THE CHILDREN (1980)

[Raffine]

In the small rural town Ravensbeck, USA a cloud of yellow nuclear fog spills out of a power plant and envelopes a school bus full of singing kiddies. The bus is found deserted and Sheriff Billy's search is on for the kids and their driver. Unfortunately the radioactive cloud has somehow transformed the kids into blank-eyed zombies with black finger nails. Their hugs instantly burns their victims into crispy corpses! Sheriff Billy discovers the only way to stop the terrorizing tots is to chop off their hands, which also makes them yowl like cats in heat (IMDb reports this really is the sound of cats mating).

THE CHILDREN contains just about everything that makes this type of movie a classic for me: grotesque overacting (was Willaim Shatner the acting coach?), sleazy characters (Pill-popping lesbians! Cigarette-puffing pregnant women! Pot-smoking, boob-flashing moms! Jail- bait apple delivery girl! Hillbillies!), fake Bernard Herrmann music (just about every time someone drives  the soundtrack comes alive with faux PSYCHO music), cheesy makeup effects, etc. 

This is one I'd wanted to see for some time and for me it did not disappoint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFhzyxs66vo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKukJq42WKk&feature=related



HELPFUL HINT:
If ever faced with being barbecued by zombie kid hugs don't panic: their hands come off really easy - like a warm knife through butter. A bonus is their little stumps glow like neon, so you can find your way in the dark.

[RCMerchant]

Have you hugged your child today? 

[Raffine]

Have you hugged your child today? 

To be on the safe side check if they have black fingernails. If so they're either zombies or Goth.

I have the house to myself tonight so I'll be able to get to the second half of my 'Killer Kiddies' matinee, DEMON WITCH CHILD.

[Torgo]

I loved how Troma released a supposedly "digitally remastered" special edition DVD of The Children a few years back. The picture quality looked worse than I remember it looking on the old VHS copy I had for years.  I refer to the disc to my friends as actually being digitally unmastered.

[hellbilly]

I skipped the Troma DVD and bought the "Grindhouse Experience" set instead, which includes a solid VHS rip of The Children.
Fun little gem. One of my favorite cheesy killer kid movies.

[Raffine]

I skipped the Troma DVD and bought the "Grindhouse Experience" set instead, which includes a solid VHS rip of The Children.

The Grindhouse Experience set is my source for this one as well - it works for me.

I don't know about the history of THE CHILDREN, but many of these low budget films from the 70s and early 80s, particularly the ones shot in 16mm and 'blown up' to 35mm, never looked really good - even during their original theatrical release.

On the commentary for Andy Milligan's THE GHASTLY ONES Frank Henenlotter tells Haal Borske he was never happy with the way BASKET CASE, which was blown up from 16mm, looked on the big screen. "Way too dark and grain the size of @&*%in' bowling balls!" he complains.

These 35mm prints are usually the source for VHS and DVD releases which is one reason why some look so shoddy - no matter how pristine the print. For contrast Henenlotter mentions the Something Weird DVD of Milligan's THE BODY BENEATH, which came from a 16mm original.
It looks gorgeous!




How did get on Andy Milligan . . ?

[Javakoala]

I skipped the Troma DVD and bought the "Grindhouse Experience" set instead, which includes a solid VHS rip of The Children.

The Grindhouse Experience set is my source for this one as well - it works for me.

I don't know about the history of THE CHILDREN, but many of these low budget films from the 70s and early 80s, particularly the ones shot in 16mm and 'blown up' to 35mm, never looked really good - even during their original theatrical release.

On the commentary for Andy Milligan's THE GHASTLY ONES Frank Henenlotter tells Haal Borske he was never happy with the way BASKET CASE, which was blown up from 16mm, looked on the big screen. "Way too dark and grain the size of @&*%in' bowling balls!" he complains.

These 35mm prints are usually the source for VHS and DVD releases which is one reason why some look so shoddy - no matter how pristine the print. For contrast Henenlotter mentions the Something Weird DVD of Milligan's THE BODY BENEATH, which came from a 16mm original.
It looks gorgeous!




How did get on Andy Milligan . . ?

You're obsessed with Mr. Milligan.

The whole "The Body Beneath" looked murky to me.  I mean, you could tell it was a very clear print, but, Jesus, dude, use some lighting!!

[Justy]

This was a great movie. I haven't seen it in a long time. I really need to get my hands on a copy.