THE SCARECROW

New Zealand, 1982, 88 minutes, Colour.
Jono Smith, Tracy Mann, Daniel Mc Laren, John Carradine.
Directed by Sam Pillsbury.

The Scarecrow is a brief horror film. However, the horror is mainly suggested rather than shown visually, especially the murders. However, it is also the portrait of a small New Zealand town, two youngsters and their growing up, their stealing some chickens at the time of a murder, their fears for their sister becoming a victim, their confrontation with the killer.

The film is strong on atmosphere, with good performances from the young men and Tracy Mann as their sister. Veteran Hollywood star, in so many horror films, John Carradine, is sinister as the stranger in the city.

Sam Pillsbury was born in America, made some films in New Zealand in the 1980s including Starlight Hotel. His work has been mainly in American television in the 1990s, making also interesting films like Where the Red Fern Grows as well as The King and Queen of Moonlight Bay.

1. A New Zealand production? In comparisons with similar stories and treatments from the United States? Holding its own?

2. The horror film genre, audience expectations, the two young men, the threats to their sister? The murders in the town? The atmosphere in the town and the stranger? The aspects of horror? The young men, growing up, experiencing threats and danger, coming into their own?

3. The setting of the 1950s, the small New Zealand town, the streets, the homes, the woods? The musical score?

4. The voice-over, the comments, the perspective?

5. The title, the reference to Hubert Salter? The visuals? The symbolic nature of a scarecrow? Real scarecrows? The headlines? The road, the train? The town, the hotel? Salter as a magician, performing his tricks? The friends, the murder? Stealing the chickens? The dead girl? The killer?

6. The portrait of the boys, stealing the hens? At home? Prudence and her being cared for by the boys? The pictures? Stealing, the swims? Learning, suspicions, action?

7. Prue, her character, her life? At home, the boys? Her beau? The policeman? Her girlfriends?

8. The boys, the gang, the hens, with girls, tough, the dances, the pictures? Ordinary?

9. The portrait of the parents, their relationship to their children? In the crisis?

10. The people of the town, the old men? The people watching the magician’s tricks?

11. The music teacher, with Sam?

12. The solution of the mystery? The horror touches? The murders? The details of life in a New Zealand town? Of the past?