A TV Movie so well-made it’s built a strong cult following over the years. That’s quite a recommendation because the subject matter will be an automatic ‘pass’ for some. It’s about a mentally challenged young man killed in a hate crime. (Larry Drake played a similar role for years and to much acclaim on L.A. Law.) The setup where he’s on the run from some small-minded locals, led by mailman Charles Durning, had me cringing. This is probably a film that shouldn’t have been made, especially as a genre B-movie. However, the tone isn’t exploitive and it sets up a situation few slashers can claim. When the mysterious scarecrow shows up to take revenge, I had no sympathy for what happens to his victims. Against steep odds, the film works. It’s creepy, with some images that are hard to forget, and the DVD transfer from 35mm looks better than it probably looked when it aired on TV.
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