Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981) (TV)

Director:

Frank De Felitta

Writers:

J.D. Feigelson (teleplay)
J.D. Feigelson (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 October 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The Original Classic

Plot:

In a small town, a wrongfully killed man exacts revenge on those who murdered him beyond the grave.

Plot Keywords:

Scarecrow | Girl | Grave | Small Town | Revenge

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Charles Durning	...	Otis P. Hazelrigg
Robert F. Lyons	...	Skeeter Norris
Claude Earl Jones	...	Philby
Lane Smith	...	Harless Hocker
Tonya Crowe	...	Marylee Williams
Larry Drake	...	Bubba Ritter
Jocelyn Brando	...	Mrs. Ritter
Tom Taylor	...	D.A. Sam Willock
Richard McKenzie	...	Judge Henry
Ivy Jones	...	Mrs. Willams
James Tartan	...	Mr. Williams (as Jim Tartan)
Ed Call	...	Defense Attorney
Alice Nunn	...	Mrs. Bunch
John Steadman	...	Mr. Loomis
Dave Adams	...	Deputy (as David Adams)
Ivy Bethune	...	Mrs. Hocker
Dennis Robertson	...	Ray
Jetta Scelza	...	Mrs. Whimberly
Modi Frank	...	Waitress
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
J.D. Feigelson	...	Ludie - CB radio (uncredited)
Robert J. Koster	...	The Scarecrow (uncredited)

Directed by
Frank De Felitta

Writing credits
J.D. Feigelson		(teleplay)
J.D. Feigelson		(story) and
Butler Handcock		(story)

Produced by
Bobbi Frank	....	producer
Janet Greek	....	associate producer
Joe Wizan	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Glenn Paxton

Cinematography by
Vincent A. Martinelli		(as Vincent Martinelli)

Film Editing by
Skip Lusk

Casting by
Toni Howard
Lynn Stalmaster

Art Direction by
Charles Zacha Jr.		(as Charles M. Zacha Jr.)

Set Decoration by
Dennis W. Peeples		(as Dennis Peeples)

Makeup Department
Stephen Robinette	....	hair stylist (as Steve Robinette)
Jeremy Swan	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert Dixon	....	post-production supervisor
Robert J. Koster	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Thomas A. Bliss	....	dga trainee (as Tom Bliss)
Daisy Gerber	....	first assistant director
Bart Roe	....	second assistant director
J.D. Feigelson	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
V.R. Bud Shelton	....	property master

Sound Department
Bonnie Koehler	....	sound editor
James Pilcher	....	sound mixer (as Jim Pilcher)
Clint Althouse	....	boom operator (uncredited)
James Bailey	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Cliff Wenger	....	special effects

Stunts
John Meier	....	stunt coordinator (as John C. Meier)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ron McManus	....	camera operator
Frank Palmer	....	key grip
Robert A. Petzoldt III	....	gaffer (as Bob Petzoldt III)
Paul Jacobsen	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Reggie Newkirk	....	key first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Fisk	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Judith Brewer Curtis	....	assistant costumer
Leslie Karten	....	costumer

Editorial Department
James L. Honore	....	post-production (as Jimmy Honoré)
Jeff Zacha	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jeff Johns	....	executive soundtrack producer
Douglas M. Lackey	....	music editor (as Doug Lackey)

Transportation Department
Tom Blomquist	....	transportation captain
Chuck Hanson	....	transportation coordinator
Thomas M. Krigbaum	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Sherrie Bayer	....	production assistant
May Wale Brown	....	script supervisor
Selma Brown	....	production accountant
Modi Frank	....	production assistant
Pat Keating	....	assistant to producer
Shari Leibowitz	....	production coordinator
Kool Marder	....	location manager (as Kool Lusby)
Jeff Rafner	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Wizan Productions (as Wizan TV Productions)

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1981) (USA) (TV)
• Cine-TV-Video Productions (1989) (Greece) (video)
• Donau-Film (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Fox Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Front Row Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Key Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• King Video (1986) (Japan) (VHS)
• Televisie Radio Omroep Stichting (TROS) (19??) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Tohokushinsha Home Video (1986) (Japan) (VHS)
• Truegore Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• VCI Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• VCI Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Video Elit (1989) (Greece) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Lynn Stalmaster & Associates  casting
• Zeiderman, Oberman & Associates Inc.  production accounting
• Gomillion Sound  post-production
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:Not Rated | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Wizan Productions

Trivia:

Charles Durning did most of his own stunts of the climatic chase scene when he's running away from the tractor. A double can be seen for a few shots with darker hair.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the postman is stabbed to death at the end, he grabs his gut and looks down at himself. There are no holes in his shirt.

Quotes:

Mrs. Hocker:If you're not plantin'... why would you put up a scarecrow?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bubba Didn't Do It!: 30 Years of Dark Night of the Scarecrow (2011)

Creepy little made-for-television gem

Frank DeFelitta, who also happened to write the novel Audrey Rose, turned to directing for this 1981 horror fantasy. The film opens with an eerie credit roll set on a pastel-colored windmill backdrop, and this is when we first hear the film's unforgettabley chilling score. Twenty years after seeing this film for the first time, I can still play it over in my head. The film soon progresses to its undeniably clever storyline, which I won't bother describing in detail as that has been done for me by previous reviewers. The atmosphere of this film is almost unbearably suspenseful at times, and the fact that we never see even a far-off image of the murderous culprit during the film adds to the creepiness. Charles Durning gives one of his best performances as the selfish, provincial mailman who is stalked by a vengeful killer. This film is best viewed alone late at night!