Devil Times Five Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Five ‘special’ kids survive a van crash in the snow, then decide instead of building a snowman, they’ll just systematically terrorize and eliminate everyone at a nearby secluded lodge for funsies.

🍿 Devil Times Five: Detailed Plot Synopsis

A Fateful Crash in the Wilderness

The film opens with a harrowing scene: a transport van, carrying five mentally disturbed children to a psychiatric institution, crashes violently in a remote, snow-covered mountain area. Against all odds, the children survive the deadly accident, left stranded and unsupervised in the harsh winter landscape. Each child exhibits distinct and unsettling personality quirks, hinting at their disturbed nature.

Arrival at the Isolated Lodge

Seeking refuge from the brutal cold, the resourceful children stumble upon a secluded lodge, seemingly closed for the winter season. Unbeknownst to the children, the lodge is currently occupied by a group of adults on a winter vacation, including a stern patriarch known as Papa Doc and his associates. The adults, initially taking pity on the seemingly innocent youngsters, welcome them into their home, unaware of the terrifying danger they represent.

Uneasy Coexistence and Growing Tensions

As the children settle into the lodge, their strange and unsettling behaviors gradually become more pronounced. The adults, preoccupied with their own interpersonal conflicts, vices, and a general air of superiority, largely dismiss the children’s peculiar actions, treating them with a mixture of annoyance and condescension. This uncomfortable coexistence sets the stage for a chilling escalation, as the children’s patience wears thin, and their true, malevolent intentions begin to surface.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• David (Leif Garrett): One of the five sociopathic children who fancies himself a child movie star and sometimes cross-dresses.
• Moe (Dawn Lyn): A disturbed child from the group who uses her affinity for fish, specifically piranhas, as a weapon.
• Brian (Tierre Turner): One of the five sociopathic children who displays a strong obsession with military tactics and parlance.
• Sister Hannah (Gail Smale): A mentally disturbed child who believes she is a nun, often acting as a cunning and calm leader among the killer children.
• Susan (Tia Thompson): A disturbed child from the group who harbors a dangerous pyromaniac obsession.
• Papa Doc (Gene Evans): The abrasive, self-proclaimed patriarch and crime boss who unwittingly hosts the murderous children at his secluded lodge.
• Ralph (John Durren): The kind-hearted and mentally guileless handyman at the lodge, often mocked by the adults, who becomes one of the children’s victims.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• David: “My face! Look what you did to my beautiful face!” – Screamed in a moment of self-absorption and frustration after one of the adults injures him, revealing his disturbed vanity amidst the chaos.
• Ralph: “I’ve never washed dishes with a nun before.” – Said to Sister Hannah with innocent curiosity, highlighting his simple nature and the bizarre presence of a child dressed as a nun.
• Sister Hannah: “We’ll get some new toys soon.” – Spoken chillingly at the film’s conclusion, as the children admire their ‘peopletoys’ (the adult victims) and hint at future targets, emphasizing the cyclical nature of their evil.
• Title Card: “THE BEGINNING” – Appears on screen in place of ‘The End’ as the children depart the lodge after their rampage, signaling that their reign of terror is far from over and has only just started.

💰Box Office

• Budget: N/A
• Domestic Gross: N/A
• Worldwide Gross: N/A

💥 Devil Times Five Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I finally checked out Devil Times Five, and honestly, it’s exactly the kind of cheesy, unsettling 70s horror I love. You go in knowing it’s a B-movie, but the concept of these little psychopaths just chillingly offing adults is pretty wild. I particularly remember a scene involving a bathtub that made me genuinely squirm despite the obvious low budget. It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you appreciate cult classics that are more disturbing in premise than polished in execution, give this one a shot. It’s a fun, creepy ride for sure!

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of 1970s grindhouse and exploitation cinema.”
  • “Viewers interested in the ‘killer kid’ horror sub-genre.”
  • “Those who appreciate low-budget, quirky, and atmospherically disturbing films with technical imperfections.”
  • “Horror enthusiasts seeking cult classics with a cynical or nihilistic edge.”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Strong violence and gore, including depictions of child-on-adult violence.”
  • “Nudity and implied sexual themes.”
  • “Disturbing psychological content and themes of unpunished evil.”
  • “Animal cruelty (involving piranhas).”
  • “Outdated cinematic techniques and noticeable editing/continuity errors.”
  • “Scenes featuring child actors portraying extreme and sadistic behavior that may be unsettling.”

