Stranger in Our House

Linda Blair as a teen at a ranch in Southern Cal suspects her cousin of being a witch

A tragically orphaned cousin from the Ozarks (Lee Purcel) comes to live with the wealthy Bryant family at a small ranch in SoCal. The teen daughter (Linda Blair) starts to discern something sinister about her. Havoc ensues.

"Summer of Fear" (1978), aka “Stranger in Our House,” is a drama/thriller with elements of horror. Although a TV production, it was directed by Wes Craven and is highlighted by winsome Blair, who was 18 during shooting in 1977. The plot is similar to the future “Poison Ivy” (1992), but with the witchcraft angle.

In the 70s, films like this took the low-key approach and were the better for it. When supernatural elements finally break out, it’s actually shocking because up to that point the audience is lulled into a rather relaxed state due to the mundane drama. The original version of “Carrie” is a good example; compare the 1976 version to the 2013 version: the telekinesis in the latter is so amped up it's almost a parody.

Fran Drescher is notable in a peripheral role in one of her earliest works; she was 20 at the time of shooting.

The movie runs around 1 hour, 39 minutes, and was shot at Hidden Hills, California, which is about 20 miles west of Hollywood and just north of the Santa Monica Mountains.

GRADE: B