Part of this cult following, I think, was the movie (in addition to being creepy in itself) left THE RIGHT AMOUNT to the imagination.
The keen observer with a quick eye, and/or with a good stop- (freeze) feature on the VCR, might catch these details at most: (1) There were three of them; (2)they had shriveled, menacing faces and bulbous, almost glowing (but brown)heads; (3) They were somewhere between one- and two- feet tall; (4) perhaps they had matted black or brown fur; (5) They had tiny hands, like a racoon or large rat.
But what else? Everyone imagines the creatures slightly differently. Were they brown and corpselike? Were they like hyperdimensional aliens or greys? Were they nasty, vermonous monkeylike things? How solid were they -- were they animals or more like ghosts or non-coporeal demons? What were they? And, what exactly DID they want with Sally?
Unlike a movie which shows nothing, we saw just enough to fire our own imaginations. This is something which remakes frequently destroy. Someone has a stupid twist and tries to give an answer or more detail.
Almost anything they could add to the creatures would disappoint most of us, I'm sure. Imagine how Hollywood could ruin it. Viz:
(1) They could make the creatures into spidery crablike things, like on Alien and Alien 2; (2) They could fill the house with violent poltergiest activity like on Poltergiest or An American Haunting; (3) They could make the creatures into fearsome shapeshifters, like on Boogieman, with no set form but a mess of whirlwind terror; (4) The creatures could be explained as aliens from -- (ghasp!) outer space?
All of these would disappoint me. But what I like might disappoint you. And that's okay. Because the movie left enough to the imagination to let us imagine what we like. I tend to favor the idea that these are goblinesque monkeylike creatures, inferiorized souls of the damned who have somehow gained access to our world. I'd like to see them portrayed with more putrescent nastiness and perverted foulness. Someone else, however, might favor entities that are like something from The Amityville Horror -- or the greys.
But I am satisfied with them as they are. And want no more.
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Lancer009
19 years ago
Nice to see others are currently intrested in this movie... ;)
I do agree!
A remake isnt necessary because the movie is perfectly setup for a part 2. So why remake it?
1, in 1953 (20 years earlier) the Fuzzy Imps were freed from the fireplace. Then they took Sally's Grandfather into the abyss. (I personaly think he never survived the encounter) So reopening the fireplace in 2008 for a third time could make a better movie.
It seems that we are assuming the fireplace leads to an abyss or a protal to another world from the ash door. The best part is at the ending when Sally's husband deeply looks for Sally with a flashlight and when it seems like there is no hope. He drops the flashlight. It seems like a long drop!
I personly think the fireplace never had a bottom. Sadly though the movie never talked about the fireplace not having a bottom, so we are left to assumed this from watching the movie and the angle we could see the characters when they are looking thru the ash door.
Logicly we could be looking thru an ash trap. Which was used to store the fireplace ashes. But I would question the size of the ash trap since it seem to take the entire bottom of the fireplace.
2, Sally was the true target in the movie. I really think they needed her body for something. And now the something has taken control of her body. I dont think she was converted into the imps because her voice didnt sound similar to them, as well as she seemed to be in control and/or leading the imps. A role that the imps seemed to welcome.
3, What are these Fuzzy Imps? Fuzzy Imps. (At least it seems)
Ok, what do we know about them?
They cannot go thru walls - (bricked fireplace prison and the need for the key to open the study door)
They need tools - (paper, hanger, Razor, Screwdriver, Rope, sleeping pills)
They have a sence of knowladge - (Knows the use of Sleeping Pills, turn off a phone and how to take out electricty)
Light hurts (could kill) - (Best idea of lethal damage from the light was in the bathroom as one of the fuzzy imps needed to be drag out of the light for safety)
The Imps has personal desires - (one imp really wanted to scare Sally, and was told not to harm her)
They needed Sally alone - (Couldnt do anything till her girlfriend was outside)
They are weak - (It took 3 to drag Sally to the Study.)[Oddly that could indicate how strong thay are since thay are 1 (or 1 1/2) foot tall creatures and Sally was over 5 feet tall and weigh about 110 to 120 pounds.]
