FEAR NO EVIL (1969)
Bearing no resemblance to the 1981 schlocktail of the same name, Fear No Evil is a sultry, measured dollop of made-for-TV horror. It was actually NBC's first "Movie of the Week." My expectations were high. These nuggets from a formal, somewhat austere past may come off as dated, but let's face it; I was in the market for something wholesome. If you've been paying attention to recent Z'Dar ratings, you know that I've been in a batting slump where b-pictures are concerned. I was hopeful that a tonal about-face would yield more agreeable results. The verdict? Eh, can I plead insanity? I'm being a drama queen. This flick didn't rankle my nimbus of equanimity (y'know, I can be a real asshole sometimes), but I didn't exactly leave the theater satisfied.
"Dom," you cut in. "You watched Fear No Evil at a theater?" Nope! Now stop interrupting. A synopsis would tell you that our teleplay deals with a cursed mirror, but that's only peeling back one layer of the onion. And believe me; it's an onion. There is also the matter of a psychologist who suspects that demonology is behind his patient's car accident. I know it seems like we're in the weeds, but to be perfectly honest, there isn't enough plot here for a feature-length film. The pace is achingly slow. Alternatively, I dug the thaumaturgic atmosphere, and while I'm checking off the "pro" column, Lynda Day George gives a robust performance as the grieving lead. She looks scrumptious, too.
Tune in next time to see if I review the sequel. Spoiler: I do.
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