Director: John Korty
Writer: James M. Miller
Producer: Gerald I. Isenberg
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.
74 min
Rating: 5.5/10
Released
Top Cast
Kim Darby
Melodye Amerson
William Shatner
Dr. Curtis
Diane Varsi
Valancy Carmody
Dan O'Herlihy
Sol Diemus
Laurie Walters
Karen Diemus
Movie Info
Director: John Korty
Writer: James M. Miller
Producer: Gerald I. Isenberg
Production Companies: American Zoetrope, Metromedia Producers Corporation
Countries: United States of America
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What Others Said
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+