I vividly remember seeing Kenny & Co in the movie theater where I grew up in Pomona, CA. I would have been about 7. The movie matches my recollection of how I grew up as a kid in 1970's Southern California. Skateboards....Kay Bee toy stores....smoggy days...hanging out all day and coming home when the street lights came on. As in the movie, blonde kids were cooler...your friend's parents never were. There is one scene that I remember being particularly sad...and as an adult, it's still sad! Decent acting from a bunch of amateur actors just doing what kids do. This movie is so much better than the terrible trailer - if you were a kid from the 1970s, it's a must see and fun trip.
24 Reviews
Best portrayal of boyhood in America in the '70s ever
pefarr4 July 2019
I was one of the few people who saw this film in its original run in the theater in Orlando in 1976 when I was 9 years old. I went with my cousins while visiting from Georgia. And although this is a film about kids in a California suburb, and I grew up in a textile mill town in the Deep South, this movie is still a more accurate portrayal of what my life was like back then than anything else I've ever seen or read.
Now let's be clear, this was a very low-budget film. I think it was made for something like $130,000. Some of the roles, including Kenny, were not performed by professional actors. There are continuity errors and all the other problems you expect with low-budget films. And there are elements that are typical of the 1970s that wouldn't make it onto a screen today, like when Doug tells Kenny what his big brother says about girls. But nevertheless, it's accurate to that time period and quite poignant.
I rediscovered this film when I found out that another of my favorite movies from my youth, Phantasm, was also a Coscarelli film and featured many of the same actors. I got the DVD with commentary and it really took me back! Eventually I also found a DVD of Coscarelli's first movie, "Jim, the World's Greatest".
"Kenny & Co." doesn't really have a narrative arc - it's more a slice of life. But when you're at that age, that's how life seems to you anyway, just a sequence of events that you have to deal with as they come. So to me, that just makes the film more accurate to its subject.
I really don't know if kids today could enjoy this film, or even understand it. The world was so different then before cell phones and the Internet and CGI and the need for constant spectacle. But if you're a guy in your 50s in 2019, I promise this will take you back! Coscarelli really gets it right. I can see why the movie had a hard time finding its audience back then. It's not really a "kids' movie" at all. Oddly enough, it seems to have been made for people like me today, guys who lived through that as boys and who are looking back now as adults. I'm really glad I got to see it with my cousins when it came out. And very glad that it's on DVD, especially with the commentary track, so that I can enjoy it again and reflect. It's like a time capsule for me and will always have a special place in my heart.
Now let's be clear, this was a very low-budget film. I think it was made for something like $130,000. Some of the roles, including Kenny, were not performed by professional actors. There are continuity errors and all the other problems you expect with low-budget films. And there are elements that are typical of the 1970s that wouldn't make it onto a screen today, like when Doug tells Kenny what his big brother says about girls. But nevertheless, it's accurate to that time period and quite poignant.
I rediscovered this film when I found out that another of my favorite movies from my youth, Phantasm, was also a Coscarelli film and featured many of the same actors. I got the DVD with commentary and it really took me back! Eventually I also found a DVD of Coscarelli's first movie, "Jim, the World's Greatest".
"Kenny & Co." doesn't really have a narrative arc - it's more a slice of life. But when you're at that age, that's how life seems to you anyway, just a sequence of events that you have to deal with as they come. So to me, that just makes the film more accurate to its subject.
I really don't know if kids today could enjoy this film, or even understand it. The world was so different then before cell phones and the Internet and CGI and the need for constant spectacle. But if you're a guy in your 50s in 2019, I promise this will take you back! Coscarelli really gets it right. I can see why the movie had a hard time finding its audience back then. It's not really a "kids' movie" at all. Oddly enough, it seems to have been made for people like me today, guys who lived through that as boys and who are looking back now as adults. I'm really glad I got to see it with my cousins when it came out. And very glad that it's on DVD, especially with the commentary track, so that I can enjoy it again and reflect. It's like a time capsule for me and will always have a special place in my heart.
The little film that would soon be responsible for influencing it's young director's hidden talent for Horror...The Great Phantasm would be born soon!
artcaustic3 June 2001
Well, I might be a bit partial to Kenny and Company...I had a small role in the film as a young child on Kenny's football team, and it was made in my home town of Long Beach, California. It really was a great little film (for a then very young director Don Coscarelli) that presents a very straight forward view of "the All American Kids" going through growing pains in the 1970's...similar to what made you laugh and cry with The Bad News Bears. Director Coscarelli would soon be inspired to make his mark in the Horror Genre (after the growing pains would stop)...and would go on to create the well received Phantasm saga. I wish Kenny and Company was available on video, so more people could view some of Mr. Coscarelli's earliest (and most genuine) work.
"I'll take a large suicide!"
tmdlw30 August 2004
Looks like everyone who first watched this movie did so on HBO when that station came out. I,too, remember seeing Kenny & Company as a young pre-teen. My siblings and I could all relate to the plot less storyline, everything from pretending to enjoy a "suicide slush" to trying to wash enamel paint off your hands with soap. I think that's why this movie is so well thought of. It's made for regular kids about regular kids. Too bad movies these days are fake and made primarily for marketing appeal. I was lucky enough to find this online (try Video den.com). The picture quality was pretty bad, but quality of the storyline made up for that. Even my own 10 and 7 year olds loved it. My son, who rides on $150 custom skateboards, has been bugging his dad to take him to home depot so they can make a skateboard like the one in Kenny & Company. Now we'll have to start searching for those old clay wheels...
Required viewing for genuine 70s retro
fowlerjones31 August 2001
I saw this movie on HBO a couple of years after its release and really related to the characters (being 13 at the time). It's a time capsule. Anyone considering making a movie set in the 70s should view this film to garner some ideas for period detail.
Imagine my surprise when the gang from Kenny and Company, minus Kenny, turned up in "Phantasm"!
Update - 11/2006: Saw it again on DVD after 26 years and it held up well. I was impressed with Fred Myrow's music and I really enjoyed the 360 degree shot of the vet's office waiting room when they took Bob in for the final appointment. The combination of those two elements, the music and the touching content of that scene, provided the "emotional glue" (to borrow a Coscarelli phrase) of the film for me. Nobody needed to cry; the director allowed us to connect the emotional dots. Brilliant.
If I ever make a film, I hope its half as good as this one.
Imagine my surprise when the gang from Kenny and Company, minus Kenny, turned up in "Phantasm"!
Update - 11/2006: Saw it again on DVD after 26 years and it held up well. I was impressed with Fred Myrow's music and I really enjoyed the 360 degree shot of the vet's office waiting room when they took Bob in for the final appointment. The combination of those two elements, the music and the touching content of that scene, provided the "emotional glue" (to borrow a Coscarelli phrase) of the film for me. Nobody needed to cry; the director allowed us to connect the emotional dots. Brilliant.
