Something Evil

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John C Steven Spielberg may be one of the most well-known filmmakers of all time, but I must have missed his name in the credits, as I didn't know he directed this until I was writing this review and spotted his name. This is an early made-for-TV horror outing and, at just under seventy-five minutes, it’s a short feature, yet somehow feels way too long, with very little actually happening in that entire span. The story follows a family moving into a rural American farmhouse that—surprise, surprise—has a supernatural element dwelling there. On paper, it’s a decent enough set-up for a ghostly movie, but the execution is just totally bland. Like I say, it’s not long, but it's also not scary and it never produces a truly unsettling moment. Those hoping for creeping dread, memorable scares, or even a splash of gore will find none of that here. Instead, the movie settles into the most restrained rhythms of 70s TV horror with soft lighting, slow pacing and basic storytelling. Spielberg’s direction shows hints of what was destined to come, but I guess he had to make films like this so that his true classics like 'Poltergeist' could run. If you’re a fan of supernatural or possession films, there are plenty of better choices, such as 'The Exorcist, Burnt Offerings,' or, of course, Spielberg’s own 'Poltergeist.' 'Something Evil' is more curiosity than classic, of interest only to die-hard Spielberg fans. For most viewers, it’s a forgettable detour. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 09/04/25 Full Review Tyler G Bad. I would only recommend if you're trying to do the entire Spielberg filmography. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 08/29/25 Full Review Ian S Early Spielberg but the signs were there that he was about to hit his stride. Well acted TV movie that has a dated a little now but a decent watch. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/17/25 Full Review Audience Member This early Spielberg directed TV movie features a TV advertising exec (Darren McGavin) move into a country farm with his hippy drippy New Age wife (Sandy Dennis). But strange things start to occur shortly afterwards. I first saw this when it aired on UK television in the early 80's. It scared the pants off me. Is it still scary to a cynical old man of 44? The simple answer is YES! It still packs a punch and the tone and direction are flawless. Theres a creeping, building sense of malevolence that runs through the whole movie that is palpable and builds to a genuinely terrifying ending.  I love the fact that Spielberg gently sends up the fashionable pop-psychology and oh so self aware mysticism that was so hip in the 70's. There are plenty of scares to be had- the sound of a child crying at night, the demonic jam-jars (yes, really) that are discovered in the barn, the presence of something genuinely malevolent in the house that changes not only the young son but Mrs 'Move To The Country' herself as in one scene we see her beat her son for disobeying her orders. This is wayyy too unsettling for what should have been a pretty bland and pedestrian romp made for network television. Spielberg was obviously on a roll when he directed this as he had just made the masterpiece Duel. I hope whatever limbo this title is in disappears so that we get a great Blu ray release sometime soon. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member A classic from my childhood. Kind of a guilty pleasure. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member A mediocre film, but a great watch to see how the staples of Spielberg's style were there from the earliest stages. Themes of family, mystery, absent fathers, and suburban danger are already on display in what is essentially an early version of Poltergeist. He's already so effectively stylish with the camera, even if the savviness to use it more subtly wasn't quite there yet. Corny but integral piece of cinematic history. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Something Evil

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