Rating: 
Summary: It just doesn't do much
Review: A chef can have a table full of fine ingedients to make a perfect soup but, if the chef forgets one ingredient (like salt) or undercooks the soup or adds something that doesn't belong (like sugar) or puts too much water in the stock, you end up with a soup that just doesn't cut the mustard. There is enough talent in the cast of "Children of the Corn" and a good enough story (thanks to the Stephen King story it's based on) for this to have been a horror classic. I know it spawned a sequel and I know it has a cult following, but this movie just didn't scare me, or even interest me that much. Too much water? Sugar added? Undercooked? No salt? Perhaps, all of the above.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm so wild about Isaac
Review: AND HE'S SO WILD ABOUT ME! This is a good Stephen King movie. The beginning of it is very violent!! The whole movie is also strange, which is cool! If I was to pick any of my favorite Steven King classics, this would be one of them. It is about 2 people who are driving through Nebraska and they come across an apparently dead kid in the road. Everyone else there worships a cornfield and has weird rituals and stuff. They must enjoy killing people because it is part of their mumbo-jumbo religion which is one that you don't see everyday. The ending is also very violent and it has a good plot. I think the end is one of it's best parts! The cornfield death is just a little gory too. This movie is definetely recommended if you like Stephen King's stuff. Peace out.
Rating: 
Summary: Back to the '80s
Review: Before watching this movie, remember you are going to see an adaptation from a few-pages-long story by Stephen King, performed during the late eighties, when horror movies were the main attraction to young teenagers.
The movie is ridiculous, even if the story is pretty interesting. There are few moments of suspance, but actors aren't really there. It's a kind of a B-movie, with a solid background and incredibly low quality effects.
Anyway, it's interesting to see and to have, as the sign of a very different age.
The DVD is quite well mastered. Images are very noisy because of film grain, but otherwise consistent. Contrast is quite low, and this makes colours a bit washed out.
The sound is a multichannel remix from Chase, encoded in DD 5.1. Anyway dialogues are quite dated and so are the effects. Basses are too boomy and the soundfield collapses too often into the center channel.
The extras are very limited: there's a small booklet and a trailer. That's it.
Rating:
Summary: Corny
Review: Children of the Corn is ninety excruciatingly long minutes of kids hacking up their parents and other adults who vex them. How about this, I'll sum up the movie with a few quotes. "He who walks behind the rows is displeased." (ooooooh)
"Outlander---I'll get you OUTLANDER!"
"Who did this?"
"Isaac."
"Malachai."
"Sacrifice, sacrifice!" It's really pretty awful, and the acting is worse. I'm not a fan of Stephen King, but I'm guessing his novella would have to be better than this. If you thought The Shining was bad, you're in for a special treat!
That said, it does have some things going for it. The cover is scary looking. The VHS copy has a raised sickle (I've never liked those things) and evil eyes watching from the corn stalks. And there is something genuinely creepy about a corn field. I don't know what else to say. Don't see this movie!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Why Children of the corn is a horror classic.
Review: First off, forget about all the sequels,children of the corn this and children of the corn that, and take a look at the original. In the tiny village of Gatlin all the children, led by preacher Issac have slaughtered all the town's adults.Creeepy! Now onto our heros,Burt and Vicky who are just passing through,minding their own busines,when they hit a child who happens to be standing in the middle of the road....But for Burt and Vicky it's only the beginning of their nightmare. Yes it's the kids revenge as Issac orders his hit-man Maliki to kill the "outlanders" as they call them. Luckily Burt finds Jobe and Sarah (actually I lie, coz they found him),the only two children not corrupted by the evil lurking presence of the corn feild. Children of the corn is Stephen King's best. It's got great scare sequences and let me just say that the movie's musical score is a masterpeice in itself.It'd give anyone the chills.So, simply that's why I like this movie. This was Deathgirl, telling you why Children of the corn is a horror classic.Kill the outlanders....
Rating:
Summary: good special edition DVD
Review: Gosh... what to say about "Children of the Corn"?
First off, let me say: this is no masterpiece. But, at the same time, it is no disasterpiece, either. I'm a big-time Stephen King fan, and while this is the film adaptation of his work that comes in for the most lambasting, it is really nowhere near the worst King film. (Look to either "Thinner" or to "Sleepwalkers" for that odious distinction.)
I'm not going to say much about the movie, really. It is what it is, and odds are that you already know whether or not you like this sort of thing.