They have a long life span - (Ending of the story gives you an idea that Sally and the Imps could wait a long, long time)
Odd thing about the imps that I cannot figure is the ability to hide in the Bathroom Cabinet when Sally opens the door, but is still there. When Sally turns off the lights you see an imp exiting the cabinet.
** Does anybody know where the house is? Or where does the movie take place? I think the house is located in California but the story kind of implies that the couple lives near a big city where its best to live in an apartment. Somehow I'm getting the feeling that the husband works in New York, and the house is supose to be in the Boston Area. As well as the house was supose to be around 1850's, and the Husband needed to take a flight to California. Does anybody have any idea where the story takes place.
**** Somehow I feel that this story was an epsode to the Ghost Story series (1972-1973) but instead of shelving it they fatten the movie a little to make it a made for TV movie. I think the story was still short 70-80 mins long.
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Error_PC_LOAD_LETTER
19 years ago
You have a pretty good handle on the movie, I would say.
Only that the house was built in the 1880s (according to the handyman -- and the house's Queen Anne style architecture), not the 1850s. I didn't pay attention but I'd assume since the husband was so busy, New York would be my guess. One other thing, one of the creatures expressed (painfully) that he wanted to 'hurt' sally (not merely scare), for which you have to love 'em. But was resolved (at the command of the other) that he was only permitted to 'scare' her, at that particular time.
If you think about it, as you did, showing the creatures' psychological wants and needs -- to 'hurt'and 'scare' a (supposedly) pretty woman or girl -- actually shows some detailed 'character development'. I interpret it as the thrill which stalkers and abusers get, in hurting and terrifying their victims. What if such a trait was fundamental to the psychological make-up, and maybe the sexuality, of these 'fuzzy imps'?
Although the creatures were very solid, and needed tools, they had some kind of hyperdimensional qualities -- seemed to have certain dimensional gateways or hide in extradimensional places.
I don't have a clue why they needed sally. But I think the story would be better if she were transformed or transfered into one of them, and unwillingly kept their prisoner for female companionship -- (they enjoyed her fear and suffering) rather than reveling with them in their impish delight, as the movie showed.
The ash-pit bottomless? Maybe only sometimes bottomless. Like, maybe there was no bottom that night. Bottomless under certain conditions, or when opened to the netherworld. But sometime later, maybe it was just an ordinary ash-pit. Just another hyperdimensional quality.
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markci250
18 years ago
I don't know if I would be very keen about a remake, but I would like to see a DVD of the original!
http://markwizardstheatre.blogspot.com
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OoohBabyBaby
18 years ago
I bought a copy recently on ebay... someone has obviously copied the original on to DVD's. I don't usually buy copy dvd's but as this one is discontinued I don't exactly feel guilty.
This film scared the hell out of me when I was younger (I was 8 & thought it was a self help video... my mum would of killed me if she'd of known I was watching it!)
My sisters both refused to watch it with me the other night, they would only watch it in the daylight as it scared them just as much!
I was slighty dissapointed as it wasn't scary anymore... just creepy & intriguing. I still love this film though!
My lifelong mission has now ended, i've wanted to see this film again since I was 12 & now (at 22) have finally managed to do it!!
My life has no meaning anymore!!
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TachoX2
18 years ago
I also bought a copy off of EBay and it wasn't as scary as I remember. The lighting is so minimal (dark) it sets the tone perfectly.
Still worth watching.
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jquirk-1
18 years ago
From the first time I saw this film in the 1970s, I always imagined that Sally WAS transformed into one of the creatures. I believe it was the intention of the filmmakers to convey that Sally WAS an imp when we hear her voice talking at the conclusion.
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diezman
18 years ago
This movie has such a large cult following that an OFFICIAL release on DVD would make someone a fortune!
I guess the movie rights are all tangled up in legal mumbo jumbo.
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bigden1962
18 years ago
If there is a remake i hope who ever plays Sally has a scene like the original i loved the scene when the little creeps get her dragging her to the fireplace the fact she was in a skirt with her feet bound tight i thought for sure we would see a upskirt from Kim Darby have they said who will be in it yet??
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