Jennifer (1978)

That was an excellent one.

A Disappointing Continuation

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Jennifer is a teenager from West Virginia who works with her Bible-quotin' papa in his pet store and attends an elite all-girl boarding school on scholarship (the rich, pampered girls call her "skag" and "hayseed"). When the leader of the popular clique gets caught cheating on a test, she blames innocent Jennifer, who defends herself but gets into trouble anyway. These kids--and the pill-popping, money-grubbing school matriarch--really have in for Jennifer, unaware that as a child she performed in tent-revival meetings as the girl who could communicate with snakes and make them do her bidding. Screenwriter Kay Cousins Johnson, working from a story by Steve Krantz (who also produced), is responsible for this shameless repeat of "Carrie"--and not even an effective one, as telekinesis is a far more showy display of psychic power than having snakes slithering along the pavement or on the hood of a car. With a handful of TV-movies already mining the "Carrie" vault ("The Spell", "The Initiation of Sarah"), a theatrical retread of the same scenario seemed like a backwards step, and audiences stayed away. Lisa Pelikan has the lead (she was the young Vanessa Redgrave in "Julia" the year before); she has beautiful red hair and green eyes, but no screen presence. She's asked to stand-in for Sissy Spacek, though she looks much more like a teen-version of Piper Laurie in her high-necked white nightgown. Mild "product" from AIP at least gave work to several veteran actors, including Bert Convy, Jeff Corey, Nina Foch and John Gavin. * from ****

I have this movie from when I taped it on non-cable television a couple of years ago. I wonder were a lot of parts cut out that I may have missed to get the full picture of the movie. Anyway, I did get the meaning of the movie. This movie was okay/average enough to watch, but kind of boring. Instead of Telekinetic powers (Carrie had), it's snake powers. My rating of this movie is 6.5 stars out of 10 stars.

*****POSSIBLE SPOILERS***** I just have a fondness for cheesy horror movies, plain and simple. I saw this movie at a drive-in not long after it was released, and at the time not even being a teenager yet, it scared the heck out of me. Since the advent of vcr's I had been looking for this film to see if it was truly the frightening film I remembered it to be. I never could find it in any video store, but I finally found it on sale on the internet so I bought it. It's kind of typical for that era, a loner being picked on by the rich kids,etc. But it's a fun film and I'm glad I finally found a copy of it. It is very similar to the film Carrie as others have mentioned, but it doesn't quite have the punch of the Stephen King classic. Since I have studied Herpetology(the study of reptiles and amphibians) for many years, the films use of non-poisonous snakes and trying to pass them off as rattlesnakes was quite funny. The big snake at the end was indeed laughable, but if someone didn't have knowledge of these things it would be believable, I guess. Like I said earlier,cheesy but fun, just the way I like it!

Forget all comparisons to Carrie and enjoy this movie for what it was meant to be - a simple and entertaining departure, in the guise of a brief morality play, without the usual strain toward art and artifice. Enjoy the absurdity of the quality of the 'special effects'. Does a giant snake have to "look real" ? There's no need for literalism when you have an imagination. Lisa Pelikan is emphatic in the lead role, and Bert Convy is adequate in his supporting role ( I LOVE THE 70's ! ! ! ), but pay attention to Louise Hoven as Jane Delano. She is the heart and soul of the movie because she is any one of us. We make mistakes while trying to fit in with the 'in' crowd. We are used for our resources, are victimized, and then, finally, lash back at our abusers. I can't see this movie enough. And, if schmaltz is your pleasure, you'll love the intro and exit songs.