If I ever make a film, I hope its half as good as this one.
Best kid movie, EVER!
tjw009926 February 2005
I remember seeing this movie on HBO in the 78-79 range. That's when HBO was on from 5 pm - 11 pm M-T and Friday and Saturday it stayed on till 3 am, showing the more adult movies in the wee hours.
This movie hit me directly between the eyes. I related directly with Kenny and his first love and the tension of telling her. Then the unforgettable 'should I or shouldn't I' hold her hand and the personal strength it took him to do it.
Not once during the movie did Kenny watch TV. He was always outside playing with Doug doing boy activities. I really connected with the movie when the went to get Sherman a birthday present. The department store was just that, a department store with a 4 aisle section for toys. Talk about memories.
I went on EBAY and did a search for the movie and found it available. For what its' worth, the guy I bought it from knows Raplh, the guy that played Big Doug in the movie. I now have the movie on VHS and have watched it twice in less than a week with my 8 year old son.
We laugh at the same parts of the movie every time. Some instances include Paco learning a new word, Sherman showing up at Kenny's for Trick or Treat, Doug popping Pudwell as the kids are running after Johnny and Kenny, Sherma reaching in the bag for 'candy'.
This movie really is a down to earth no frills kid movie. No underlying tones, just straight kid from a kids point of view. Kenny trying to understand death and what happens afterward when his dog Bob has to be put down. Dealing with a bully but not letting it control his everyday life.
I have to say, that I can remember seeing my first Playboy. When Sherman brings his old mans Playboy in the garage and hearing the boys talk about having baby's, they didn't have the slightest idea, and looking at today's kids. Today's kids are really losing out. Growing up too fast and missing out on what that movie portrays.
It is a great movie and it should be a must see for every Dad and 8-12 year old son. Tyler keeps asking to watch it with me. I'm figuring 3 times a month, making it something special and hopefully he'll get as much from it as I did.
Rent it, Buy it, but above all else SEE IT!!! Tom
This movie hit me directly between the eyes. I related directly with Kenny and his first love and the tension of telling her. Then the unforgettable 'should I or shouldn't I' hold her hand and the personal strength it took him to do it.
Not once during the movie did Kenny watch TV. He was always outside playing with Doug doing boy activities. I really connected with the movie when the went to get Sherman a birthday present. The department store was just that, a department store with a 4 aisle section for toys. Talk about memories.
I went on EBAY and did a search for the movie and found it available. For what its' worth, the guy I bought it from knows Raplh, the guy that played Big Doug in the movie. I now have the movie on VHS and have watched it twice in less than a week with my 8 year old son.
We laugh at the same parts of the movie every time. Some instances include Paco learning a new word, Sherman showing up at Kenny's for Trick or Treat, Doug popping Pudwell as the kids are running after Johnny and Kenny, Sherma reaching in the bag for 'candy'.
This movie really is a down to earth no frills kid movie. No underlying tones, just straight kid from a kids point of view. Kenny trying to understand death and what happens afterward when his dog Bob has to be put down. Dealing with a bully but not letting it control his everyday life.
I have to say, that I can remember seeing my first Playboy. When Sherman brings his old mans Playboy in the garage and hearing the boys talk about having baby's, they didn't have the slightest idea, and looking at today's kids. Today's kids are really losing out. Growing up too fast and missing out on what that movie portrays.
It is a great movie and it should be a must see for every Dad and 8-12 year old son. Tyler keeps asking to watch it with me. I'm figuring 3 times a month, making it something special and hopefully he'll get as much from it as I did.
Rent it, Buy it, but above all else SEE IT!!! Tom
Give your kids a lesson in true childhood: w/o the cellphone, Xbox, internet, psp, etc... ad nauseum
zengorah12 October 2006
Post VCR generations, find out why all your digital gadgets, the internet, and marketing based "teen wanna-be-adult" dramas have nothing to do with childhood bliss, friendships and lasting (non digital) memories.
Before I begin my comments, I want to say that my profession is in technology, and therefore, I can appreciate what modern technology has allowed us to accomplish. DVD copies of films from the 70's that can be viewed whenever you want is a prime example of this. However, I think modern parents/kids should remind themselves, and show their kids the joy of being a kid without the over-scheduling, "over-marketing" and "over-connectedness" that is, in my opinion ruining the childhood experience.
Like the other posts here, I too saw this film on HBO back in the late 70's when HBO programming didn't start until 2:30pm most days, and signed off by 2-3am depending on whether or not it was a weekday or weekend night. Remember the rolling loop of the day's scheduled programming with the jazzy Maynard Ferguson (and other instrumental only) soundtracks? Remember getting the monthly HBO guide and mapping out movies and dates to watch them, sometimes up to weeks in advance before they were scheduled to air? Oddly enough, in an analog world, as a kid back then, even without wearing a watch, kids were more aware of time and schedules, and planning, to watch TV!!! You couldn't just turn on the TV and watch cartoons at anytime, put a DVD or video tape in whenever. You had to plan to watch what you wanted, and most days, after playing and dinner and homework, you may have watched TV for only an hour or so. This is the reason why Kenny and Company is such a special film.
Kenny and Company, a true independent, ultra low-budget, "B film" as they were referred to back then, is a true time capsule of life as a suburban adolescent in the 70's. The sense of freedom, that feeling of every day being totally new, another day of adventure, of days lasting seemingly forever is luckily and magically captured here, for generations. So many scenes are just that; snapshots of not quite there youthful exuberance. Moments that you didn't think much of as they occurred, but somehow are ingrained in memory without exacting photos or audio or combined recording. The movie itself is not a recording, it is more of a window into these precious moments in Kenny and Company's lives. And what makes Kenny and Company so special is that it trusts that all of us share at least some version of the experiences in some way. Set in California, the backdrop manages not to envelop the the movie. This is a movie that most 70's kids in America could relate to, even taking in environmental/racial/economic differences. That's because the movie isn't about any of those things.
Kenny and Company instead focuses on the power of the "semi-sort-of timelessness" of being 11; a not quite self absorbed teen. It uses the power of very specific moments in pre-adolescence that influence that critical time in youth were the innocent cocoon is both unraveling yet very much still protecting it's larvae.
Without getting into a obtrusively descriptive plot summary, Kenny and Company is about three childhood friends and their adventures over a 4 day period including Haloween night. And in the those few days, the experiences they encounter are either comical, fearful, developmental and/or life altering, and often moments apart from each other. It is perfect in it's imperfection, with some moments a little cheesy, but isn't that par for the course at age 11?
