the pit

A Canadian-produced horror film shot in the small town of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, The Pit (1981) is an outlier amongst the usual slasher and body-horror flicks Canucks were producing at the time. Combining mental illness, pubescent hormones, evil teddy bears and flesh-eating cavemen, the kitchen-sink approach often feels creatively cramped and unintentional campy. But there are some disturbing ideas underneath it all that discerning (or maybe forgiving) horror fans might find by scratching the surface.

12-year-old Jamie Benjamin (Sammy Snyders) is a bit on the odd side. Shunned by his parents and unable to make friends, Jamie has an unhealthy obsession with the opposite sex, which makes him even more unappealing to the teachers at his new school. But babysitter Sandy O'Reilly (Jeannie Elias) is willing to give it a shot. Taking care of Jamie while his parents are away, she finds herself sympathizing with him and trying to temper his hormonal impulses.

But unfortunately the biggest influence in Jamie's life is Teddy, his stuffed bear who gives out questionable advice. And their discovery of a trio of troglodytes living in an open pit in the forest leads to a catastrophically bad idea: feeding all the "bad people" in the neighborhood to his prehistoric menagerie down below. Things go from bad to worse once the "food" runs out and Jamie decides to let the trogs run wild in the Wisconsin wilderness!

Ostensibly part of the "evil kid" genre, The Pit handles Jamie's problems in a more mature fashion. In fact, a few tweaks here and there would have produced a serious portrayal of childhood mental illness. But horror pays the bills, so blinking teddy bears and gut-munching monsters interrupt what would have otherwise been a pretty daring piece of drama.

None of it blends together very well. Director Lew Lehman comes off as tone deaf, jumping between a serious tale of childhood obsession and a cut-rate creature feature desperate for laughs. And kicking things off with a flash-forward that doesn't tie together until nearly an hour into the film doesn't help much either. The Pit, by its producer's own admission, is a piece of crap.

But there are some solid performances, moderately creepy make-up effects and an unsettling air of unpredictability that keeps you guessing what could possibly happen next. And you certainly don't get that from Canadian imports like My Blood Valentine or Happy Birthday To Me. At the very least, The Pit takes a leap of faith; even if it doesn't stick the landing there's still a thrill in the attempt.

Kino Lorber's newly re-mastered Blu-ray is a bit rougher around the edges visually than some of their recent work, most likely due to the condition of the original materials. Extras include an audio commentary and interviews with stars Sammy Snyders, Jeannie Elias, composer Victor Davies and screenwriter Ian A. Stuart who digs up the most dirt on the production.