Dark Night of the Scarecrow

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Dark Night of the Scarecrow

1981

1h 40m

Horror

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Popcornmeter

63%

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8 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Small-town vigilantes led by the mailman (Charles Durning) do not get away with killing a local simpleton.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

What’s impressive is that Dark Night of the Scarecrow was a TV movie, meaning it had far more restrictions on content than had it been a theatrical release. It didn’t matter, as this one delivers the goods.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 14, 2024

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Josh Goller

Spectrum Culture

https://spectrumculture.com/2023/10/04/from-the-vaults-of-streaming-hell-dark-night-of-the-scarecrow/

Oct 5, 2023

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Heather Wixson

Dread Central

A haunting story coupled with engaging performances by all cast members, I feel like I just won the horror lottery by discovering this gem; and it's a movie I look forward to revisiting many, many times in the future.

Rated: 4.5/5

Oct 12, 2011

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

It may seem old fashioned today, but this very quality makes it surprisingly effective.

Oct 15, 2010

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John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

It's not a bloody-gory film, mind you; it is, after all, a TV production. Yet it does imply a lot of grisly goings on.

Rated: 5/10

Sep 27, 2010

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Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

Rated: 3/5

Sep 29, 2005

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Farah R

It's hard to believe that this was a TV movie because the quality of the production and performances mirror that of Hollywood films of this genre. Dark Night of the Scarecrow is atmospheric and creepy, but unfortunately, never scary since it doesn't show any of the kills on screen, choosing to let the audience use their imagination.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/30/25

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Garry A

This isn't outright scary and that's ok. There are no surprises. That didn't prevent me from wanting to see how each murderer met his grimely demise.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/05/25

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Frank B

I am not a fan of horror flicks but this one delivers with twists and unexpected turns. Excellent acting...Charles Dunning should have won an Oscar for his awesome performance...

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/19/24

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Audience Member

I'm trying to figure out how this 1981 horror movie got a R rating and I was well thought I was watching a scarecrow horror movie. Charles Durning as the vigilante mail man 😂. I will admit I do like Larry Drake as a actor especially in DarkMan . I was expecting Scarecrow chaos and basically got well I think the Scarecrow is getting revege . 3.4/10 it's a bad movie with a interesting plot that could of had so much more potential but was a letdown . Come on RT 64% fan score stop tripping .

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

09/14/24

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Jay H

I was 8 when this originally aired on CBS. It was the first horror movie I ever watched - and it wasn't the last. While it certainly isn't as scary as it was in 1981, it's still a great movie with some excellent performances. The grain silo scene still gives me chills.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/30/24

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Keith T

Well made. Great acting. Good cast. Great music. Leaves you guessing. Great suspense.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/17/24

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Frank De Felitta

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Synopsis

Small-town vigilantes led by the mailman (Charles Durning) do not get away with killing a local simpleton.

Director: Frank De Felitta
Producer: Bobbi Frank
Screenwriter: J.D. Feigelson
Production Co: Wizan Productions
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 8, 2016
Runtime: 1h 40m

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