It is a feel good movie, but not in the contemporary over produced post "ET", "Goonies",etc., Hollywood sense. It is much more genuine. In fact, after thirty years, it's safe to say that a movie of this type is truly special, simply because while it was basically shelved then before becoming a hit in Japan, a movie like this would never be made today. A sad statement of the film industry which would rather portray kids as smaller versions of sarcastic adults. And while I think for those of us who were fortunate enough to be of the same age group as the characters in the movie (now in our mid to late thirties to late forties) and also lucky enough to have seen this movie at the time, the connection/draw was simply magnetic. You knew it was authentic because you were right there, probably watching on some early autumn evening after school, Halloween nearing, after having walked home from school, after having spent some time at your best friends house playing outside around the neighborhood, trying to build something, or playing pranks or just exploring. Even from a cinematic perspective the movie shines; the warm California sunshine, the cool of Autumn evening, filmed in that classic 70's slight haze effect.
Kenny and Company is an exceedingly accurate portrayal of this period of time even for adults at the time. The adults are visible to the children; admired and despised alike, as parents, disciplinarians, and mentors. The gawking awe of the next to the next phase of development- the early twenty something is on display here. Even the sense of community, of knowing people in the neighborhood, even if only by name is true. Most of the movie's wonderfully unstructured self determining activity is completely absent for today's youth.
Over the years, I have been lucky enough to have stumbled across seeing this movie a handful of times on television on obscure stations since then. Until now, it hasn't been readily available. And each time I've viewed it, it still maintains that magical element that sadly may be gone forever. This is a movie for the ages in the sense that it can remind us of what childhood should be like. And just think, we looked pretty cool considering our parents picked out our clothes!!
Before I begin my comments, I want to say that my profession is in technology, and therefore, I can appreciate what modern technology has allowed us to accomplish. DVD copies of films from the 70's that can be viewed whenever you want is a prime example of this. However, I think modern parents/kids should remind themselves, and show their kids the joy of being a kid without the over-scheduling, "over-marketing" and "over-connectedness" that is, in my opinion ruining the childhood experience.
Like the other posts here, I too saw this film on HBO back in the late 70's when HBO programming didn't start until 2:30pm most days, and signed off by 2-3am depending on whether or not it was a weekday or weekend night. Remember the rolling loop of the day's scheduled programming with the jazzy Maynard Ferguson (and other instrumental only) soundtracks? Remember getting the monthly HBO guide and mapping out movies and dates to watch them, sometimes up to weeks in advance before they were scheduled to air? Oddly enough, in an analog world, as a kid back then, even without wearing a watch, kids were more aware of time and schedules, and planning, to watch TV!!! You couldn't just turn on the TV and watch cartoons at anytime, put a DVD or video tape in whenever. You had to plan to watch what you wanted, and most days, after playing and dinner and homework, you may have watched TV for only an hour or so. This is the reason why Kenny and Company is such a special film.
Kenny and Company, a true independent, ultra low-budget, "B film" as they were referred to back then, is a true time capsule of life as a suburban adolescent in the 70's. The sense of freedom, that feeling of every day being totally new, another day of adventure, of days lasting seemingly forever is luckily and magically captured here, for generations. So many scenes are just that; snapshots of not quite there youthful exuberance. Moments that you didn't think much of as they occurred, but somehow are ingrained in memory without exacting photos or audio or combined recording. The movie itself is not a recording, it is more of a window into these precious moments in Kenny and Company's lives. And what makes Kenny and Company so special is that it trusts that all of us share at least some version of the experiences in some way. Set in California, the backdrop manages not to envelop the the movie. This is a movie that most 70's kids in America could relate to, even taking in environmental/racial/economic differences. That's because the movie isn't about any of those things.
Kenny and Company instead focuses on the power of the "semi-sort-of timelessness" of being 11; a not quite self absorbed teen. It uses the power of very specific moments in pre-adolescence that influence that critical time in youth were the innocent cocoon is both unraveling yet very much still protecting it's larvae.
Without getting into a obtrusively descriptive plot summary, Kenny and Company is about three childhood friends and their adventures over a 4 day period including Haloween night. And in the those few days, the experiences they encounter are either comical, fearful, developmental and/or life altering, and often moments apart from each other. It is perfect in it's imperfection, with some moments a little cheesy, but isn't that par for the course at age 11?
It is a feel good movie, but not in the contemporary over produced post "ET", "Goonies",etc., Hollywood sense. It is much more genuine. In fact, after thirty years, it's safe to say that a movie of this type is truly special, simply because while it was basically shelved then before becoming a hit in Japan, a movie like this would never be made today. A sad statement of the film industry which would rather portray kids as smaller versions of sarcastic adults. And while I think for those of us who were fortunate enough to be of the same age group as the characters in the movie (now in our mid to late thirties to late forties) and also lucky enough to have seen this movie at the time, the connection/draw was simply magnetic. You knew it was authentic because you were right there, probably watching on some early autumn evening after school, Halloween nearing, after having walked home from school, after having spent some time at your best friends house playing outside around the neighborhood, trying to build something, or playing pranks or just exploring. Even from a cinematic perspective the movie shines; the warm California sunshine, the cool of Autumn evening, filmed in that classic 70's slight haze effect.
Kenny and Company is an exceedingly accurate portrayal of this period of time even for adults at the time. The adults are visible to the children; admired and despised alike, as parents, disciplinarians, and mentors. The gawking awe of the next to the next phase of development- the early twenty something is on display here. Even the sense of community, of knowing people in the neighborhood, even if only by name is true. Most of the movie's wonderfully unstructured self determining activity is completely absent for today's youth.
Over the years, I have been lucky enough to have stumbled across seeing this movie a handful of times on television on obscure stations since then. Until now, it hasn't been readily available. And each time I've viewed it, it still maintains that magical element that sadly may be gone forever. This is a movie for the ages in the sense that it can remind us of what childhood should be like. And just think, we looked pretty cool considering our parents picked out our clothes!!
A must see for 70's kids
colossus-411 March 1999
This film is a must see for anyone who was around 10-15 years old in 1976. Kenny and Co. doesn't miss a trick in depicting the life of a seventh-grader, his friends and enemies. Prank phone calls, over-sized school bullies, Halloween hijinks and fickle first loves, it's all here.
The director unknowingly created a time capsule of such realism that Kenny is more enjoyable now than it ever was when it was made. Best of all it doesn't try to ram some big morality trip down your throat. It just documents. And unlike in "Stand by Me," the kids actually act like kids not philosophers. If there's any point at all to the story it's that the genius of kids is their unique ability to survive the banality and meanness of existence through a combination of devilish humor and harmless civil unrest.
I started breaking this film out at parties and now I get requests for it. Kenny and Co. is better the second and third times.
