Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Klynham Summer; here's the breakdown of my ratings:
Story - 1.25 Direction - 0.75 Pace - 0.75 Acting - 1.25 Enjoyment - 1.00
TOTAL - 5.00 out of 10
Klynham Summer has a similar feel to Stephen King's Stand By Me. And I believe, with the correct handling of the story, it would have been on par with that movie. Sadly, it doesn't come close, and I think this is down to the direction and possible screenplay. Not having read the novel, but now on the lookout for it, I have no comparison base - I don't know what was left in or changed. So I will stay within the movie's boundaries.
The story is jagged, to say the least. Though there's not too much going off in the little Australian township, the narrative becomes confusing and hard to follow, especially concerning the timeline. It would have been nice to have more definition when a substantial time period had elapsed. What is delightful are the characterisations, particularly the children. The two boys of the piece, Ned and Les, are starting to notice girls, and Ned's sister, Pru, is on the verge of breaking out - Hitting those troublesome teenage Girl/Woman years. Their exploits are the glue to the tale. The audience and easily relate to them. It would've been in their best interest to either build on the hinted at supernatural elements a tad more or to drop them altogether. I felt more than a little wanting in that department. It's unclear as to where they wanted the tale to head. I don't dislike uncertainty; it's just that it needs a smidgen more to make it work better.
The director gives the viewer an average rendition of the screenplay. As always, a tad more inventiveness would have gone a long way in making the film more entertaining. Stepping up the flow of the storytelling to a brisker pace would also have helped, in this respect. On the whole, the film feels sluggish. I believe that when the principal characters are children, the movie should be shot at a fairly rapid tempo, if not varied.
The cast is delightful in their roles, especially Tracy Mann, who has Pru's sassiness and burgeoning womanhood down pat. The performers make the movie pleasurable and memorable. I liked that they chose John Carradine for his role as the down on his luck magician - come supernatural evil one. The arthritis in his hands looks truly painful. Seeing those knarled hubs perform a magic trick just adds something extra to the scene, because you think those hands aren't made for prestidigitation.
Klynham Summer, aka The Scarecrow, is an okay lazy Sunday afternoon flick. I wouldn't recommend rushing out to find a copy, though.
Please feel free to visit my Absolute Horror and Killer Thriller Chiller lists to see where I ranked Klynham Summer.
Take Care & Stay Well.
Story - 1.25 Direction - 0.75 Pace - 0.75 Acting - 1.25 Enjoyment - 1.00
TOTAL - 5.00 out of 10
Klynham Summer has a similar feel to Stephen King's Stand By Me. And I believe, with the correct handling of the story, it would have been on par with that movie. Sadly, it doesn't come close, and I think this is down to the direction and possible screenplay. Not having read the novel, but now on the lookout for it, I have no comparison base - I don't know what was left in or changed. So I will stay within the movie's boundaries.
The story is jagged, to say the least. Though there's not too much going off in the little Australian township, the narrative becomes confusing and hard to follow, especially concerning the timeline. It would have been nice to have more definition when a substantial time period had elapsed. What is delightful are the characterisations, particularly the children. The two boys of the piece, Ned and Les, are starting to notice girls, and Ned's sister, Pru, is on the verge of breaking out - Hitting those troublesome teenage Girl/Woman years. Their exploits are the glue to the tale. The audience and easily relate to them. It would've been in their best interest to either build on the hinted at supernatural elements a tad more or to drop them altogether. I felt more than a little wanting in that department. It's unclear as to where they wanted the tale to head. I don't dislike uncertainty; it's just that it needs a smidgen more to make it work better.
The director gives the viewer an average rendition of the screenplay. As always, a tad more inventiveness would have gone a long way in making the film more entertaining. Stepping up the flow of the storytelling to a brisker pace would also have helped, in this respect. On the whole, the film feels sluggish. I believe that when the principal characters are children, the movie should be shot at a fairly rapid tempo, if not varied.
The cast is delightful in their roles, especially Tracy Mann, who has Pru's sassiness and burgeoning womanhood down pat. The performers make the movie pleasurable and memorable. I liked that they chose John Carradine for his role as the down on his luck magician - come supernatural evil one. The arthritis in his hands looks truly painful. Seeing those knarled hubs perform a magic trick just adds something extra to the scene, because you think those hands aren't made for prestidigitation.
Klynham Summer, aka The Scarecrow, is an okay lazy Sunday afternoon flick. I wouldn't recommend rushing out to find a copy, though.
Please feel free to visit my Absolute Horror and Killer Thriller Chiller lists to see where I ranked Klynham Summer.
Take Care & Stay Well.
