a plot-search on IMDb and dug-up(sorry!) this:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067721/plotsummary

Now, the big question is: Where do I score a print?

Many thanks to everybody for the ideas. Other message boards haven't even made the effort to guess, and you all came up with some good possibles in mere minutes!

Gerry · November 29, 2005, 02:09:28 PM

I'm sure you've got the right story if not the right version. It's based on a short story of the same name by Ray Bradbury. There is also a version of this that was made as an episode fo Ray Bradbury Theater, starring Drew Barrymore as the girl (aged around 12 or so). It's very good and fits your description almost exactly.

Dr. Kobb · November 29, 2005, 02:46:27 PM

Very good, Gerry! I will have to look into that Ray Bradbury Theatre version.

The one I'm thinking of stars Olivia deHavilland, and I am having no luck whatsoever on finding a print. I was hoping VideoScreams might have it, as they have alotta rare Made-For-TV prints. Alas, no go.

Mofo Rising · November 29, 2005, 03:09:24 PM

I must have seen parts of the Ray Bradbuy edition, since I know I've seen this story before.

Man, now I really want to see it. They should release Ray Bradbury Theater on DVD.

Dr. Kobb · November 29, 2005, 03:16:58 PM

The one I'm thinking of, "The Screaming Woman'(TV `72) starring Olivia deHavilland, scared me s**tless as a kid. Just the whole concept of burying someone alive like that, presented to someone at such an impressionable age. Not good. Ranks right up there with blindness as one of biggest fears.

Dr. Kobb · November 29, 2005, 05:28:00 PM

Mofo Rising wrote:

> I must have seen parts of the Ray Bradbuy edition, since I know
> I've seen this story before.
>
> Man, now I really want to see it. They should release Ray
> Bradbury Theater on DVD.

Well, whaddya know? I just scored the DVD from eBay!

Dr. Kobb · November 29, 2005, 05:48:49 PM

Oh my Gawd, folks! It just gets better! Someone directed me to a seller on iOffer who has a DVD-R of the one from my youth!!! This has been a terrific day(well, not for my bank account...)!

ThadC · November 29, 2005, 06:21:29 PM

Good to hear you found it. Ebay rocks!!!

Dr. Kobb · November 29, 2005, 06:59:13 PM

Thanks, ThadC!

I am so excited about this, `cause I never really thought I'd ever find out the name of the darn thing, let along get to see it again.
Though not quite as excited about the "Ray Bradbury Theatre" DVD from eBay, it will be interesting to see both versions of the story. Plus, the DVD has several other episodes from the series, and I don't know that I've ever seen ANY of them.