SCARECROWS (1988) Directed by William Wesley
Forum Home Video VHS
THE FILM
Look close. It's breathing. A Scarecrow is breathing. There will be no sleep tonight.
Relish this moment. Scarecrows tingles with a fundamental low budget horror concept -- a group of people are stranded in the middle of nowhere and must fend off the ravaging unknown -- and never misconstrues. So let's hear it for simplicity; let's hear it for shocks; and most importantly, let's hear it for cutting off all ties to the outside world for 80 minutes. You're on an island. So are the Scarecrows. They're starting to stir.
After a botched robbery, four commando-outlaws hijack a plane. They've got a cool 3.5 million, two hostages, and one slight problem; there's a greedy Benedict Arnold named Bert on board. When Bert nose-dives with the money, his parachute brings him to a decrepit graveyard in the thick of the backwoods. Wooden crosses, pitch blackness, an abandoned house, and...Scarecrows. Lots of them. Soon enough, the other bandits follow suit. They're on the hunt for Bert. Bert's on the hunt for the money. The Scarecrows are on the hunt for everyone. Maestro, take it away.
Filmed in Florida by first time director-writer-producer William Wesley, Scarecrows is an ultra-violent archetype of independent horror gone good. It sticks to the obvious, yet remains fresh, through sheer intuition; a star pupil of the succinct lessons that were laid out by Night Of The Living Dead and Zombie in the decades before. There's no need for explanation. Padding can take a hike. From the get-go, Scarecrows outlines its goals; to startle, thrill, and disorient whomever may be watching. Feeling tense yet?
Murk and mist replace any mention of daylight, while the singular location remains aloof. Sensible edits and shadowy photography work towards a brisk pace and ideal scare placements. A low-toned oboe juts your guts as shimmering violas roll off the top. Speaking of guts, in addition to the big hook (killer Scarecrows, of course) and assured backbone, Scarecrows racks up the odd gore. No Savini intestine-fests here, though. Just plenty of unconventional stabs of blunt 'n' juicy brutality; a move which only brightens the film's attractive qualities, rather than replacing them.
The events of Scarecrows are bookended by an ominous radio broadcast. I'm still anxious. Are sleepless nights supposed to feel this good?
AUDIO AND VIDEO
Be careful. Forum Home Video released the complete, uncut version of the film, as well as an R-rated version that slices out most of the profanity and gore. Check the box. It'll let you know what's what. The uncut print is generally clean, but a little on the dark side. My copy has a few tape rolls and the audio popped every so often.
EXTRAS
Forum Home Video. What a bunch of maroons.
FINAL THOUGHTS
When the Scarecrows rise, you're gonna be scared. Live it up. The sincere Scarecrows is like Listerine for late 80s indie horror. Find an uncut copy and wash it all away.
— Joseph A. Ziemba, 08.10.06 | 
There's something out there...
Poor Bert
They'll take your money
Magnifique
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