Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981) (TV)

“I know what you did to Bubba!” 20 November 2020

A mentally challenged man, Bubba (Larry Drake), wrongly accused of attacking a young girl, is hunted down by a gang of vigilanties.  Bubba tries to hide by posing as a scarecrow.  The men, bent on vengeance and filled with bloodlust, aren’t fooled and murder Bubba in cold blood.  Soon afterward, the men involved in Bubba’s murder are haunted by the image of a scarecrow. Has Bubba returned from the dead to get revenge?  

It’s amazing how good some of the made-for-TV movies from the 70s and 80s actually were - especially some of the horror movies.  Whether it’s Satan’s School for Girls (1973), Gargoyles (1972), or The Night Stalker (1972), there was real quality horror entertainment to be had on TV.  Add Dark Night of the Scarecrow to that list.  I hadn’t seen this one in years until last night and I”m pleasantly surprised at how well it’s held up.

Given it’s TV origins, Dark Night of the Scarecrow obviously has a limited budget.  In this case, I think that works in the movie’s favor.  It’s a “less is more kind of thing”.  There’s not a lot of blood and gore, just creepy situations that leave a lot to the imagination.  It also added a bit of suspense to the film - had Bubba returned from the grave or were these men haunted by what they had done.  It adds an extra layer of mystery to the film that worked for me.  Having said all that, I was, however, surprised how little we actually see the titular scarecrow.  He’s a creepy looking fellow, that’s for sure.  Just a few more sightings of the Bubba the Scarecrow would have made the movie even better.

A real highlight of the film is the acting - especially Charles Durning.  His character, Otis Hazelrigg, may be even creepier than the scarecrow.  Durning could play slimy and conniving about as well as anyone.  His character’s unnatural obsession with the little girl Bubba was accused of hurting is especially troubling - and Durning plays it brilliantly.  I’m convinced that Hazelrigg’s hatred for Bubba had a lot of do with his jealousy of Bubba’s relationship with the little girl.  LIke I said, in these moments, Durning is far more frightening than the scarecrow.  

I also need to mention a couple of other performances.  Drake is fantastic in the limited role of Bubba.  He’s quite the sympathetic figure.  Lane Smith is great as one of Hazelrigg’s gang.  The name Lane Smith may not ring bells, but he’s one of those guys you’ve seen a thousand times and he always does a solid job.  Finally, Tonya Crow is outstanding as the little girl, Marylee.  I’m surprised she didn’t have a bigger career.  

I can’t recommend this one highly enough.  It’s rock solid entertainment and a must-see for fans of old school, slow burn horror.

8/10