The director unknowingly created a time capsule of such realism that Kenny is more enjoyable now than it ever was when it was made. Best of all it doesn't try to ram some big morality trip down your throat. It just documents. And unlike in "Stand by Me," the kids actually act like kids not philosophers. If there's any point at all to the story it's that the genius of kids is their unique ability to survive the banality and meanness of existence through a combination of devilish humor and harmless civil unrest.
I started breaking this film out at parties and now I get requests for it. Kenny and Co. is better the second and third times.
Probably the most accurate cinematic estimate of the average suburban kid's life during the 70s
slowcurl8 July 2005
Regarding other films from the 70's which took a stab at documenting the feel of life for the average suburban kid, I'd put them in this order...
(1) Kenny & Company (2) Over The Edge (3) The Bad News Bears (4) Breaking Away
I'm a longtime Phantasm fan, and I just watched Kenny & Company for the first time tonight. It's clear that the studio COMPLETELY dropped the ball when they shelved this film in the US.
Anything I'm inclined to say about how good this film is has already been said by other equally impressed viewers here on the boards, though I have to add that I have a new-found respect for Phantasm's bartender, the Tall Man's handyman, and the foxy granddaughter of the mute fortune teller. Reggie is in top form. And Fred Myrow-- the composer of Phantasm's score-- is present here, as well.
Now that it has seen the light on day on DVD (and it's a beautiful transfer with great sound, by the way), I'm certain Kenny & Company is destined to become a classic as news of its existence spreads.
(1) Kenny & Company (2) Over The Edge (3) The Bad News Bears (4) Breaking Away
I'm a longtime Phantasm fan, and I just watched Kenny & Company for the first time tonight. It's clear that the studio COMPLETELY dropped the ball when they shelved this film in the US.
Anything I'm inclined to say about how good this film is has already been said by other equally impressed viewers here on the boards, though I have to add that I have a new-found respect for Phantasm's bartender, the Tall Man's handyman, and the foxy granddaughter of the mute fortune teller. Reggie is in top form. And Fred Myrow-- the composer of Phantasm's score-- is present here, as well.
Now that it has seen the light on day on DVD (and it's a beautiful transfer with great sound, by the way), I'm certain Kenny & Company is destined to become a classic as news of its existence spreads.
Reviewers Crushing on Actor
myljemail8 November 2023
This movie gets such high ratings and reviews due to the fact there is an underage lead actor.
Most of the reviews read like bubbling and gushing love letters, you do the math.
Same story for the actor and director's next movie.
These movies also gets high ratings because, as the reviews state, they watched them when they were young and impressionable and had no other reference in which to compare these movies (Kenny&Co, Phantasm). They hadn't seen much and the young actor was relatable, so you get handfuls of reviews praising a pair of very boring movies.
I will lump both movies together, even though they're supposed to have been made with different genres, they both watch the same, boring.
Most of the reviews read like bubbling and gushing love letters, you do the math.
Same story for the actor and director's next movie.
These movies also gets high ratings because, as the reviews state, they watched them when they were young and impressionable and had no other reference in which to compare these movies (Kenny&Co, Phantasm). They hadn't seen much and the young actor was relatable, so you get handfuls of reviews praising a pair of very boring movies.
I will lump both movies together, even though they're supposed to have been made with different genres, they both watch the same, boring.
GREATEST KID'S FILM EVER!!!!
deviasix2 June 2003
I guess I'm one of the few people to see this film.. I saw it back in 1978 on HBO. I was 10 years old.. I watched it with my best childhood friend. I loved all the characters in this film. I was especially fond of Kenny's friend Doug. All of those kids reminded me so much of me and my friends in the 70's. I've hoped for a long time to find this movie on video or DVD. I've never seen another kids movie as GREAT! as this one. When I grew up and got married, I tried to copy the haunted garage scene when they were trick-or-treating. We were the hit of the neighborhood. Unfortunately my ex-husband was never able so see that COOL! movie to know what we were trying to copy, on those fun Halloween nights.
I would HIGHLY! recommend this movie to anybody wanting to laugh, and feel great.
I would HIGHLY! recommend this movie to anybody wanting to laugh, and feel great.
A sweet little seriocomic indie sleeper
Woodyanders15 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
12-year-old Kenny (an engaging portrayal by Dan McCann) hangs out with mischievous best buddy Doug (the very likable Michael Baldwin), tries to figure out girls, musters up the courage to face mean, fearsome bully Johnny Hoffman (an effectively hateful Willy Masterson), learns about death and mortality (Doug's sickly dog has to be put to sleep), and prepares for Halloween night. Writer/director Don Coscarelli delivers a charming and warm-hearted little gem about 70's suburbanite adolescence that's remarkably bereft of both sour cynicism and cloying sentimentality; instead the rambling episodic narrative ambles along in a most delightfully breezy'n'easy manner and offers plenty of spot-on moving and/or amusing moments. Better still, the cute cast of personable kid thespians all come through with appealingly naturalistic performances: McCann and Baldwin positively shine in the leads, receiving fine support from Jeff Roth as pesky, yet lovable little squirt Sherman, Terrie Kalbus as fetching blonde babe Marcy, and Eswin Cajas as foreign exchange student Paco. Plus there are nice turns by Reggie Bannister as friendly, understanding teacher Mr. Donovan, Ralph Richmond as Doug's jolly government agent father Big Doug, Kenneth J. Jones as hot-tempered football coach Mr. Soupy, and Clay Foster as amiable old timer Mr. Brink. Fred Myrow's mellow and melodic score totally hits the groovy spot. Coscarelli's sunny cinematography gives the picture an attractive bright look. A lovely and poignant treat.
A guide for how to be a kid again
Gomfa158310 February 2014
Kenny & Co. was like candy to me while I was watching it. The story line, the actors, the structure; everything in this film just flowed so perfectly that you never wanted it to end. This isn't some film with engineered plot twists, it was written by someone just starting out in film (no formal training), about what his youth was like growing up, & thrown together up on screen with a small group of people.
I found out about this movie after watching Phantasm. I searched online to watch it but couldn't find it. I wanted to buy it after watching a trailer on YouTube & went to Amazon to see the price. I figured it should be around 7 or 8 bucks to buy this film today; boy was I surprised to see the price tag for this film! Listed as new (at the time of this review) $136.46. This was no ordinary 70s low-budget film.
I know a lot about film and the whole film making process so when I saw the first scene of this film it was like pure excitement to be watching this film. The quality was fuzzy but for a kid at 21 years old making his first feature length movie in the early 70s (shooting took place in the summer of 1974) this was a very big accomplishment. I actually wanted that look of the film because it added to the look and feel of the time of movies coming out then, plus it gave it this warm glow that made it seem like a magical time. The quality of the film improved a bit throughout but it still had a few pops and scratches here and there.
