Watch Deadly Blessing

In 1981, Wes Craven directed the horror movie Deadly Blessing, which starred Maren Jensen, Sharon Stone, and Susan Buckner. The movie opens with a young woman named Martha Schmidt (played by Jensen) living in an isolated community that practices a strict form of Christianity. Her husband Jim (played by Douglas Barr) is a former member of the community who left to go to college and meets her in the city. They get married and move to a nearby farm, which was owned by Jim's parents, who died in a car accident.

The couple's peaceful life is disrupted when Jim's former community members start tormenting them. Martha finds a rattlesnake in her bathtub, and a group of men led by Ezekiel (played by Ernest Borgnine) put up threatening signs around their property. Some of the community members believe that Martha is a witch who seduced Jim and has corrupted him. However, Martha's real troubles begin when her husband dies in a tractor accident. Martha starts to experience nightmarish visions that reveal the identity of a killer who stalks her.

Things start to get even weirder when Jim's friend and colleague, Louisa (played by Buckner), arrives on the farm to help Martha. Louisa is a psychology student who is conducting research on the community and the effect of their beliefs on mental health. She becomes enmeshed in Martha's struggles as she uncovers a dark secret that the community has kept hidden for years.

Deadly Blessing is an intense, unsettling horror movie that explores themes of religion, gender, and identity. The movie builds up tension slowly, almost too slowly, so that when the horror begins, it comes as a shocking surprise. The story is full of twists and turns, and it leads the audience to question who the real killer is.

Maren Jensen delivers a strong, nuanced performance as Martha. She is the soul of the movie, and her character's transformation from a passive wife to a strong, determined woman who fights for her survival is compelling. Sharon Stone also shines as Lana, a former member of the community and Ezekiel's daughter-in-law, who befriends Martha. Stone shows early signs of her acting talent in this film, as she portrays Lana's conflicted feelings about her faith, family, and marriage.

Ernest Borgnine is appropriately creepy as the leader of the community, Ezekiel. He exudes authority and malevolence, and it's impossible not to feel shivers down your spine whenever he appears on the screen. The supporting cast, including Buckner, Barr, Michael Berryman, and Jeff East, are all excellent as well, bringing depth and personality to their characters.

The cinematography in Deadly Blessing is also worthy of praise. Craven and his team created a lush, eerie atmosphere that captures the beauty and isolation of the farm and its surroundings. The use of shadows, darkness, and slow camera movements add to the ominous tone of the movie.

Overall, Deadly Blessing is an underrated horror gem from the early 80s that deserves more attention. It's a movie that will leave you thinking long after the credits roll, thanks to its complex characters, chilling suspense, and haunting imagery. So, if you are a fan of horror movies, Deadly Blessing is definitely worth watching.

Deadly Blessing is a 1981 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.5 and a MetaScore of 56.