Professional Reviews

• CultFilmCritique: “Devil Times Five, or Peopletoys as it’s also known, is a quintessential slice of 70s drive-in horror. While often clunky and undeniably low-budget, its premise of homicidal children is genuinely unsettling, at least in concept. The performances by the young actors are surprisingly effective in their chilling blankness, elevating what could have been pure schlock into something more memorable for genre enthusiasts. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s got a certain grim charm.

Audience Reactions

Many viewers were surprised by how effectively unsettling the child antagonists were, despite the film’s age.: People frequently praised the film’s unique and disturbing premise, its shocking moments, and its undeniable status as a cult classic for fans of obscure 70s horror.

Overall Consensus: A bizarre and unsettling 70s cult horror film that, despite its low budget, has earned a devoted following for its chilling premise of murderous children.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The film had a notoriously difficult production; original director Sean MacGregor was reportedly fired after only a few weeks due to unusable footage. Much of the final version was reshot by David Sheldon, leading to noticeable continuity errors, such as the inconsistent length of Leif Garrett’s hair between scenes due to wig usage during reshoots.”
• “Carolyn Stellar, who plays the character Lovely and has a significant nude scene, is the real-life mother of two of the child actors in the film: Leif Garrett (David) and Dawn Lyn (Moe).”
• “The movie is known by numerous alternate titles, including its original title ‘Peopletoys,’ ‘Tantrums,’ and ‘The Horrible House on the Hill,’ often differing based on regional distribution or re-release.”
• “The prolonged, sepia-toned, slow-motion sequence depicting the initial murder of the psychiatric institute employee was a creative decision forced by the need to stretch limited usable footage from the initial, troubled shoot.”

🖥️ How to Watch Devil Times Five?

The cult horror film “Devil Times Five” (also known as “Peopletoys” or “The Horrible House on the Hill”) is available for streaming or digital purchase. You can typically find it for rent or buy on popular platforms such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Due to its age and niche status, specific availability may vary by region, but these digital storefronts are generally the best place to find it for a one-time watch or to add to your collection.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Devil Times Five, you might like these similar films:

• Village of the Damned (1960): A quintessential ‘killer kids’ horror film about emotionless, super-intelligent children with menacing powers, sharing the core premise of inherently evil children terrorizing adults.
• Bloody Birthday (1981): Features a trio of seemingly innocent children born during a lunar eclipse who embark on a murderous spree, offering similar grindhouse thrills with psychotic young antagonists.
• The Bad Seed (1956): A psychological thriller focusing on a charming but psychopathic young girl who commits murders, exploring the theme of innate evil in a child without supernatural elements.
• Don’t Look in the Basement (1973): An early 70s independent horror film set in an isolated asylum with violent inmates, sharing a similar gritty, low-budget aesthetic and a focus on disturbed individuals in a confined setting.
• Who Can Kill a Child? (1976): A highly unsettling Spanish horror film where tourists discover an island populated entirely by murderous children, revered as a cult classic in the killer kid subgenre for its relentless tension and bleak outcome.

🛒 Devil Times Five Related Products

• Devil Times Five – Restored Collector’s Edition Blu-ray: Experience the chilling 1974 cult classic in stunning high definition. This special edition features a newly restored 4K transfer, audio commentary, and rare behind-the-scenes archival footage, making it the definitive way to watch this obscure gem.
• Devil Times Five Original Theatrical Poster (Reprint): A high-quality, full-size reproduction of the iconic original theatrical release poster for ‘Devil Times Five,’ capturing the chilling retro aesthetic of the film’s marketing campaign.
• Killer Kids: A Deep Dive into Sinister Cinema (Paperback Book): An insightful non-fiction book exploring the trope of ‘killer kids’ in horror cinema, featuring analytical essays and critiques of films ranging from classics like ‘The Bad Seed’ to cult favorites such as ‘Devil Times Five.’
• 70s Grindhouse Horror Collection (Digital Bundle): A curated digital film bundle featuring a collection of gritty, low-budget horror films from the 1970s, showcasing the raw, experimental, and often shocking side of grindhouse cinema. Includes films with similar tones to ‘Devil Times Five.’

🎧 Soundtrack

Devil Times Five features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Main Title (Peopletoys)” – performed by Wayne Henderson
• “Child’s Play” – performed by Wayne Henderson
• “The Lodge of Terror” – performed by Wayne Henderson
• “Snowy Demise” – performed by Wayne Henderson

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Devil Times Five – Good Bad Flicks

Ever wondered what makes ‘Devil Times Five’ tick, or why some might call it a ‘good bad’ movie? This insightful review from GoodBadFlicks really breaks down the film’s quirks and thrills, and I think it’s a perfect way to appreciate its unique charm.

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