This film is like a handbook of how kids used to play outside and one kids should be encouraged to watch. Children's desk had just a lamp and some pencils and comic books on top and their drawers were always messy where they stuffed whatever they had into them. Homes were small and located in suburbs where children could ride their bikes anytime they wanted and drop by friends' houses anytime they wanted without having to call anyone up to arrange a "playdate." When you watch how children played in this film you saw they had true imaginations because if a kid didn't, he was considered boring but if you take it a step further in understanding this world, it actually becomes quite interesting what children knew back then about where they lived. If you ask a kid today where something is in their home city, chances are they have no idea how to get to it because their parents take them everywhere. Not only do parents take them everywhere but they don't pay attention to have they got there because they are either watching a movie or playing video games. Kids back then went wherever they wanted whenever they wanted and because of that freedom they knew of all these different places around where they lived. If a kid came over and asked where to get the best soda in town, the kid could name off a few places, not only that but he could also tell you the names of all the people who worked there because he knew all of them. Children had relationships with people all over town and guess who those people were? Most of them adults, with a few middle and high school kids working the counters and there was nothing wrong with that.
Parents today discourage their children from forming friendships with adults because they think a child should only play with those their age. Children knew people back then and talked with them about anything because that was how they got to know people, but not only that, it taught them social & communication skills.
I didn't grow up in the 70s but I had the same freedom that those boys did and I wouldn't exchange it for any age-appropriate upbringing that parents today shove down kids throats. It actually does more harm than good later on down the road. I know because kids today have shallow understanding of everything.
Kids kept up with everything at the movies because that is what you did on the weekends. They knew what movies were playing, what & when their favorite TV shows were coming on, they could actually remember things. But why worry when there is an app for that? Want to encourage your kids to be more creative? Kick them out the door, tell them to go make friends, and to come back when it's dinner time. If you want them to start improving their memory, start asking them about places they've been to and how to get there or talk about what is going on in their favorite TV shows or movies. Research has shown that active cognitive memory in children is a good indication of intelligence later on. Play during childhood is extremely important, it increases creative abilities, thinking skills, and reasoning abilities. When a child is put in an environment (the suburbs) and allowed to explore, you will learn just how smart they really are and how capable they are of taking care of themselves (when they have been taught the basics of how to handle certain situations) when they don't have parents around to bother them all the time.
Kenny & Co. is a time that needs to come back but it won't. Life today is very complex for children compared to what Kenny & his friend, Doug, lived. They didn't have complicated schedules, school always got out at 3 pm, you played with your friends until it was dark, which meant it was dinner time, ate, then watched your favorite TV shows (because that is what you talked about with your friends the next day who all watched the same thing), showered, messed around in your room for a bit and then went to bed.
I found out about this movie after watching Phantasm. I searched online to watch it but couldn't find it. I wanted to buy it after watching a trailer on YouTube & went to Amazon to see the price. I figured it should be around 7 or 8 bucks to buy this film today; boy was I surprised to see the price tag for this film! Listed as new (at the time of this review) $136.46. This was no ordinary 70s low-budget film.
I know a lot about film and the whole film making process so when I saw the first scene of this film it was like pure excitement to be watching this film. The quality was fuzzy but for a kid at 21 years old making his first feature length movie in the early 70s (shooting took place in the summer of 1974) this was a very big accomplishment. I actually wanted that look of the film because it added to the look and feel of the time of movies coming out then, plus it gave it this warm glow that made it seem like a magical time. The quality of the film improved a bit throughout but it still had a few pops and scratches here and there.
This film is like a handbook of how kids used to play outside and one kids should be encouraged to watch. Children's desk had just a lamp and some pencils and comic books on top and their drawers were always messy where they stuffed whatever they had into them. Homes were small and located in suburbs where children could ride their bikes anytime they wanted and drop by friends' houses anytime they wanted without having to call anyone up to arrange a "playdate." When you watch how children played in this film you saw they had true imaginations because if a kid didn't, he was considered boring but if you take it a step further in understanding this world, it actually becomes quite interesting what children knew back then about where they lived. If you ask a kid today where something is in their home city, chances are they have no idea how to get to it because their parents take them everywhere. Not only do parents take them everywhere but they don't pay attention to have they got there because they are either watching a movie or playing video games. Kids back then went wherever they wanted whenever they wanted and because of that freedom they knew of all these different places around where they lived. If a kid came over and asked where to get the best soda in town, the kid could name off a few places, not only that but he could also tell you the names of all the people who worked there because he knew all of them. Children had relationships with people all over town and guess who those people were? Most of them adults, with a few middle and high school kids working the counters and there was nothing wrong with that.
Parents today discourage their children from forming friendships with adults because they think a child should only play with those their age. Children knew people back then and talked with them about anything because that was how they got to know people, but not only that, it taught them social & communication skills.
I didn't grow up in the 70s but I had the same freedom that those boys did and I wouldn't exchange it for any age-appropriate upbringing that parents today shove down kids throats. It actually does more harm than good later on down the road. I know because kids today have shallow understanding of everything.
Kids kept up with everything at the movies because that is what you did on the weekends. They knew what movies were playing, what & when their favorite TV shows were coming on, they could actually remember things. But why worry when there is an app for that? Want to encourage your kids to be more creative? Kick them out the door, tell them to go make friends, and to come back when it's dinner time. If you want them to start improving their memory, start asking them about places they've been to and how to get there or talk about what is going on in their favorite TV shows or movies. Research has shown that active cognitive memory in children is a good indication of intelligence later on. Play during childhood is extremely important, it increases creative abilities, thinking skills, and reasoning abilities. When a child is put in an environment (the suburbs) and allowed to explore, you will learn just how smart they really are and how capable they are of taking care of themselves (when they have been taught the basics of how to handle certain situations) when they don't have parents around to bother them all the time.
Kenny & Co. is a time that needs to come back but it won't. Life today is very complex for children compared to what Kenny & his friend, Doug, lived. They didn't have complicated schedules, school always got out at 3 pm, you played with your friends until it was dark, which meant it was dinner time, ate, then watched your favorite TV shows (because that is what you talked about with your friends the next day who all watched the same thing), showered, messed around in your room for a bit and then went to bed.
Rave for an underappreciated film
joshart22 March 2000
The Genre of movies intended for viewers age 10-14 tend to be either crass exploitation or idiotic morality tales. Kenny and Co. is that rare gem of a film that transcends the limitations of it's genre.