Instead, I'd like to focus on the features done for this special edition DVD. First off, the picture and the sound quality are WAY better than might have been expected (or possibly even deserved). The film has probably never looked or sounded better, even when it was first released.
The documentary is about 35 minutes long, and relies on interviews with director Fritz Kiersch (who comes off as a knowledgeable and likeable man) and the actors who portrayed Isaac and Malachi (both of whom are funny and relazed about what they realize ain't exactly the finest thing since Citizen Kane). It's a good documentary, although perhaps a bit too quick to try and posit the film as an overwhelming success. The commentary track features the same participants, and is a good listen.
Not surprisingly, Linda Hamilton and Peter Horton ar enowhere to be found in the supplements, and don't even dream of an interview with Stephen King, for you will find one not.
All in all, this is a fine special edition for a not-that-fine movie.
But I can't help liking it, for some reason...
Rating:
Summary: A great classic..!! -A really inspired masterpeice..!!
Review: I've really love; -this masterpeice.. -Not as brilliant as a
masterpeice though. -I've herd that a real; -special
edition with extra features are comming out..! -That's
why I did not get the original edition..! -Becuase it's
just waste of money that you spend it on some DVD with
out the goodie's.. -I'm a goodie's; -fan's..!! I think that; -Stephen king.. -Will finally; -respect
his art of work..! -Even he's not included in the extra's..!
I've saw this movie when I was a child..! -It totally did
freaked me out at the end..! -Even the beginning where he
slaughter's all the parent's..! -I've seen this on video
when my dad wooed rent lot's of these horror movie's when
this one came out.! -I remember this flick; -perfectly Well..! -I can't weight too see the digg's of this new
Special edition.. -I think the transfer will be top notch..?
any how; -it is just an old movie..! -Old movie's; -can't
seem too be better..! -These day's..! -I've also have
"Creepshow 2.." -1987.. -Which had nothing..! -I've guest
I've shooed of gotten the original with it..! -But I've
cerntinaly enjoy this better then; -"Creepshow.." -1982.. Back with the; -flick..! -I've think that; -Children of
the Corn II: -The Final Sacrifice.." -1992.. -Was a lot
better..! -Yep..! -They totally messed the sequel's up..!
Permintally..! -The other's had nothing too deal with the
second one..! -If you are a hardcore fan..!! -Stick with
this; -and; -the second one..? A couple of travlers from a country site..!! -Vickie and
Burt..! -Go two a rural
town.. -As they've discover a deadly secret of the town's
history..! -Their own fate..!! -A crazy wacho preacher
has brutally kille the parent's; -after a service at the
church..! -Until; -Vickie and burt..! -As
the two stumble into a corn field..! -They run over a kid..! They meet some kid's at some secluded farm house..! -And
take them with them..? -But the town know's their here..?
and Issac.. -The town loony preacher..? -Will not give up
with out a fight; -as they fight and kill a gasstation
man and his dog.. -The ending is a resemblance of; -John
Carpenter's; -"The Thing.." -1982.. -Were we see some
god alwfull human that Issac has brought down..? The ending is downright; -waterdown..!! -Their are great
moment's; -in this flick..! -But sometime's the movie
can bore you or just entertain you; -from the beginning..! Never the less..! -This was a fun movie two watch..!!
I'll be glad too have fun with it..? -Again..!
Rating:
Summary: Weak King Story and WEaker Movie
Review: It constantly amazes me that directors keep trying to adapt Stephen King short stories into full length features. Obviously, there is not enough story to create such ventures. The filler they add tends to reduce rather than enhance the effect of his tales. Such is the case with Children of the corn. It's a bland often tedious tale of a couple who comes into contact of a wacko children's cult who worship a nameless demon that dwells in an isolated Nebraska corn field. The original king story was decent but far from his best.
Linda Hamilton is in it and she is usually interesting. Peter Horton plays her thick headed boyfriend who just has to investigate the town and is so dense he never gets it until the end. He seems generally to be more concerned with getting a scene over quickly than to actually put forth any sort of real effort.
Amazingly enough, this film actuall produced SIX...count 'em SIX sequels. And what's really sad? This first one was probably the best of the lot, meaning that there's a whole six pack of god-awful movies like there that went direct to video.
