What parts stuck with you?

The first time I watched this TV movie was probably around 1985-1986 when I was about 15 years old. In Brazil (at the time) movies were only aired 3 to 4 years after they were made and always dubbed. I loved this movie so much because of all the scary stuff but mainly and above all, because I empathyzed poor Mary. The cutest girl Robin Ignico was about 11-12 years old when the movie was made and upon realizing she should be the same age as me, I tried to picture her at my own age. Fact is, I was in love with Robin Ignico for many, many years. Never forgot her name, the other main actors' names or the name of this movie. Whenever it was aired, there I was to watch it. When Globo TV stopped showing this movie for over 3 years (I guess it was 1996 or so) I phoned the broadcasting company and actually talked to the programmer guy who promised to put it back on the grid once more. And he did! He even told me day and time it would be aired. That day I recorded it on VHS tape, dubbed in Brazilian Portuguese version.

I was so sad to understand she was a neglected child. Parents always preferred the other 2 children while Mary starved for attentionm but didn't cry for it, never put up a tantrum. I always have been heartbroken because of that. Things that happened in the movie weren't revenge for anything, Mary didn't plan any of the 'accidents'. She was so psychologically shaken because of her parents and grandma giving so little attention, so little praise to her while Jennifer (mostly) and Kevin received all their love! And in front of her eyes, shame on them who never noticed her sadness. After the practical joke which led to her sister's death she went into shock, feeling terribly guilty. She never told anyone about what really happened until the movie's end.

To make things worse, that house was haunted (its address number made us sure of that). So a psychologically troubled girl in a haunted house was a tragic recipe. Great scenes were already mentioned, they're pretty obvious: first encounter between Mary and deceased Jennifer (who in my understanding was a demon posing as her sister), the pizza cutter going up the stairs, Mary describing the events that led to the accident, Mary in the mental hospital chanting "I loved her", Jennifer's appearance in front of her mother...

But some other moments impressed me too, due to great directing. One of them in particular is the sequence where Mary is on bed, right before the fire, while toys and dolls start moving. That specific doll twisting her body to the left while looking fixed at me... Then a quick cut to Mary's face and back to a close-up of the doll, still moving its body, now with one eye closed, as if winking... The music has superbly timing too, adding to build the climax: that made it for me. I have my eyes in tears just by remembering how a 12 years old kid must have felt.

Watching it now, I feel like If I had the chance, I'd jump into the TV and take away Mary from them. I would give her the attention and love a child deserves. But, to be on the safe side, no pizza cutters in the house!