Devil Times Five is a 1974 movie directed by Sean MacGregor and David Sheldon.
Devil Times Five tells the story of five kids who escape from a mental institution and terrorize a ski resort. Three vacationing couples each meet a brutal end.
If Oscars were awarded for Best Horror Movie Child Actor, Devil Times Five would boast some favorites.
Leif Garrett, Gail Smale and Tierre Turner are each brilliant in their respective roles.
Garrett is a scene stealer as David, the mercurial know-it-all pseudo prodigy. He inhabits the frustrations of a kid wanting to be taken seriously by adults, yet his vicious temper arises when he’s not. His exchanges with Sorrell Booke’s Harvey Beckman are cruel and hilarious.
After correcting Beckman’s calling him “a little guy”, he states: “We will be friends, Harvey Beckman.” David loses a game of chess to Beckman, then furiously throws the pieces. He begins to unravel. He dresses in drag – an homage to Beckman’s alcoholic wife – and smears on lipstick. “You’re all mine, Harvey Beckman.”
Smale is terrific as Sister Hannah, the pint-sized pretend nun who serves as the unofficial leader of the group. Her appearance is bleached out, resembling an albino and she features a penetrating, unsettling glare. The clueless adults at the resort take her seriously, despite her odd attempts at conversation. “I was noticing your hair. It’s very healthy.”
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