In a small Southern town, four vigilantes wrongfully execute a mentally-challenged man, but after the court sets them free mysterious "accidents" begin to kill them off one by one.In a small Southern town, four vigilantes wrongfully execute a mentally-challenged man, but after the court sets them free mysterious "accidents" begin to kill them off one by one.In a small Southern town, four vigilantes wrongfully execute a mentally-challenged man, but after the court sets them free mysterious "accidents" begin to kill them off one by one.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
James Tartan
- Mr. Williams
- (as Jim Tartan)
Dave Adams
- Deputy
- (as David Adams)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaScreenwriter J.D. Feigelson went to Texas and recorded the sounds of cicadas so they could be used in the film.
- GoofsWhen the tractor is chasing the postman at the end, it runs over pumpkins in the field and smashes them. The smashed pumpkins have no insides, revealing them to be props.
- Quotes
Otis P. Hazelrigg: Bubba didn't tell you that, Bubba didn't tell you anything. Bubba's dead.
Marylee Williams: I know.
- Alternate versionsFor the 2010 re-release, there is a two-second insert shot near the end showing the interior of the tractor that chases Otis which shows the gear shift lever moving by itself.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Best of the Worst: Blood Shack (aka The Chooper) (2021)
Featured review
One of my favorite made for TV movies...
First off I have to say this is one of the best scary movies ever made for television, hands down. This movie truly scared me the first time I saw it. In October of 1981 when this movie first aired I was staying with some second cousins on there ranch and we all stayed up to watch it. After it was over we watched the local news and went to bed, and boy I hardly got a wink of sleep the entire night. I can remember laying in the bed just staring around the room all thru the night thinking of the ending to this movie. I just kept thinking that scarecrow was coming into the room at any moment. Keep in mind that I said early I was on a ranch were there might actually be a scarecrow.
This movie stayed with me for a long time and I only saw it once more in the early 90's and even then much older I still got the creeps from it. About 6 years ago I was going thru the TV guide and saw that it was going to be on TBS and I took the time to record it. This movie still gets me every time that I see it. There is a great mood that is set right from the start with the opening credits and the music that is playing, and that mood never goes away thru out the movie. It is so surprising that this was a made for television movie. The performances that the actors convey, especially Charles Durning and Larry Drake are great. I mean you truly hate Charles Durning character so much that you want him to die. It shows how great of an actor he is. I wont give away the ending but I just love it, there is a great justice and truth that the guilty parties didn't get away with murder.
This is one of my favorite television movies of all time simply because I will never forget that first time I saw it. I have grown to love horror movies over the years and wish I would have of watched more of them when I was a kid in the 70's. I've noticed that a lot of the television horror movies out of the 70's and early 80's have quite a following.
There are a couple of people who have left reviews who say this movie is terrible and I completely disagree with them. I guess it goes to show that not everyone will love the same movie you love.
This movie stayed with me for a long time and I only saw it once more in the early 90's and even then much older I still got the creeps from it. About 6 years ago I was going thru the TV guide and saw that it was going to be on TBS and I took the time to record it. This movie still gets me every time that I see it. There is a great mood that is set right from the start with the opening credits and the music that is playing, and that mood never goes away thru out the movie. It is so surprising that this was a made for television movie. The performances that the actors convey, especially Charles Durning and Larry Drake are great. I mean you truly hate Charles Durning character so much that you want him to die. It shows how great of an actor he is. I wont give away the ending but I just love it, there is a great justice and truth that the guilty parties didn't get away with murder.
This is one of my favorite television movies of all time simply because I will never forget that first time I saw it. I have grown to love horror movies over the years and wish I would have of watched more of them when I was a kid in the 70's. I've noticed that a lot of the television horror movies out of the 70's and early 80's have quite a following.
There are a couple of people who have left reviews who say this movie is terrible and I completely disagree with them. I guess it goes to show that not everyone will love the same movie you love.
helpful•423
- shanakin
- Apr 7, 2005
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- Die Nacht der Vogelscheuche
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Top Gap
By what name was Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981) officially released in India in English?
Answer