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.

This movie was so unpleasant that I in fact had stinking, nervous sweat running down my body towards the end! This is because it made me recall some horror figures from my own school-days, and also some unpleasant memories from when I worked as a subsidiary teacher at a high-school in Austria much later....YES, the horror figures from your childhood and youth come back to haunt you... but not as ghosts of course. That is not necessary, either. They come back in the form of new kids, who are just the same kind as the old. And I also believe that if you were frightened of them when you were the same age, you will never make a good teacher. Because when you recognize the type, your fear will come back... and the thugs will notice it. And behave exactly the same to you, as those horror kids did 20 or 30 years back in time. It is an unpleasant kind of game, and once you are at all aware of it, you have lost your innocence forever and you cannot pretend that you do not understand what is going on.That is the sense morale of this movie, I think. It is very scary, and if you yourself have unfinished business from your youth, I would advise you not to watch it. You are better without that renewal of memories and fear!

Based on a short story by Stephen King, a man (Tim Matheson) and his family return to his home town, but he is then harassed by teenagers that died when he was a kid.This film has King written all over it: the use of a train, the idea of a problem for kids transferring over to when they are adults... but this film is pale in comparison to "Stand By Me" or "It". I mean, it is not a terrible movie, but far from being listed in the better half of King's work.Not really much else to say about this one... I guess I could ask about why it took 27 years for the kids to come back, why 27 years exactly... or how the first kid came back if you need to kill someone to bring another person back. But these are plot points that would only ruin the story...This is a great villain role for Robert Rusler, whose career seemed to peak and fade too quickly. Rusler's a great guy, and it would have been nice to see him in a few more big projects of the era. This also is a solid entry in the career of director Tom McLoughlin, who horror fans might know for "Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives" (1986).

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.