There must have been a window in the mid '70's where it was possible to produce a "kid" movie with both heart and brain intact. The Bad News Bears (first film) is another example. In the era of Mortal Kombat and the latest Star Wars regurgitation, this well-written, fully realized, (and delightfully 'dated') work is a joy. Don Coscarelli, who went on to notoriety with the Phantasm B-Horror series, should be noted for this sensitive, aware, and charmingly non-condescending look at young malehood.
I am very interested in finding a copy of Kenny & CO. on tape, and I notice that one of the other posters on this board mentions having a copy. If you are willing to share, please contact
thanks and keep watching. jm
There must have been a window in the mid '70's where it was possible to produce a "kid" movie with both heart and brain intact. The Bad News Bears (first film) is another example. In the era of Mortal Kombat and the latest Star Wars regurgitation, this well-written, fully realized, (and delightfully 'dated') work is a joy. Don Coscarelli, who went on to notoriety with the Phantasm B-Horror series, should be noted for this sensitive, aware, and charmingly non-condescending look at young malehood.
I am very interested in finding a copy of Kenny & CO. on tape, and I notice that one of the other posters on this board mentions having a copy. If you are willing to share, please contact
thanks and keep watching. jm
A film not yet forgotten.
ron-saputo28 February 2005
I was very young when I saw this film. I viewed it on ON TV in the 70's. I told my wife about this film but could never even find it listed. I checked everywhere. This film typifies life in the seventies. Me and my friends had nothing to do back then,just like this film demonstrates, we had to find things to do. It has made a lasting impression on me. If anyone reading this has a chance to view this film I urge you to watch. Its not spectacular, its seventies,back then nothing was spectacular. All I remember is laughing throughout the whole movie. I don't even remember seeing a trailer. I would have to rank this film up their with Billy Jack.
Finally I've found it !!!!
bighityou15 February 2007
I cant believe i finally found this movie!!! This is and will always be my favorite movie and i don't know why. I loved it back then when i was 8 and it pops into my head every now and then.i know it sounds crazy but its the truth.the one part i never forgot was when they lit the bag of crap on that guys porch.i tried and tried to locate this movie but never any luck.i guess there is some sort of cult following for Kenny that i never knew about.I think thats pretty cool that there's other people out there that were affected or infected the way i was.maybe someone should start the Kenny and co. club to keep it going.one thing is for sure,after watching this movie way back when i realized what life was all about :)
Most natural movie about kids ever
drpakmanrains23 September 2010
I first saw this movie on "ON" TV, before cable, and taped it (horrible print). I was in my late 30's and had a clinic for LD kids, and showed Kenny and Co. to some of them. Every kid, mainly boys, loved it, and wanted to watch it again and again. It is the only movie that just shows, through episodic events, what it was like to grow up in the 70's and before, when kids actually could play outside without adult supervision or organized mini-professional sports. It just covers their lives for a few days before Halloween, in their school, after-school free play, first crushes, building racers, dealing with a dog that must be put to sleep, dealing with a bully, and planning their trick-or-treat hi-jinx. Lots of mischief that the PTA would probably have frowned on, but nothing really bad, and everything funny and real, without feeling forced. There was a refreshing innocence that has been lost since then, largely due to the media and the internet. But much of the essence of the film still reflects what most kids have to deal with in their lives, albeit in a more programmed environment. I have never known anyone who disliked this little known gem. I see that Anchor Bay has stopped producing it and prices are going up. If you have kids or work with them in some capacity, do yourself and them a big favor and purchase this to share with them. I practically can guarantee you or they won't be sorry. A truly unique and wonderful film. And even more amazing, the director and writer, Don Coscarelli, was 19 when he made this film in 1977.
not in my imagination...
guy smiley pete21 July 2003
I havent seen this movie in such a long time, i thought i might have imagined it! But, here it is, and i'm glad to have found some info on it. I've tried for years to get a copy of this, or catch it on TV, but no luck. If anyone out there has it and would like to trade for it or make me a copy or something, i'd be grateful, as this was such a great movie.
An honest and wonderful view of childhood
mikemignola22 March 2013
All-Star Video | Blogspot
When I heard Don Coscarelli had done a kids movie early on in his career, I knew I wanted to see it as soon as I possibly could. What crazy treasures lie in wait as he unearths the secrets of childhood?
Coscarelli is a very talented guy. This film shows his ability to capture the emotions of what it's like to be a kid. In some ways, I think Coscarelli is very similar to Bob Clark. Their careers are somewhat opposite. Where Clark started in horror and finally made it in comedy (Porky's, etc..), Coscarelli started in heartfelt and honest comedy (this and Jim, the World's Greatest), he made it with horror (Phantasm, Beastmaster, Bubba Ho-Tep). There are more similarities, however, as this feels very similar to A Christmas Story. It is episodic and fragmented, portraying those cataclysmic moments of childhood. And, also similar to Clark's view of childhood, this is not a PG foray into kid-dom without caveats. These kids swear, look at Playboy and witness violence.
Kenny (played excellently by Dan McCann aka best-name-ever) is a white kid in suburban 1970s America. It starts with him playing flag football, his father watching expectedly. Kenny gets called in because some other kid is sucking big time. His friend Doug, (A. Michael Baldwin, aka Mike from Phantasm), is the quarterback and Kenny makes a great catch, but proceeds to run the wrong direction. Luckily Doug runs him down and turns him around, then makes a (now illegal) chop-block to let Kenny dive into the endzone. It's a pretty wonderful image of friendship that Coscarelli plays on for the rest of the film. This isn't a dramatic / traumatic view of betrayal, but a portrayal of devoted friends.
At first, I thought this didn't feel anything like the Coscarelli I know. However, as it goes it just gets crazier and crazier and Coscarelli's sensibilities shine through. For instance, there is a moment later on when Doug's dad is doing a show & tell thing about his job for their football team. Doug's dad tells them he is a Secret Service officer. One of the kids asks to see his gun. Doug's dad says of course, unloads the gun and hands it to the kid! The kid then proceeds to cock it and point it at the coach's head. Then, he pulls the trigger! At this point I was laughing so hard, I couldn't focus on what I just saw.
Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Kenny has to deal with all the regular problems of childhood. He's got a bully named Johnny, which may be a trope nowadays, but for most kids this is still all too much of a reality. The cruelty felt in school then, as now, is misunderstood by parents. Here, Kenny's dad tells him to stand up to the bully and punch him in the mouth. Not surprisingly, this strategy does not go well for Kenny.
At the same time, Coscarelli isn't painting a picture of a bunch of sweet victims. Kenny and Doug have a little neighbor, Sherman, who wants to be their friend and they treat him terribly. Granted, Sherman is super annoying, but the passage of cruelty from bully to victim to victim is so apparent. At the same time, he shows how adults can shape the ways that kids see the world. For instance, Mr. Donovan (played by the amazing Reggie Bannister aka Reggie from Phantasm), is a wonderful teacher who reaches out to the new kid, who speaks very little English, Paco.
