BLOODY BIRTHDAY [1981]

 "IT'S A REPLICA." 

OK, so there seems to be a misunderstanding on the part of the general public that children are anything other than pure evil.  I mean, how many 'evil children' horror movies do you have to see before you realize that?!?!?!  I mean, I was a kid once.  And I for one know that children are some of the most nasty, evil things on the planet.  Somehoe people seem to forget that when they grow up.  And that's how the evil children get you!  Or should I jus say children.  I mean . . . I've just proved to you they're ALL evil.  But since most people are misguided, I will use the shorthand of referring to 'evil children' when referring to this and other movies of it's ilk.  And as 'evil children' horror movies go, this is at the top!  I haven't seen all of them but BLOODY BIRTHDAY is superb!  Director Ed Hunt is known best to me for helming the classic 1988 THE BRAIN as well as those goofy 70's movies STARSHIP INVASIONS and the '"documentary" UFO'S ARE REAL.  But here surely is Hunt's magnum opus!  The director co-wrote BLOODY BIRTHDAY with Barry Pearson (who wrote THE BRAIN) and the script is wonderful; lean and mean without any fat.

The plot concerns three babies born during an eclipse:  Debbie Brody (Elizabeth Hoy), Billy Jayne (Curtis Taylor) and Steve Seton (Andy Freeman).  We then skip ahead to find the 11 year old trio of kids . . . . a little off.  Cute and wholesome (LOOKING!), the three kids have appearently been born without a conscience; a part of them is missing because they were born during an eclipse and Saturn was blocked by the sun and moon.  Saturn determines one's emotions and how they relate to other people according to their horoscopes.   Anywho, a teenage couple making out in the cemetery is walloped with a shovel and buried in an open grave.  If we're in any doubt as to whodunnit, we quickly see lil Stevey bash in Debbie father's skull with a baseball bat. 

He's the Sheriff by the by but lil Debbie (not copyright infringement!!!) tells Mom that he fell and hit his head on the steps.   Unfortunately for the 3 lil maniacs, Timmy Russel (K.C. Martel) wanders by and almost catches them in the act.  The 3 homicidal kiddies put Timmy on their murder list and, while playing in a junkyard, Curtis locks Timmy inside an old refrigerator to die.  Out Timmy is resourceful and finally manages to free himself but his big sister Joyce (Lori Lethin) doesn't believe him and thinks Timmy is telling tall tales again.  The kids ask their teacher Miss Davis (Susan Strasberg) if she can give no homework to everyone on their birthday's and Miss Davis refuses saying "Just because you all have the same birthday, doesn't make you special!".  The kids procure the late Sheriff Brody's revolver and plug Miss Davis in the back.  Scratch one more annoying person from the 3 kids' lives!  Well, several more people end up dead (and the trio keep trying to off lil Timmy but the plucky kid keeps getting away from them).  Finally we have an all-out showdown between the kiddies from Hell against Joyce and Timmy.

The cast is frankly all top drawer from the child actors (and GOD knows I'm usually not a fan of them) to the teens who just show up to get killed. 

Every one of them puts in a solid performance.  Jose Ferrer makes an appearance as does Susan Strasberg but they, while equally excellent, are only here for the paycheck.  It's the unknown (relatively) cast who really shine.  Lori Lethin (who we remember from THE PREY) and K.C. Martel (a veteran of THE AMITYVILLE HORROR and soon to appear in E.T.:  THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL) are both absolutely fantastic as Joyce and her little brother Timmy.  You really really REALLY root for them all through the picture!  Julie Brown (a couple years before she became a Cerpts Tape icon with her song "The Homecoming Queen's Got A Gun")

appears very early in her career Debbie older sister Bev (whom Debbie charges 25 cents from the neighbourhood boys to peer through a peephole  and see he un-dressing).  Jose Ferrer plays the unnamed doctor who delivers the three babies from Hades and only shows up for two brief scenes.  Stunt casting.  The rest of the cast is equally fine, as I've said.  Hell, the movie even has The Dudikoff in it!!!!!!I mean, can we get any nearer to perfection?!?!?!?  But special praise MUST go to the 3 child actors paying the terror tots:  Elizabeth Hoy, Billy Jayne and Andy Freeman).  Billy Jayne (then known as Billy Jacoby) is the little brother of fellow child actor Scott Jacoby (of THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE and as the title character in BAD RONALD).  Elizabeth Hoy had only a handful of roles in movies and TV and stopped acting in 1984.  These two kids are absolutely mind-blowingly good in their roles with Freeman excellent to a lesser extent (as his isn't given a lot to do after the initial baseball bat incident).  These kids really do some acting here as you can read on their faces the contempt they feel for the dimwitted adults around them who have all fallen for their "innocent children" act.  Really some of the best child acting I've ever seen!  If for no other reason,

BLOODY BIRTHDAY is worth watching for their performances alone but the film contains a wealth of riches.  There are so many great moments including the one involving the birthday cakes as well as the excellent moment that features the quote at the beginning of this post (don't wanna give any spoilers -- you really must go see this movie if you haven't already!)   I just love love loved this movie.  It may just be my favourite 'evil kid' movie that DOESN'T involve Satan!