Rating:
Summary: Poorly executed King adaptation
Review: No other author in recent memory has had as much consistent success selling books as Stephen King. For roughly three decades the Maine writer churned out book after book, each one selling more and more copies. He's a world unto himself, the lucky fellow! He's so successful that he could throw out his pens, put away his typewriters, bury his word processor six feet under, never write another word in his life, and STILL have enough money to wallpaper the Great Wall of China five times over. In many respects, it's Stephen King's world and the rest of us are just living in it. But, and this is a gigantic but, an enormous number of metaphysically bad films based on his novels threaten to put a serious dent in his legacy. We all know the good ones, the ones that not only scared audiences stiff but also helped propel King's career to even greater heights. "Carrie" is probably the best example, followed by "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Dead Zone." These are wonderful, magical films that one can watch again and again without wearying of them. Then there are the rest: the truly wretched refuse that reminds one of dental plaque or the junk that washes up on the shores of a filthy river. Welcome to the Children of the Corn franchise.
"Children of the Corn," hammered together from a King short story, introduces us to freshly minted physician Burt (Peter Horton) and his significant other Vicky (Linda Hamilton) as they are driving across the country to Burt's first post-medical school stint. The arduous journey begins to takes its toll on the two as they wander through the Midwest, specifically Nebraska. Nothing but open skies, cornfields, and ranting preachers on the airwaves are around to keep Burt and Vicky entertained, and that doesn't last too long. There is also some tension between the two concerning their relationship, with Burt suffering from the predictable "guy scared to make a commitment" mentality we've seen in nearly every film made since the beginning of the twentieth century. These problems soon take a backseat, however, when Burt accidentally plows his car into a boy standing in the middle of the road. A cursory examination of the body reveals a shocking revelation: instead of perishing as a result of the car accident, someone slashed this kid's throat moments before the couple came along. Burt searches the cornfield a few yards off the highway and finds a suitcase spattered with blood, further evidence that something quite grim is afoot. The city slickers resolve to head to the nearest town, Gatlin, to report the apparent murder.
They soon discover that finding Gatlin is about as easy as finding El Dorado. Signs pointing the way to the town seem to contradict one another. Even the tentative help they get from a crusty old gas station attendant, who also tells them to avoid the town in a way that evokes memories of Crazy Ralph from "Friday the 13th," doesn't initially help them. Nonetheless, Burt and Vicky soon roll into what looks like a ghost town. Cornhusks adorn the buildings and blow through the streets like tumbleweeds. The stores are decrepit, refuse filled shells. Even the courthouse looks like a neutron bomb went off inside. Only when Burt and Vicky stumble over two kids playing a board game in an abandoned house, Job (Robby Kiger) and Sarah (AnnMarie McEvoy), do they begin to understand the horror residing in Gatlin, Nebraska. We the audience learned long before what happened, and what continues to happen, in this strange place. Some years before the children in the town fell under the influence of youthful preacher named Isaac (John Franklin), a scary looking kid who ordered his adherents to murder every adult in town because "He Who Walks Behind the Rows" commanded such an action. With the help of his beefy henchman Malachai (Courtney Gains), Isaac continues to perform bizarre rituals that allow him to keep the others in line. Obviously, Burt and Vicky must challenge his authority, and the legitimacy of "He Who Walks Behind the Rows," if they wish to survive.
The first film, you will hear stalwarts say over and over again, isn't that bad of a movie. In fact, a few of them will look you straight in the eyes and say "Children of the Corn" is not only one of the best horror films out there, it is also one of the best Stephen King cinematic adaptations ever to grace the silver screen. These are the individuals who will one day find employment as circus barkers, car salesmen, or politicians. "Children of the Corn" starts out with lots of promise, about a minute's worth, which gives these apologists' opinions an initial veneer of respectability. After Vicky sings that song to Burt at the hotel room, the movie starts its long decline into banality. The road scenes run on forever, the presence of the elderly gas station attendant is a horror film cliché, and we never see the demonic force stalking through the cornfields. Worse, there is little gore and the special effects, particularly during the final showdown between the outsiders and the demon, attain the heights of laughable cheesiness. The only bright spots in the film are Isaac and Malachai, in large part due to their sneering visages and the biblical mumbo jumbo they spout every time they appear onscreen.
I just learned Anchor Bay released a Special Edition disc of "Children of the Corn" complete with a commentary track and featurette. The version I watched--the "unspecial" edition, perhaps?--contained only the film and a trailer. As boring as the picture is, I'm still going to give it three stars because several of the sequels that follow it make this one look like "Citizen Kane." Give it a watch if you must, but be prepared for a big disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: And a child shall lead them...
