Sometimes They Come Back

If you are a Stephen King fan, this definitely should be on your list. I have seen just about all of his movies until this one tonight. Loved it. I won't give you spoilers but a very satisfying ending is in store. 😁

I wasn't a huge fan of Sometimes They Come Back the first time I saw it about 4 years ago. Returning to it now I definitely appreciated it more. It's not one of King's best adaptations, and the fact that it's made-for-tv does hold it back when it comes to the really good stuff you like to see in horror movies, particularly gore. However, the film looks great and its performances and budget lift it into the quality of any normal theatrical movie, and being a car guy I absolutely loved the 1955 Chevrolet 150 that spits fire from the exhaust pipes. It sadly changes some things from King's original short story including adding on a sentimental happy ending which the short story didn't have. Despite this if your a fan of King's work or adaptations then its definitely worth a look.

Based on a short story by Stephen King...that was enough to get me to watch. A young man returns to teach in his old home town, where he was terrorized as a child. Three dead hoodlums hanging around in limbo just to avenge their deaths makes for a creepy show. Some suspense, not very much gore, and a slow moving plot keeps this from being a pretty decent movie. Not the worst, but kind of stagnant and punchless. I have to admit reading this was more fun. Cast includes Tim Matheson, Brooke Adams, William Sanderson and Chadd Nyerges.

Here's that Stephen King-feeling! I typically love Stephen Kings work. I am also of those who think several of the movies based on his stuff, are pretty good. Some film makers manage to get that feeling, that Stephen King-feeling across very well. Others don't. This is clearly a TV movie, but that doesn't mean it can't be good! I really like this story, I haven't read it so I don't know if the movie differs a lot from Kings original story, but that doesn't matter, because this is a movie! The story is cool, like I said, I really like the setting and some of the performances from some of the actors. Some slick teens. Very neatly done. It's an eeriness, and a am-I-dreaming?-kind of feeling. I loved that. I didn't find it very scary, but it was entertaining, and the King-feel really shone through.

A very below average adaptation of a Stephen King short story, hindered by being a TV movie. Unfortunately, after an interesting first hour, the film begins to fall apart in the second half. The best moments in the film are when the gang begins to appear in Matheson's class and he can't believe it. The thugs aren't really very scary and don't do much, apart from killing some extras. The 'exciting' ending occurs when Norman is forced to re-live that fateful night which occurred 27 years earlier. The acting is nothing to write home about and there are hardly any special effects. The trouble is that it's very, very mundane and we've seen it all before, this film offers nothing new. Some parts of it are silly, very silly indeed. Now I like a laugh as much as the next person...but not at the expense of this boring, stupid movie!

I'm not saying this is a great film(it clearly isn't), nor a great horror film, but it had its' moments and I expected a bit less than what I saw, and that was a pleasant surprise. I was impressed with Tim Matheson's performance, although I'll forever link him to Animal House, but he portrays a serious role in fine form in this film and is very convincing. I never read King's story so I can't compare one to the other, but this version was fairly easy to follow with creepy moments throughout, although it seems that I've seen the "car greasers" in other King adaptations before this movie as well, like Stand By Me and Christine. As a horror buff, let me add that this isn't very scary, but as a stand alone film it isn't that bad. I recommend it, but not that highly, as there's a reason this film is rarely on. I would say watch this for Matheson's performance and some creepy scenes too.