Before I get to the spotlight film "Deadly Blessing", I wanted to give a brief plug to some great horror actress friends, Dawn Duverger and Rhiannon Silk, who will be attending the Midsouth Horror Con in Memphis next weekend. If your in the area be sure to stop by and say hello.
"Deadly Blessing" is early 80s horror at its finest. First, a bevy of beautiful actresses including a young Sharon Stone, Maren Jensen (Athena in the original Battlestar Galactica), and Susan Buckner provide plenty of eye candy. Second, the always creepy horror icon Michael Berryman, gives the film instant horror cred. Third, the great Ernest Borgnine is cast as a creepy Amish Elder, which is entertaining to say the least. Last but not least, the film was directed by Wes Craven--what more could a fan ask for.
Undervalued and underappreciated is about the best way to characterize the film. The talent level alone raises the film above standard horror fare of the era. Unlike, a typical 80s slasher film, the horror is largely atmospheric with strong elements of supernatural and religious themes. While, there is ample eye candy even by today's standards, there is probably not enough gore for most.
The only complaint is the rather bizarre and disjointed ending. A perusal of imdb comments on the film echoed my problem with the ending. If nothing else the film is worth viewing just to see a young Sharon Stone, and Marin Jensen, who by all accounts gave up acting after this film to live with Eagles great Don Henley.
