adkins_taylor1
watch-movies-online.TV has a copy of this movie. It is amazingly done especially for its time and TV-movie status. I first saw this movie when I was 7 or 8 years old and all I remembered was bits and pieces. I have looked and looked for a way to find even the title to this movie. I talked to movie buffs and finally entered the correct key words into google search and found a summary that fit my memory. I then began looking for a copy of this movie, and though it definitely should have been, it wasn't released on video. today a friend introduced me to the website above and for giggles and hahas I looked to see if it had this movie. It did and after watching it again, I found that it was not just my age that made this movie scary. It is a genuine suspense/thriller.
jdollak
I've rated this movie higher than I would if it were theatrically released. One of the biggest problems with nearly every TV movie is pacing. Arranging the story so there is enough suspense to keep an audience through commercials tends to create awkward pacing, and this movie is no exception. But the movie has enough of a story to keep things moving forward. Direction is largely competent, except for a very poor opening credits sequence. Script is also acceptable. Characters are not especially likable, but in a story like this, that doesn't matter much.There are two scenes that especially stuck in my memory as a child; the first being the frisbee scene. The second was the pizza cutter. Given the lack of real menace in the movie, the direction was surprisingly effective in making things creepy.I only wish that made-for-TV productions kept this sort of sensibility.Entirely worth tracking down for aficionados of early 80s horror.
Mindy Kopelke
For those who are critical of this movie, I want to REMIND them that this movie was extreme and excellent for its TIME. I'm so happy I found the title and just like so many of you, I saw it as a kid, my eyes bugged out at the under the bed scene and when she wielded the pizza cutter AT HER MOTHER (OMG!) haha! and for months, couldn't get it out of my head, so I clicked "old horror pizza cutter" into my search engine until I found the title!! YAY! It cracks me up on how many of us were kids when we saw it and how most of us probably didn't sleep right for a few nights- too funny!I would LOVE to see a remake in today's special effects!! The plot was excellent, effects..well it was the 80's and the best thing we ever had was E.T. and pac man. Other stuff that made its impression on me, was the mini-series V (sadly it looks too fake now to be pulled in) that series with that family who traveled thru out the galaxy- have to still look that title up, oh and there's others. The Twilight Zone and Outer limits were always good for freaking me out. Good stuff!
The_Void
What we have here is a made for TV horror movie from the eighties. There was some pretty good stuff made for the box during the 1970's, and it would seem that tradition was carried on, at least until the early part of the eighties, as Don't Go to Sleep is one of the best made for television horror films that I've seen. Naturally, given the fact that this film was made for television, it's not as graphic as most of the horror output in the eighties, and the obvious budget limitations mean that this can sometimes feel like a TV serial rather than a proper film, but still Richard Lang's film gets it's point across and manages to be entertaining for it's duration. The plot follows a family that move into a new home in the country after a terrible car accident that left one of the daughters dead. However, the remaining daughter soon begins hearing things at the new house, and it's not long before she's 'in league' with her dead sister and carrying out her revenge - by picking off members of her own family one by one! The film's main influences would appear to be the classic films, The Bad Seed and Psycho. Both of these films are massive favourites of mine, and while this one is nowhere near as good as either, the way that the plot takes influence from both is good in that it uses the influence well to come up with a somewhat 'new' story. The characters aren't too badly drawn considering that this is a TV movie, and the director ensures that the family members do somewhat reflect real life, although it could be said that the characters are clichéd. The film features some decent performances from the central cast. Robin Ignico is the standout in her role as the demented daughter, and receives good support from Dennis Weaver in the role of her father; although for me, Ruth Gordon was ineffective as the mother. The film succeeds overall due to the fact that it's always a lot of fun to watch, and thankfully it all boils down to a satisfying conclusion that justifies watching the film. Overall, compared to other horror films; this one isn't brilliant, but it's a cut above a lot of direct to TV stuff.
AD
