The Bad Seed (1985)

That was an excellent one.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The reviews of this new version of "The Bad Seed" were so terrible that I watched the DVD to see what went wrong. I saw the original film when it was released in 1956 and found it lacking--not in its story but in its acting and direction. Based on a hit Broadway show, which was inspired by a book, its origins were plainly visible. There was no attempt to adapt the play to the screen and give it movement and cinematic fluidity, and the cast, an ensemble of well-known and award- winning actors borrowed from the stage show, was still playing to the second balcony. The performances were so loud and over-the-top that they often made me wince. Even worse, the chilling finale of the play was altered due to the censorship of the times.This new version puts the play's ending back into the script, which is a vast improvement. A few changes have been made to the script but nothing that harms the basic story of an outwardly sweet but amoral little 8-year-old girl with no conscience--a "bad seed"--who murders to get what she wants. Contrary to other reviewers, I did not find this version to be that awful. Granted, it's not what it could have been and it does have a cheesy look to it, but the concept of the story still makes me shudder. I thought this new version would be more graphic, given the times we live in, but thankfully I was spared the grisly details. Unless you're a devoted fan of the original movie, I think you'll find this remake worth your time. It still has the power to shock.

I found this movie a lot more enjoyable than the 1950s version. Where patty McCormick is known for the original, she is nowhere as good as the star of this version. Where this was a made for television movie, I enjoyed it much more than the original movie version. I have seen it a couple of times and look for it whenever it comes on television. I cant wait until it comes out on DVD. I would gladly pay top dollar for it. one of the few movies I have seen I would do this for. It is refreshing to see the girl as a bratty girl who is evil, instead of the usual devil spawn. Makes you realize what can be out there in the real world. I think many of us in our lives have seen kids who borderline on this girls personality. I think many of us can look at this girl and wonder if the brats we know out there could be just as evil. This alone makes the movie suspenseful if not scary.

I never saw the original "The Bad Seed", but I recall my mother telling me about it and how chilling Patty McCormack's performance was. It is possible that just hearing about the original clouded my judgment, but here's my opinion.In this version, Carrie Wells was anything but chilling, she was just plain whiny, spoiled, and annoying. I never felt disturbed while watching her, I just felt irritated. She never came across as "evil", just bratty. I just kept wanting to slap the you know what out of her.I didn't find any of the other actors to be all that impressive in their roles, either.

In a disturbing trend that continues to this day, a classic film was remade into a distorted and less-involving TV version. Memorable, sometimes legendary films (like "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?", "Notorious", "Indiscreet", "Night of the Hunter", "I Saw What You Did" to name just a few...) get updated for a new audience and inevitably lose something in the translation. Here is a potentially strong remake that goes awry mainly do to casting, but also due to script revisions that drain a lot of the emotion out of the story. For unknown reasons, the father has been eliminated from the story and a key role (which won Eileen Heckart and Oscar nod in the original) is shaved down and treated as a throwaway. The story concerns Brown (in a solid enough performance) whose preteen daughter (Wells) is increasingly suspected of wrongdoings at school and around her home. Wells is adored by her grandfather Kiley and neighbor Redgrave and loathed by the booze-soaked handyman Carradine. Soon, Brown starts to believe that she herself is indirectly responsible for some of the acts that have been perpetrated. The biggest problem with this movie is Wells. She is a weak actress and an expressionless prop through much of the story. Also, she lacks the primary thing that the character needs to begin with! She isn't in any way cute or adorable!!! The child should appear as an idealized, beautiful creature. Wells is not in this category. (Although the world can breathe a sigh of relief that Tori Spelling wasn't put in it!) Appearance aside, she just doesn't have the chops to pull the role off. Her presence hampers Brown, who actually could have done pretty well otherwise (despite some really unflattering pants.) Redgrave tries desperately to inject some energy into this rather dull affair, but unfortunately comes off as ridiculous much of the time. Decked out in a series of horrific '80's workout ensembles and headgears, she is a far cry from the original character who was more of a surrogate mother figure. Carradine is so-so. He is so obviously "acting" and occasionally looks as if he can't remember his lines as he tries to portray someone "slow". It's a lazy portrayal, one that SCREAMS for a Geoffrey Lewis-type. (Where was HE?) Kiley comes off well, but he has no chance of saving it and Haney (always enjoyably crusty) scores as the prim school administrator. This is worthwhile only as a demonstration of how great movies should be left alone or only to see a shrimpy, almost malformed, meek Allen get bullied by a girl.