Wes Craven's directorial career was erratic, to say the least. After the success of low-budget shockers The Last House on The Left and The Hills Have Eyes, Craven opted to pay the bills by working on this made-for-TV chiller starring a podgy Linda Blair. Bound by broadcasting regulations, the result is a tepid and predictable affair, lacking the imagination and visceral impact of the director's previous horror films.Blair stars as teenager Rachel Bryant, whose idyllic life gradually turns into a nightmare after her pretty cousin Julia (Lee Purcell) moves into her home, her own parents having accidentally driven off the edge of a cliff. It's not long before Julia has stolen Rachel's boyfriend Mike (Jeff McCracken), who is happy to trade up, and causes further trouble by flirting with Rachel's dad (Jeremy Slate). To add insult to injury, Julia also starts to hang out with Rachel's best friend Carolyn (Fran Drescher). So when Rachel discovers that Julia might be a witch and voices her suspicions, everyone assumes it's just a case of petty jealousy. How wrong can they be?As things unfold exactly as you imagine they will, Craven delivers a few scenes of 'mild peril' but nothing truly scary (although Blair's huge hair, the sight of the dumpy actress crammed into a nasty pink dress, and Fran Drescher's voice are somewhat disturbing). Purcell steals the show with her 'good girl/bad girl' routine, looking lovely throughout, and going full-on evil at the end with a maniacal grin and devilish contact lenses. As if all that had gone before wasn't predictable enough, the film closes with one of those silly endings that shows that the nightmare isn't over yet. Yawn.

SUMMER OF FEAR started out as a 1978 made-for-TV movie, directed by LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT's Wes Craven and starring THE EXORCIST actress Linda Blair. Noting that it had performed surprisingly well in the schedules, the producers repackaged it as a theatrical movie, retitled it SUMMER OF FEAR, and released it in Europe.How much you enjoy this one depends on your preference for American TV movies of the 1970s. I consider myself a huge fan, so I enjoyed this one, although the histrionic acting and cheesily dated nature of the production may be offputting to some; they were positives for me. The storyline is a straightforward 'cuckoo in the nest' type one, in which spoilt rich girl Linda Blair is put out of joint when her cousin joins the family after her parents are killed in a car accident.It soon transpires that said cousin has been dabbling in witchcraft, something confirmed by a put-upon college professor (a welcome role for SHADOW OF A DOUBT's Macdonald Carey). It's one of those films where nobody believes Blair's character, forcing her to take matters into her own hands. You can hardly blame them: dressing in the frumpiest clothes imaginable and saddled with an appalling 'Afro' haircut, the Blair looks like an eyesore here and her character's a real whiner.The supernatural elements of the narrative are limited, but there's some good stuff with spooked horses and an action-packed climax that involves car chases and cat-fights, all well handled on a low budget. The twist ending was inevitable after the release of CARRIE. Watch out for some SALEM'S LOT-style effects involving cool contact lenses. SUMMER OF FEAR may not be a great film but it sure is a fun one.

In the 70's and 80's this film was shown a multitude of times for late-night TV. I had seen it several times, and am amused that it has now been re-packaged, to dupe a whole new generation. Yet, it is not a bad movie, if you can get past the special effects.Yes, Linda Blair has that weird perm-thing going on; she is the daughter who suspects something is amiss with her cousin, played by Lee Purcell. The happy family as well as Ms. Blair's horse become haunted by something demonic- something unsettling. Carol Lawrence plays Blair's mother, and there is an amusing scene where Purcell flirts with Jeff East, Ms. Blair's father.As this story was written by Lois Duncan, upon whose stories "I Know What You Did Last Summer" as well as "Killing Mr. Griffin" were turned into film, one can at least enjoy the story; and Wes Craven does an interesting job of directing this. I was never a huge fan, (I must admit that "Candyman" is a guilty pleasure) but recently saw "The Hills Have Eyes", and he does have nuance and depth which deserve mention.Even if you are not a true horror fan, this film can be categorized as fear/suspense. If you like Wes Craven, you will definitely find this interesting, and the 70's nostalgia is an added plus!.

Lois Duncan's young-adult mystery novel "Summer of Fear" gets a fine, if low-budget, television treatment, capably directed by Wes Craven. Intriguing story features an appealing Linda Blair playing popular young woman and horse-rider whose family takes in her orphaned cousin--a perplexing girl who harbors secret evil powers. Craven's pacing is careful and sneaky, drawing the viewer in while mounting Blair's suspicions with just the right touch of creepy delicacy. Lee Purcell is excellent as cousin Julia, pulling off a showy role without lapsing into camp (although the make-up and special effects near the finish are somewhat cartoonish by today's standards). A compact thriller, very well done, and Blair--as always--is charming and makes her character easily identifiable to viewers.