Another cheaply made flick, L.A. style (a setting that looks great in any flick) with some effectively dramatic moments, mostly towards the end. The main catalyst of the story has veteran cop Carradine, aging here, chasing down an unruly gang of 5-6, youths, the closest thing to a family they have, where a tragedy ensues, that of a young pup. Now vowing retribution against Carradine is the unrelenting leader of the group, Blade, played adequately by Griffin O'Neal, (Ryan's son) one guy you just get through to. Him and his amigo's knock out Carradine, where after years of robbing old ladies, markets, and of late, leading cops on night chases, they may have just graduated to murder. This was the most intense part of the film, where the happy ending following, comes as much a welcomed relief, followed by a smaller happy ending, where too, we get to hear a new social misfit, remark on Carradine's bandaged face. The acting from the youngsters in this, isn't bad either in this enthusiastic B grade effort. Nancy Kwan co stars, as a dedicated, over caring social worker, whose bod has taken some nasty blows at Blade's angry hand. This doesn't deter her, here. You have to admire Kwan's character's spirit and mettle here. These nasty blows she takes, incites boyfriend cop Carradine into action, if a little overacting at times, in some of his responses/reactions. Night Children by no means is great, nor good. It rides low on story and structure, save for the last compelling twenty minutes, but there's a cheapness I love about this movie. It doesn't pretend to be better than it is. You get what you've asked for here.
3 Reviews
In the context of the genre... (spoilers)
vertigo_1412 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I am starting to find many low budget late 70s, early 80s films that typified this genre of the violent teen's gone overboard. The more popular titles were films like 'Class of 1984' (which I believe inspired Troma's Class of Nuke 'Em High Series as well as invoking follow ups in Class of 1999 and it's sequels) and 'The New Kids,' or the less familiar titles such as 'Tuff Turf,' 'Savage Streets,' or 'The Principal.' They were often characterized by a wildly violent pack of teenagers, often from the city (and usually Los Angeles), and usually dressed in some sort of over-the-top derivative of punk or new age fashions that, by today's standards, are extremely laughable, if not somewhat resembling of medieval garb. The teens usually had one identifiable leader of the group who would often view no limits in their violent release against someone who inadvertently becomes their target by trying to impose some sort of moral limits on the teens which may seem reasonable to them, but not to the gang. And the good guys usually take the form of teachers, some arm of law enforcement, or helpless students.
'Night of the Children' was likely made in the tail end of this genre that had eventually evolved into less postapacolyptic-inspired and more sophisticated depictions of the violent teen crisis, as it was seen in movies often associated with authoritative reform through the education system such as Dangerous Minds, 187, Bully, and others. And, when compared to its predecessors, it is done much better than some of the earlier films, even on a shoe-string budget. For some reason, they were permitted to be more realistic (though not always exhibiting the right amount of emergency and suspense for each situation, so it is not a flawless movie, but a worthy one).
David Carradine and Nancy Kwan play characters who illustrate two different perspectives of the "juvenille justice" system after being faced with the repetition of teen violence and criminality. Carradine is Max, a cop. Kwan is his girlfriend, Deborah, a probation officer. Max believes that reformation is impossible, and that these kids are just basically helpless once they turn to a life of crime. His solution is to "lock them up and throw away the key." On the other hand, Deborah, a probation officer, believes that Max's suggestion is callous and that prison provides no rehabilitation. It is just a "storage unit," and that these kids just need to know that someone is ready to pay attention to them. Their views, of course, are tested quite extremely when they're confronted by a ruthless gang of street teens.
Max gets on their bad side when he was involved in a routine chase after they assaulted a young couple. Deborah makes matters worse though, when she tries to find Jenny (the gang leader's girlfriend) and rescue her from the clutches of her creepy boyfriend (Griffin O'Neal) and inevitable return to hooking and a heroin addiction. Violent revenge pursues as the gang leader and his lackees vow to get rid of their little team of nuisance: Max and Deborah. And there may be only person who can intervene.