The one moment that I found truly devastating was when Kenny learned that his dog, Bob, would need to be put to sleep. Earlier in the film, Kenny takes Bob out to the backyard, and just lays by him as Bob is too old and sick to play. There is a heart-destroying sequence where Kenny rides in the backseat of his parents car, clutching Bob tightly all the way there. I remember that exact moment when we put down my childhood dog, Cathy. At that point, I had never known sadness to be so deep and dark. And, Coscarelli portrays it perfectly. Kenny starts asking questions. Not growing up in a religious family, Kenny's parents leave the afterlife pretty ambiguous. Soon after, Kenny and Doug witness a bloody car accident, leaving more questions. Having been raised by a very Christian family, these questions were almost met with definitive answers. Heaven. God. Hell. Eternal life. But, it was fascinating for me to watch what a young kid does with those questions when there are no concrete answers. It's exciting to see that ambiguity and existential mystery that he would later play off and expand on in the Phantasm movies.
And, that's where my viewing ended. I can only speculate as to how it actually ends. The youtube channel I was using only a partial version available. There is some allusion to Halloween and going into the crazy old lady's house. I'm assuming this happens and goes badly. I'm also assuming there is an awesome scare somewhere in there and that Sherman has his come-uppance.
Either way, however it ends up, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Kenny and Company.
John Moret, allstarvideo.blogspot.com
When I heard Don Coscarelli had done a kids movie early on in his career, I knew I wanted to see it as soon as I possibly could. What crazy treasures lie in wait as he unearths the secrets of childhood?
Coscarelli is a very talented guy. This film shows his ability to capture the emotions of what it's like to be a kid. In some ways, I think Coscarelli is very similar to Bob Clark. Their careers are somewhat opposite. Where Clark started in horror and finally made it in comedy (Porky's, etc..), Coscarelli started in heartfelt and honest comedy (this and Jim, the World's Greatest), he made it with horror (Phantasm, Beastmaster, Bubba Ho-Tep). There are more similarities, however, as this feels very similar to A Christmas Story. It is episodic and fragmented, portraying those cataclysmic moments of childhood. And, also similar to Clark's view of childhood, this is not a PG foray into kid-dom without caveats. These kids swear, look at Playboy and witness violence.
Kenny (played excellently by Dan McCann aka best-name-ever) is a white kid in suburban 1970s America. It starts with him playing flag football, his father watching expectedly. Kenny gets called in because some other kid is sucking big time. His friend Doug, (A. Michael Baldwin, aka Mike from Phantasm), is the quarterback and Kenny makes a great catch, but proceeds to run the wrong direction. Luckily Doug runs him down and turns him around, then makes a (now illegal) chop-block to let Kenny dive into the endzone. It's a pretty wonderful image of friendship that Coscarelli plays on for the rest of the film. This isn't a dramatic / traumatic view of betrayal, but a portrayal of devoted friends.
At first, I thought this didn't feel anything like the Coscarelli I know. However, as it goes it just gets crazier and crazier and Coscarelli's sensibilities shine through. For instance, there is a moment later on when Doug's dad is doing a show & tell thing about his job for their football team. Doug's dad tells them he is a Secret Service officer. One of the kids asks to see his gun. Doug's dad says of course, unloads the gun and hands it to the kid! The kid then proceeds to cock it and point it at the coach's head. Then, he pulls the trigger! At this point I was laughing so hard, I couldn't focus on what I just saw.
Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Kenny has to deal with all the regular problems of childhood. He's got a bully named Johnny, which may be a trope nowadays, but for most kids this is still all too much of a reality. The cruelty felt in school then, as now, is misunderstood by parents. Here, Kenny's dad tells him to stand up to the bully and punch him in the mouth. Not surprisingly, this strategy does not go well for Kenny.
At the same time, Coscarelli isn't painting a picture of a bunch of sweet victims. Kenny and Doug have a little neighbor, Sherman, who wants to be their friend and they treat him terribly. Granted, Sherman is super annoying, but the passage of cruelty from bully to victim to victim is so apparent. At the same time, he shows how adults can shape the ways that kids see the world. For instance, Mr. Donovan (played by the amazing Reggie Bannister aka Reggie from Phantasm), is a wonderful teacher who reaches out to the new kid, who speaks very little English, Paco.
The one moment that I found truly devastating was when Kenny learned that his dog, Bob, would need to be put to sleep. Earlier in the film, Kenny takes Bob out to the backyard, and just lays by him as Bob is too old and sick to play. There is a heart-destroying sequence where Kenny rides in the backseat of his parents car, clutching Bob tightly all the way there. I remember that exact moment when we put down my childhood dog, Cathy. At that point, I had never known sadness to be so deep and dark. And, Coscarelli portrays it perfectly. Kenny starts asking questions. Not growing up in a religious family, Kenny's parents leave the afterlife pretty ambiguous. Soon after, Kenny and Doug witness a bloody car accident, leaving more questions. Having been raised by a very Christian family, these questions were almost met with definitive answers. Heaven. God. Hell. Eternal life. But, it was fascinating for me to watch what a young kid does with those questions when there are no concrete answers. It's exciting to see that ambiguity and existential mystery that he would later play off and expand on in the Phantasm movies.
And, that's where my viewing ended. I can only speculate as to how it actually ends. The youtube channel I was using only a partial version available. There is some allusion to Halloween and going into the crazy old lady's house. I'm assuming this happens and goes badly. I'm also assuming there is an awesome scare somewhere in there and that Sherman has his come-uppance.
Either way, however it ends up, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Kenny and Company.
John Moret, allstarvideo.blogspot.com
In the tradition of Tom Sawyer and before Stand By Me was made
scottjo63-644-59361928 September 2013
Phantasm is my 2nd favorite horror movie 2nd to the original Dawn Of The Dead being my first. I had the great pleasure of finally watching Don Coscarelli's Kenny And Company and I enjoyed this movie immensely. It's in the tradition of Tom Sawyer, and was made before Stand By Me. You can probably say that it's way before Diary Of A Wimpy Kid but I never read that book or seen that movie.
It goes into the life of a 12 year named Kenny . He has his fun, his friends, his sadness, and even a bully and his first girl friend. It covers a couple of days of his life leading up to Halloween.
(Spoiler paragraph) This is a fun movie to watch. The tag line: "Meet Kenny, the kid next door. He'll be eleven tomorrow. He'll be your pal forever". That tag line rings true. You will like this 11 year old and his friends especially Doug (A. Michael Baldwin now Michael Baldwin) of Phantasm, Phantasm 3, and 4. There's also an appearance from Reggie Banister as one of the teachers. Sorry, there is no tall man but there is a lady in a bed with a shotgun and a monster played by ? as it's said in the credits. It also deals a little with a death of a pet and a little about the topic of death which I found both sad and interesting especially in a movie like this.
