Sign In / Sign Up

The People

The People
Release date: 1972-01-22
Rating: 5.5
Votes: 13
Genres: Drama, Science Fiction, TV Movie
A young woman is assigned to teach school in a secluded valley whose inhabitants appear stern, secretive and anti-pleasure. Following two children who disappear to play in the woods, she finds that this is actually a community of extraterrestrials with mild paranormal powers who are attempting to repress and deny their heritage for fear of arousing prejudice and hatred in their human neighbors. Based on a series of novels by the late Zenna Henderson.

Reviews

Wuchak

Wuchak

**_Little House on the Prairie with paranormal bits_** A young woman (Kim Darby) takes an assignment as a teacher of a small community in the desolate rolling hills somewhere in the Southwest. She becomes increasingly aware of the peculiarities of the people, such as the kids dragging their feet and a hush-hush attitude. William Shatner is on hand as the doctor, also an outsider. “The People” (1972) is based on Zenna Henderson's 'People' stories, which were first published in 1961 (specifically, the story "Pottage" from "Pilgrimage: The Book of the People"). It was produced as a potential pilot for a TV series that never materialized. Yet it works as a standalone rural drama that’s slow-paced and mild, but with an interesting concept and the corresponding strange phenomena, which I don’t want to give away. Let’s just say that I wouldn’t be surprised if Stephen King was inspired by Henderson’s stories to write “Carrie.” Not that this is a horror flick, not at all, although it includes weird, outlandish elements. I just suspect that King maybe took ideas from Zenna’s “The People” to create his more famous horror story. It has the tone of Star Trek’s first season episode “This Side of Paradise” mixed with the soon-to-come Little House series. Darby was 24 during shooting and surprisingly thin, although winsome. She previously worked with Shatner in the Star Trek episode “Miri” when she was 18. The soothing score was composed by Carmine Coppola, Francis Ford Coppola's father. In fact, this little unassuming flick was produced by Francis’ American Zoetrope. It’s short ‘n’ sweet at 1 hour, 13 minutes, and was shot in Nicasio, which is a 40-minute drive north of the Golden Gate Bridge (the schoolhouse); and San Rafael, which is about 12-15 miles southeast of there. GRADE: B-/C+

Movie Recommendation

  • Not of This World
    Not of This World
    1991-02-12
    An alien life form lands on earth and begins to feed off electricity, making it grow to enormous size. The authorities must stop it as it slithers cross-country towards a nuclear power plant.
    More...
  • Abby
    Abby
    1974-12-25
    When a minister's wife becomes possessed by Eshu, the Nigerian god of sexuality, an exorcist is called in to drive the evil spirit away.
    More...
  • The Irishman
    The Irishman
    2019-11-01
    Pennsylvania, 1956. Frank Sheeran, a war veteran of Irish origin who works as a truck driver, accidentally meets mobster Russell Bufalino. Once Frank becomes his trusted man, Bufalino sends him to Chicago with the task of helping Jimmy Hoffa, a powerful union leader related to organized crime, with whom Frank will maintain a close friendship for nearly twenty years.
    More...
  • Iron Man
    Iron Man
    2008-04-30
    After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
    More...
  • Men in Black II
    Men in Black II
    2002-07-03
    Kay and Jay reunite to provide our best, last and only line of defense against a sinister seductress who levels the toughest challenge yet to the MIB's untarnished mission statement – protecting Earth from the scum of the universe. It's been four years since the alien-seeking agents averted an intergalactic disaster of epic proportions. Now it's a race against the clock as Jay must convince Kay – who not only has absolutely no memory of his time spent with the MIB, but is also the only living person left with the expertise to save the galaxy – to reunite with the MIB before the earth submits to ultimate destruction.
    More...
  • Jumanji
    Jumanji
    1995-12-15
    When siblings Judy and Peter discover an enchanted board game that opens the door to a magical world, they unwittingly invite Alan -- an adult who's been trapped inside the game for 26 years -- into their living room. Alan's only hope for freedom is to finish the game, which proves risky as all three find themselves running from giant rhinoceroses, evil monkeys and other terrifying creatures.
    More...
  • Alice Through the Looking Glass
    Alice Through the Looking Glass
    2016-05-25
    Alice Kingsleigh returns to Underland and faces a new adventure in saving the Mad Hatter.
    More...
  • Ice Age
    Ice Age
    2002-03-14
    With the impending ice age almost upon them, a mismatched trio of prehistoric critters – Manny the woolly mammoth, Diego the saber-toothed tiger and Sid the giant sloth – find an orphaned infant and decide to return it to its human parents. Along the way, the unlikely allies become friends but, when enemies attack, their quest takes on far nobler aims.
    More...
  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
    The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
    2013-12-11
    The Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.
    More...
  • Little Fockers
    Little Fockers
    2010-12-21
    It has taken 10 years, two little Fockers with wife Pam and countless hurdles for Greg to finally get in with his tightly wound father-in-law, Jack. After the cash-strapped dad takes a job moonlighting for a drug company, Jack's suspicions about his favorite male nurse come roaring back. When Greg and Pam's entire clan descends for the twins' birthday party, Greg must prove to the skeptical Jack that he's fully capable as the man of the house.
    More...
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
    2011-07-12
    Harry, Ron and Hermione continue their quest to vanquish the evil Voldemort once and for all. Just as things begin to look hopeless for the young wizards, Harry discovers a trio of magical objects that endow him with powers to rival Voldemort's formidable skills.
    More...
  • The Amazing Spider-Man 2
    The Amazing Spider-Man 2
    2014-04-16
    For Peter Parker, life is busy. Between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen Stacy, high school graduation cannot come quickly enough. Peter has not forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen’s father to protect her by staying away, but that is a promise he cannot keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro, emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn, returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past.
    More...
  • X-Men: First Class
    X-Men: First Class
    2011-06-01
    Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were arch-enemies, they were closest of friends, working together with other mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known.
    More...
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
    2001-12-18
    Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.
    More...
  • Limitless
    Limitless
    2011-03-17
    The life of an unsuccessful writer is transformed by a top-secret 'smart drug' that allows him to use 100% of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life.
    More...
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron
    Avengers: Age of Ultron
    2015-04-22
    When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
    More...
  • Ender's Game
    Ender's Game
    2013-10-24
    Based on the classic novel by Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game is the story of the Earth's most gifted children training to defend their homeplanet in the space wars of the future.
    More...
  • X-Men: The Last Stand
    X-Men: The Last Stand
    2006-05-24
    When a cure is found to treat mutations, lines are drawn amongst the X-Men—led by Professor Charles Xavier—and the Brotherhood, a band of powerful mutants organised under Xavier's former ally, Magneto.
    More...
  • 3 Idiots
    3 Idiots
    2009-12-23
    Rascal. Joker. Dreamer. Genius... You've never met a college student quite like "Rancho." From the moment he arrives at India's most prestigious university, Rancho's outlandish schemes turn the campus upside down—along with the lives of his two newfound best friends. Together, they make life miserable for "Virus," the school’s uptight and heartless dean. But when Rancho catches the eye of the dean's daughter, Virus sets his sights on flunking out the "3 idiots" once and for all.
    More...
  • Inkheart
    Inkheart
    2008-12-11
    The adventures of a father and his young daughter, in their search for a long lost book that will help reunite a missing, close relative.
    More...

Similar Movies