The Brood & Devil Times Five

Friday Night Frightfest

I don’t think you can go wrong with an evil children theme. For this episode we watched two 70s takes with very different approaches: The Brood (1979) and Devil Times Five, aka People Toys, (1974).

Spoilers start around 5:37.

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The Brood (1979)
The Brood is a 1979 Canadian psychological horror film directed by David Cronenberg. The film stars Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, and Karen Black, and tells the story of a woman named Nola Carveth (Eggar) who is undergoing psychotherapy for severe postpartum depression. While in therapy, she begins to have strange dreams and hallucinations, and her “children” begin to exhibit violent behavior. As her condition worsens, her “children” begin to attack and kill people. The film explores the themes of motherhood, violence, and the nature of evil. The Brood was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $10 million at the box office. The film was praised for its atmosphere, Cronenberg’s direction, and Eggar’s performance. The film has since been recognized as a classic of the psychological horror genre.

Devil Times Five – aka People Toys, aka The Horrible House on the Hill, aka Tantrums (1974)
A group of four sociopathic, homicidal children, accompanied by a mysterious nun are in a car crash and seek refuge with a vacationers at a lakeside chalet, only to systematically murder them. The film was directed by Sean MacGregor and David Sheldon, and stars Sorrell Booke, Gene Evans, Shelley Morrison, and Leif Garrett.