Later, Don Coscarelli would make Phantasm with Michael Baldwin in the title role and of course, with the great Reggie Bannister. One thing good about these two movies are the characters, you love the characters. Both in Phantasm, and Kenny and Company, I wished that I was one of the characters that knew them even if in Phantasm I might have ended up dead with the tall man's wrath. In Friday The 13th, or for Elm Street's characters - I could of cared less.
All in all, I would love to find this movie on DVD w/extras. I wonder what happened with the star of this movie Dan McCann who played Kenny or the actor who played the secret service agent, the bully and especially Sherman sort of the whipping boy for Kenny and Doug like Stewart was to Beavis and Butthead? I say Kenny and Doug were the direct opposites of Beavis and Butthead.
It goes into the life of a 12 year named Kenny . He has his fun, his friends, his sadness, and even a bully and his first girl friend. It covers a couple of days of his life leading up to Halloween.
(Spoiler paragraph) This is a fun movie to watch. The tag line: "Meet Kenny, the kid next door. He'll be eleven tomorrow. He'll be your pal forever". That tag line rings true. You will like this 11 year old and his friends especially Doug (A. Michael Baldwin now Michael Baldwin) of Phantasm, Phantasm 3, and 4. There's also an appearance from Reggie Banister as one of the teachers. Sorry, there is no tall man but there is a lady in a bed with a shotgun and a monster played by ? as it's said in the credits. It also deals a little with a death of a pet and a little about the topic of death which I found both sad and interesting especially in a movie like this.
Later, Don Coscarelli would make Phantasm with Michael Baldwin in the title role and of course, with the great Reggie Bannister. One thing good about these two movies are the characters, you love the characters. Both in Phantasm, and Kenny and Company, I wished that I was one of the characters that knew them even if in Phantasm I might have ended up dead with the tall man's wrath. In Friday The 13th, or for Elm Street's characters - I could of cared less.
All in all, I would love to find this movie on DVD w/extras. I wonder what happened with the star of this movie Dan McCann who played Kenny or the actor who played the secret service agent, the bully and especially Sherman sort of the whipping boy for Kenny and Doug like Stewart was to Beavis and Butthead? I say Kenny and Doug were the direct opposites of Beavis and Butthead.
So nice to see this out on DVD now.
kevinls-121 June 2005
I just ordered this on DVD. I have the greatest memories of watching this with my brother when we were kids.I feel lucky to have been the same age as Kenny when the movie came out. He and his friends were just like us at that time. It totally captures growing up at that age in the seventies and its a shame more people didn't see this in the years since its release. I almost started to wonder if the film really existed as i remembered it because I never saw or heard of it for so long. I would encourage anyone with a young son to buy this and watch it with them now that it is available on DVD. If you are lucky maybe they will end of having the same great memories that so many of us do have of this film.
One of the best films about kids I've ever seen.
jamielee-216 January 1999
This is a wonderful film about the life of a young boy, his best friends and their adventures on Halloween night. Both sensitive and hilarious, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the everyday exploits of 12- year-olds Kenny, Mike and especially the younger kid next door, Sherman.
Reminiscent of Truffaut's "Small Change", this is a film which brought back many memories of my own youth.
Reminiscent of Truffaut's "Small Change", this is a film which brought back many memories of my own youth.
The kind of movie Hollywood doesn't know how to make!
theoutfield6716 December 2020
Ever wonder how kids in the 70's interacted? Played? The trouble they got in and out of? Kenny & Company is a pure kids movie, one where everything you see is believable...the boys in it face all kinds of trials and tribulations that anybody of that era can relate to... Always outside playing, facing bullies, first love, dealing with a pets death, best friends looking out for each other...one of the best nostalgic kids movies EVER made!
An evocative Halloween adventure!
DBlackthorne23 November 2023
At the tail end of remmus, returning to school, the cooler autumnal breeze, hazy amber sun, orange-brown-yellow hues, the scent of petrichor and candied delights...
It's 4 days 'til Halloween, while Kenny, Doug, and the awkward jinx Sherman are residents in suburbia during this Magical time, playing flag football, skateboarding from place to place on spontaneous adventures {including an always favorite trip to the toystore! - and going for icecream}, attending 5th & 6th grade, as Kenny becomes infatuated with a local girl. Thus given the mating signal, becoming a fast, albeit temporary couple.
He's fortunate to have a couple of cool teachers, and an uncle whose an agent! With quite a few tricks up his sleeve! Including ye olde missing keys for the handcuffs, just like Gacy, the Killer Clown.
While casing local homes for Trick or Treat booty, familiarity with residents, etc., they enter a neighborly haunted house attraction though a garage 'ending' with hellarious results; and retelling the local legend of a reclusive old lady who allegedly sleeps with a shotgun by her bed! Though for some reason the door remains unlocked? When his beloved dog dies, he has a brief conversation with a local senior at a bustop.
During all of this, Kenny has to deal with a loser bully who loots money every time he's spotted, as if paying some sort of toll for merely biking down the street! But he's eventually dealt with appropriately!
The entire environment is graced by autumnal charm & wonder, the decorations everywhere. Even the very air itself assumes that certain enchanted orange glow, bristling with mystery and anticipation for that sweet communion with The Devil.
It's 4 days 'til Halloween, while Kenny, Doug, and the awkward jinx Sherman are residents in suburbia during this Magical time, playing flag football, skateboarding from place to place on spontaneous adventures {including an always favorite trip to the toystore! - and going for icecream}, attending 5th & 6th grade, as Kenny becomes infatuated with a local girl. Thus given the mating signal, becoming a fast, albeit temporary couple.
He's fortunate to have a couple of cool teachers, and an uncle whose an agent! With quite a few tricks up his sleeve! Including ye olde missing keys for the handcuffs, just like Gacy, the Killer Clown.
While casing local homes for Trick or Treat booty, familiarity with residents, etc., they enter a neighborly haunted house attraction though a garage 'ending' with hellarious results; and retelling the local legend of a reclusive old lady who allegedly sleeps with a shotgun by her bed! Though for some reason the door remains unlocked? When his beloved dog dies, he has a brief conversation with a local senior at a bustop.
During all of this, Kenny has to deal with a loser bully who loots money every time he's spotted, as if paying some sort of toll for merely biking down the street! But he's eventually dealt with appropriately!
The entire environment is graced by autumnal charm & wonder, the decorations everywhere. Even the very air itself assumes that certain enchanted orange glow, bristling with mystery and anticipation for that sweet communion with The Devil.
See also
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