Day O’Horror #1!

MALACHAI!

It’s here!  The first night of thirty-one days of devilish deeds!  The first entry into my Days O’Horror series is 1984’s Children of the Corn.  Based upon a short story by Stephen King, this tale of terror is one of the earliest horror films that I remember viewing as a child.  Having watched it as a forty-one year old man, though, I now realize three things:

1. This flick isn’t nearly scary as I thought it was when I was a kid.
2. It would probably get a hard PG-13 rating today.
3. Isaac and Malachai are still creepy and still the only memorable parts of the film.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

The film opens three years in the past (1981) and we’re told a tale by young Joby (Robby Kiger) of how the children of Gatlin, Nebraska murdered all of the adults in their small rural community.  This takes place at the request of a young cult leader named Isaac (the devilishly enjoyable John Franklin), who claims to be speaking for “He Who Walks Behind The Rows,” and is headed up by Isaac’s apparent enforcer, Malachai (the equally awesome Courtney Gains).

The story leaps ahead three years and we see a young couple, Burt and Vicky (Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton) on their way to Burt’s internship at a Seattle hospital.  Their road trip leads them through Gatlin.  When Burt accidentally hits a young man in the road and realizes that the boy’s throat had been sliced open prior to the wreck, he realizes that the sparsely populated area that he and Vicky were passing through held a dark secret.

After seeking out the help of a roadside mechanic (R.G. Armstrong) and being turned away, the pair get lost on the road and are manipulated into driving to Gatlin.  Here they befriend Joby’s sister, Sarah (Anne Marie McEvoy).  Burt unwisely leaves Vicky with Sarah and goes into town for help.  Vicky is taken prisoner by Malachai and she is tied to a cross in the cornfield to be a part of the sacrifice for one of the older children’s day of leaving (human sacrifice because he was about to turn nineteen).

Burt gets attacked while breaking up a ceremony in the old church led by the zealous Rachel (Judie Maddalena) and then finds himself on the run from Malachai and some of the other children.  He is eventually rescued by Joby and they, along with Sarah, make plans to rescue Vicky and escape Gatlin.  Malachai successfully overthrows Isaac as leader of the cult and puts Isaac on the cross in the place of Vicky.

Burt successfully rescues Vicky, Isaac gets sacrified, and then Burt gets into a fight with Malachai.  Burt seems to open up the eyes of the children to the evil of the cult, but only in time to have a demonic Isaac return and take down Malachai.  Burt and Joby cook up a plan to destroy the demon in the field and succeed in burning him.  Burt is then attacked by Rachel who is hiding in his car, but she is knocked out by Vicky.  Sarah and Joby are invited to live with Burt and Vicky, and the film abruptly ends.

A Decent Start

This film was a decent start to Thirty-One Days O’Horror.  I’ve probably watched this film three times (including today’s showing).  It isn’t the greatest film out there, but like I said earlier, Isaac and Malachai (and to a lesser degree, Rachel) are super creepy.  I totally forgot that Horton (of Thirtysomething fame) and Hamilton (the Terminator films) were the stars of this movie.  All I can ever remember is demonic Isaac calling out for “Malachaiiii.”

Courtney Gains (Malachai) actually had a pretty solid career after this film.  He has been in Back To The Future, Sweet Home Alabama, and Memphis Belle, among other successful films.  He’s a solid character actor and his IMDb proves that he has consistently worked in TV, film, and stage since appearing in Children of the Corn.  I’ve always been impressed by his work.

John Franklin really shined in this movie as the manipulative zealot, Isaac.  While he didn’t get as much work as Courtney Gains after filming Children of the Corn, he still had consistent work.  He briefly became a teacher before returning to acting in 2015.  Some of his most notable work includes portraying Cousin Itt in The Addams Family films, co-starring on Highway to Heaven, and as Kipp on Star Trek:  Voyager.  Franklin also co-wrote Children of the Corn 666:  Isaac’s Return.

This pair of actors is truly the only reason you need to see this film.  Go in with low expectations, and I’m sure that you’ll love it.

Well, that’s one day down.  Thirty to go.  Thanks for reading.  Look for my second Day O’Horror  post tomorrow!