The Children (1980)

A nuclear-plant leak turns a bus-load of children into murderous atomic zombies with black fingernails.

Director:

Max Kalmanowicz

Writers:

Carlton J. Albright (screenplay), Edward Terry (screenplay)

Stars:

Martin Shakar, Gil Rogers, Gale Garnett

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martin Shakar	...	John Freemont
Gil Rogers	...	Sheriff Billy Hart
Gale Garnett	...	Cathy Freemont
Shannon Bolin	...	Molly
Tracy Griswold	...	Deputy Harry Timmons
Joy Glaccum	...	Suzie MacKenzie
Jeptha Evans	...	Paul MacKenzie
Clara Evans	...	Jenny Freemont
Sarah Albright	...	Ellen Chandler
Nathanael Albright	...	Tommy Button
Julie Carrier	...	Janet Shore
Michelle La Mothe	...	Dr. Joyce Gould
Edward Terry	...	Hank
Peter Maloney	...	Frank
Jessie Abrams	...	Clarkie Freemont

Storyline

A busload of children has disappeared from the quiet New England town of Ravensback, and Sheriff Billy Hart is on the case. A short while later, he manages to track down the kids, but unfortunately they seem to have been transformed into murderous zombies by a cloud of radioactive gas. How can he stop the killer tykes before they destroy the town?

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Plot Keywords:

children | fingernails | sheriff | evil child | police officer killed | 

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Taglines:

...thank God they're somebody else's!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 June 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Children of Ravensback

Filming Locations:

Aston Magna House, Great Barrington, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Albright Films Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The noise made when the possessed children are killed is created from the sound of cats in heat.

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Connections

References Superman (1978)

User Reviews

WHAT THE HELL?!?. . .

This is one of those movies that is like an idiot step-child--it's totally moronic but still strangely hard to dislike. When so many horror movies are so transparently and unimaginatively exploitative, it's refreshing to see a movie so ludicrous and completely off-the-wall that god only knows WHAT it's trying to exploit. Is it trying to prey on every parent's fear that their lovable moppets will turn into radioactive zombies? Is it trying to make an environmental statement about how nuclear waste will turn children's fingernails black and make them kill every adult they touch? Is it trying to impress the gorehounds with its incredible special effects (i.e. dry ice and black fingernail polish)? Someone ought to put this movie, "The Carrier" (1987), and "The Pit" (1982)all on a single DVD compilation and call it "WHAT THE HELL?!..." or something like that. I'd definitely buy it.