RyothChatty ridiculous rating

XoWizIama Excellent adaptation.

SincereFinest disgusting, overrated, pointless

Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Robert W. I had never heard of this film and as a huge horror buff and even more of an 80's horror buff, I was instantly intrigued. The fact that this introduced A Christmas Story's "Ralphie" was kind of neat and the story sounded like a good old fashion slasher flick. Well I wouldn't even classify this as a slasher flick although a few times it does certainly try. I would say the story is much more of a thriller and even that is pushing it simply because the pacing of the movie is very slow. They could have really edited this down as it spends a whole lot of time establishing the main youngster. Its sort of like you're watching home videos of his entire vacation and then at the tail end a killer shows up. As expected from a low budget 80's horror movie the kills are a little cheesy and the blood is so light red that it looks like strawberry ice cream syrup. (This isn't a complaint because this is just true 80's, just an observation.) There is also a completely unnecessary and forced scene of topless-ness that made me laugh out loud because it was so blatantly pushed into the scene. Again, this isn't a complaint just an observation of a classic low budget 80's move.As I mentioned Peter Billingsley makes his big screen debut as Billy. He is really the quintessential youngster. He looks adorable, he loves cowboys and guns and he is a good actor! He is believable and fun and you really root for him partially because of his performance and partially because they spend so much time focusing on developing his character. Catherine Hicks is the perfect 80's horror movie Mom. She reminded me a lot of Andy's Mom in Child's Play and that's a compliment. She is perfect in her role and helps support Billingsley's performance. Paul Le Mat is the new man in Hicks' life that Billy has to warm up to. He does a good job and plays his role well. He and Hicks have very good chemistry and...attempting to not give anything away...I was relieved at how they ended the film. Somehow you become attached to his character as Billingsley's character becomes attached to him. Veteran actor Wilford Brimley's name is all over this film but he has barely more than a cameo in the film as the old Sheriff. He is basically a B character to be fodder for our killer. Jack O'Leary is our crazed killer and he's good but very cheesy and campy. He overplays his scenes and the final scene when he battles with Le Mat is so hokey that you'll be howling with laughter. It is so choreographed and just really overplayed.Director Dick Richards does an adequate job as director. However, he should have took a harder look at editing the film. The pacing is far too slow and the killer is far too hokey. On top of that, the story is about as deep as a hillside. There is no rhyme or reason to the killer's spree and the thinnest of reason behind him stalking little Billy. The entire concept of the killer coming after him because he found his necklace in an RV is ludicrous. All the shortcomings of the film are overcome by a solid lead in Billingsley, and the fact that this was a low budget 80s thriller and that automatically allows for some wiggle room in the camp department. Horror fans will enjoy it, but it is certain to not blow anyone away. 7/10

lost-in-limbo Coming out during the influx of the slasher craze, "Death Valley" could be seen as one of those unlucky films that got lost in the crowd and was pushed aside with those lesser imitations. Unfortunately if that's the case it's undeserved (sadly no DVD release either), as it's a lot more accomplished than its rancid shockers. One thing though, it was one of those video cases that always drew me to its strikingly cool artwork.Billy and his recently divorced mother leave New York for a vacation to California to meet up with her new boyfriend. For Billy it's hard seeing his mum with another man, but it's the less of his worries. As on their vacation to "Death Valley", Billy stumbles across an empty RV and picks up a necklace. Later they come across this RV again, but it was in an accident or so it seems. Unknowingly to them, there have been brutal murders in "Death Valley" and killer now has Billy in his sights."Death Valley" is like a second-rate Hitchcock-like thriller that decently grows on bone-rattling suspense, taking time to let the characters and circumstances unfold that when the threatening tic-tack-toe nature breaks out we're put in an act of alarm and desperation. It really puts the characters on the spot and breathing down an ominous air, the material doesn't do much to hide the killer's identity and the surprise twist is easy to figure out. The rural California locations do it wonders, as the secluded landscapes are harsh and vast with it being truly alienating --- nowhere to hide and help is a long way. Dick Richards directs with panache and vision, orchestrating the unhinged sounds (a suspenseful music score) and observatory imagery (moody camera angles and slow-motion) with the foreseeable one-track story. While slow-winding, as it's slowed up by passages involving family issues --- Billy accepting his mother's new boyfriend, but this does give it a grounded sincerity to the character's relationships and dynamics. These moments are broken up by the heighten tension and an odd nasty jolt that's well-timed by throwing you off with false bumps.Performances are agreeable. Peter Billingsley (whose massive glasses are somewhat distracting) is likable as the know-all Billy and Catherine Hicks is simply delightful (although she does some questionable actions in the film's climax) as Billy's mother. Paul Le Mat is sturdy, but does look quite bemused more often. Wilford Brimley is hardy as the suspicious sheriff and Stephen McHattie is suitably random and menacing. There's also a minor part for Edward Herrmann at the beginning as Billy's father.Nothing special, but a diverting, fine old-fashion thriller with the modern unpleasantness.

iiyuurikoii I remember someone saying that the killer was two people but clearly only listed one in the credits; thats because if you pay attention to the movie which that person clearly did not, or didn't even bother to watch the end; you'd realize in the beginning the sheriff and tow trucker were talking about 'twins'. which are played by the same actor!The movie is good for it's era'. It could have used a bit more work in where setting and plot was involved like going into more depth that the twins existed at all; but other than that if the movie was ever on big screen I wouldn't have paid to see it, renting it is a good choice, but I wouldn't buy it.

gein This film is not as bad as many people would have you believe. Peter "The Dirt Bike Kid" Billingsley, in his first starring role, plays Billy, a boy who is forced to vacation with his mother and her boyfriend in the middle of the hot California desert. During a desert outing, a bored Billy decides to do a little exploration and comes across a seemingly abandoned RV. Unbeknownst to Billy the RV contains the freshly butchered bodies of three teenagers who are stuffed into the forward compartment. Billy nearly opens the forward compartment's door when he's pulled out and reprimanded by his mother's boyfriend. Billy doesn't leave empty handed though; he has stolen a necklace that he found on the RV's floor.Later the necklace becomes a clue that is handed over with much guilt and tears to the town's sheriff played by Wilford Brimley. Soon after, the sheriff has a mining pick stuck in his chest after stupidly going over to the killer's house with clue in hand and basically asking, "Hey, look what I found at a murder scene," and knowing full well that the necklace belongs to the killer. Oops!The killer believes Billy knows too much and needs to be eliminated. From this point on the film becomes a tense cat-and-mouse game that ends with more than a few dead.Death Valley was released in 1982 without much fanfare or promotion and was quickly lost among the glut of slasher films being churned out by Hollywood at that time. That is unfortunate because the film features everything horror fans love: breasts, gore and excitement. This film also features a tense Henry Manfredini-like musical score by Dana Kaproff and excellent cinematography by Stephen Burum. Billy's mother is played by the beautiful Katherine Hicks (spelled Catherine on the video box) who played Marilyn Monroe in the television movie, Marilyn: The Untold Story.Another reason to watch this film is for the brief appearance of Gina Christian, in her only film role, as R.V. Girl. Gina Christian is the reason tube tops were invented. Wow!