Part of the 13 days of Pre-Halloween Splurge

Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)

Why: I was very young when I watched this movie for the first time, even then I was in awe. Now that I am much older, I still find myself amazed by the performances, the originality and the simplicity of the plot. Dark Night of the Scarecrow tells the story of a mentally-challenged man 'Bubba' who is accused of both murdering and raping a local girl named Marylee by Otis, a postman, who hates Bubba especially for having a friendship with Marylee. When rumors are spreading around town that Marylee is killed, Otis blames one person, Bubba. He takes it upon himself to get rid of Bubba once and for all since he's been wanting him out of the picture since the beginning. Otis forms a four-man mob and tracks down Bubba hiding in a scarecrow, they proceed to shoot him to death. As it turns out, Bubba had saved Marylee from being mauled off by a dog and had brought her to the nearby hospital. Although, they killed Bubba unjustly and in cold blood, they were acquitted. Sometimes legal justice is safer for some than personal justice. This is one of my personal favorites to watch on Halloween.

Actors: Charles Durning, Tonya Crowe, Larry Drake

Quote: "There IS other justice in this world other than the law" 

Director: Frank De Felitta

Macabre and Original+++***: Hell yeah!