Review: So how did such a mediocre film warrant six sequels (here's a hint...it's all about the money)? There's the original. Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (1993), Children of the Corn III (1995), Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996), Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998), Children of the Corn 666: Isaac's Return (1999), and Children of the Corn: Revelation (2001)...that's a lot of corn, or as the Native Americans call it, maize...I've seen the original, but not the subsequent sequels...my gut instinct tells me to avoid them. Children of the Corn, aka Stephen King's Children of the Corn (1984), directed by Fritz Kiersch (Tuff Turf, Gor) features a solid cast including Peter Horton ("thirtysomething") and Linda Hamilton (Terminator 2: Judgment Day). Also appearing is R.G. Armstrong (Dick Tracy), Courtney Gains (Colors, The 'burbs) and John Franklin, who appeared 1991 film The Addams Family, along with its' 1993 sequel, as the very hairy Cousin Itt.
The film, which primarily takes place in the small farming town of Gatlin, Nebraska, begins with a flashback, relating a particularly gruesome incident in where the children depopulate the town of nearly all adults through a good old fashion bloodbath. Fast forward three years to the present, and we have Burton (Horton) and his girlfriend Vicky (Hamilton) traveling through the Midwest as Burton has recently graduated from med school, and has been offered an internship somewhere...but that's neither here nor there as the pair get lost, have an accident, and soon find themselves looking for aid in Gatlin...but guess what? Gatlin appears all but deserted...except for the children, who've formed some kind of weird cult, led by the incredibly creepy man-child Isaac (Franklin). Initially their idolatry seems to be centered on the corn, but later we learn it's not so much the corn as what lurks under the corn. Burton and Vicky soon find themselves in a world of trouble, as the corn is thirsting for holy sacrifices, and they're at the top of the list (I wouldn't mind initiating a religious ceremony with that Linda Hamilton...that is the soft and sexy Linda from the original Terminator movie, not the bony and intensely scary Linda from T2: Judgment Day)...
The film is based on a Stephen King short story taken from his book Night Shift, which I've never read, but I have read a number of his other books, many of which were later adapted to film, with varying degrees of success...anyone else besides me sit through Maximum Overdrive? Okay, Children of the Corn isn't as bad as that was, but it is lacking something...it's not the acting...Horton, whom I despise for no other reason than he was on that TV show `thirtysomething' was actually pretty good. As far as Linda Hamilton, well, I think she's a good actress, provided she's given something to work with, and that wasn't the case here. The real fun is watching the performances of Franklin and Gains, as Isaac and Malachai, respectfully. Franklin is just completely disconcerting as the leader of the group, mainly because his appearance is that of a child, but a closer look would make you think twice as his face and voice seem to indicate some much older. Turns out Franklin, who suffered from some sort of hormone deficiency, was actually much older, like 23 at the time of the film's release. As far as Gains, he presents the most intense performance as Isaac's enforcer and right hand man, but I felt like he got into it just a little too much (in the featurette Gains speaks of his craft and how he brought his character to the screen...I do appreciate it when actors give to the screen, but I think Gains took his modest role a bit too seriously, trying to make more of it than it was...but since the production in general was pretty bland, this overacting wasn't necessarily unwelcome). These two guys come off really good as the antagonists, mainly because they're so completely annoying I wanted to beat them both to a pulp (wait for the scene when Malachai is walking down the center of the street calling for Burton to come out, yelling `Outlander!"...you'll understand what I mean by annoying). As far as the direction, I have no real complaints, as Kiersch seems capable...in the featurette he speaks a lot of what he was trying to accomplish with regards to the sense of direction, and in some areas I think he met his goal, but others I think his aspirations extended beyond his capabilities. So what's the problem with the film? It's the story...well, not the original story, but the adaptation of the story. As I said, I'm familiar with many of King's works, and I know he takes a lot of time to craft his tales, utilizing detail like it was going out of style. I think one of the things that makes his story so popular is his ability to paint a visual using words...and he also seems to do this in terms that are accessible to an extremely wide audience. And I think this is a main factor that ends up hurting many of the films that are adapted from his novels...they lack the focus on what's important to the story. I think this is why we are seeing his more recent works produced as television mini-series...because more time can be spent developing the story and presenting the details, in my opinion.
The Divimax edition, released by Anchor Bay Entertainment features a really sharp looking wide screen (1:85.1) print, enhanced for 16 X 9 TV's, and the audio is exceptionally clear and crisp. Special features include a new 39 minute documentary titled Harvesting Horror, an audio commentary by the director, the producer, actors Franklin and Gains, trailer, poster and still gallery, screenplay, storyboard art, title sequence art, and a mini reproduction of poster for the film inside the DVD case.
Cookieman108
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