I was all set to criticize the movie for an unnecessarily long ending, and worse, a rather unrealistic one (especially after seeing the wrap up of the Class of 1984, although that one was grounded in some true events). That they should've ended it at the final confrontation with the gang and their victims. But it continued, and though I thought the filmmakers were still somewhat ridiculous for striving for the happy ending, the ending takes a clear position that is worth giving some thought. Should we just give up on kids who fall into this mess? Of the genre, I would highly recommend Night of the Children. It is not without its flaws, and not without its corniness (gotta get a load of those outfits). But it is one of the better ones out there.
'Night of the Children' was likely made in the tail end of this genre that had eventually evolved into less postapacolyptic-inspired and more sophisticated depictions of the violent teen crisis, as it was seen in movies often associated with authoritative reform through the education system such as Dangerous Minds, 187, Bully, and others. And, when compared to its predecessors, it is done much better than some of the earlier films, even on a shoe-string budget. For some reason, they were permitted to be more realistic (though not always exhibiting the right amount of emergency and suspense for each situation, so it is not a flawless movie, but a worthy one).
David Carradine and Nancy Kwan play characters who illustrate two different perspectives of the "juvenille justice" system after being faced with the repetition of teen violence and criminality. Carradine is Max, a cop. Kwan is his girlfriend, Deborah, a probation officer. Max believes that reformation is impossible, and that these kids are just basically helpless once they turn to a life of crime. His solution is to "lock them up and throw away the key." On the other hand, Deborah, a probation officer, believes that Max's suggestion is callous and that prison provides no rehabilitation. It is just a "storage unit," and that these kids just need to know that someone is ready to pay attention to them. Their views, of course, are tested quite extremely when they're confronted by a ruthless gang of street teens.
Max gets on their bad side when he was involved in a routine chase after they assaulted a young couple. Deborah makes matters worse though, when she tries to find Jenny (the gang leader's girlfriend) and rescue her from the clutches of her creepy boyfriend (Griffin O'Neal) and inevitable return to hooking and a heroin addiction. Violent revenge pursues as the gang leader and his lackees vow to get rid of their little team of nuisance: Max and Deborah. And there may be only person who can intervene.
I was all set to criticize the movie for an unnecessarily long ending, and worse, a rather unrealistic one (especially after seeing the wrap up of the Class of 1984, although that one was grounded in some true events). That they should've ended it at the final confrontation with the gang and their victims. But it continued, and though I thought the filmmakers were still somewhat ridiculous for striving for the happy ending, the ending takes a clear position that is worth giving some thought. Should we just give up on kids who fall into this mess? Of the genre, I would highly recommend Night of the Children. It is not without its flaws, and not without its corniness (gotta get a load of those outfits). But it is one of the better ones out there.
Unexciting cop movie
lor_5 May 2023
My review was written in January 1990 after watching the film on VIdmark video cassette.
Street punks in L. A. are the subject of the unexciting B pic "Night Children", a direct-to-video feature release.
David Carradine is far too easy going as a cop trying to deal with marauding youngsters, who are led by Griffin O'Neal. Under O'Neal's control are several women who are objects of police parole officer Nancy Kean's rehabilitation efforts. Not much happens here on the way to several false endings and phony happy twists.
As O'Neal's main victim, Tawny Fere, who appeared in New World' "Angel III", continues to make a good impression, while O'Neal overdoes the nasty-guy routine. Production values are on the cheap side.
Street punks in L. A. are the subject of the unexciting B pic "Night Children", a direct-to-video feature release.
David Carradine is far too easy going as a cop trying to deal with marauding youngsters, who are led by Griffin O'Neal. Under O'Neal's control are several women who are objects of police parole officer Nancy Kean's rehabilitation efforts. Not much happens here on the way to several false endings and phony happy twists.
As O'Neal's main victim, Tawny Fere, who appeared in New World' "Angel III", continues to make a good impression, while O'Neal overdoes the nasty-guy routine. Production values are on the cheap side.
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