Jennifer (1978)

That was an excellent one.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

Considering how blatantly this movie imitates "Carrie", it's more entertaining than it really has any right to be. Key to its degree of success is the effectiveness of its protagonist and antagonist. You sympathize with our title character and are very put off by the cruelty of her nemesis. In fact, the acting is generally good, the filmmaking adequate. There is a certain amount of cheesiness on display, at least in the big finale where Jennifer unleashes Hell on her tormentors. Some of the special effects are pretty damn laughable.Lovely Lisa Pelikan plays Jennifer, a rural type who's earned a scholarship to a lavish private school. She lives with her widowed father Luke (legendary acting teacher and character actor Jeff Corey), a very religious pet store owner. At school her situation is dire, as snot nosed spoiled rotten jerks led by Sandra (Amy Johnston, "The Buddy Holly Story") ostracize Jennifer mostly just because she's not from their social circle. Fortunately for Jennifer she has an ability that will eventually serve her well: the ability to control deadly snakes.The cast of familiar faces includes Bert Convy as nice guy science teacher Jeff Reed, Nina Foch (who, like Corey, had success as both a performer and an acting teacher) as snooty headmistress Mrs. Calley, John Gavin ("Psycho" '60) as Sandras' politician father, Louise Hoven as overweight sad sack Jane Delano, Ray Underwood ("Massacre at Central High") as cruel jock Dayton, and Wesley Eure as "Pit", one of Sandras' and Daytons' friends. Pelikan as Jennifer is appealing, while Johnston is just so damn perfect - easily rivalling Nancy Allen in "Carrie" for vindictive, mean-spirited bitchiness - that the viewer relishes waiting for her comeuppance. Corey plays the role of the Bible thumping parent with a lot more subtlety than Piper Laurie did before him; he's good, but nowhere near as memorable. Only Eure tends to get under utilized.The movie comes complete with an unsubtle condemnation of upper crust types who think that they should be allowed to do anything that they want. It's all worth it just for that hilarious closing moment, as we hope to see *something* happen to a certain someone.Seven out of 10.

Jennifer is a Carrie clone in one sense. The other sense is it's a dull, not much happening, kind of film. Lisa Pelican as the taunted outsider Carrie type, is great, where Bert Convy's performance, as a concerned teacher, who befriends her, ironically kind of fits the dullness and sombre air of this film. These real posh bitches, an almost intolerable sort, steal the show, who keep taunting, new scholar, Jennifer, who receives less than a warm welcome at this upper class school, where she's rural, and of a lower class. They just keep coming at her until she finally breaks. I did like that continuity, and that did work. I was so waiting for Jennifer to break, and return forth vengeance on her taunters with her special gift. I wonder if you can guess what this is. Unlike Carrie, Jennifer, I'm afraid is just a time passer, one car on fire scene, resembling the one in Carrie's. Pelican is the only one, who's been done wrong here.

There are a lot of similarities between Carrie and Jennifer (over-religious single parent, school snobbery, pent up anger sparking supernatural revenge, and I guess even at one point toward the end having Jennifer looking remarkably similar to Margaret White at the end of Carrie). Jennifer's power involves control over snakes, whereas Carrie had control over practically everything.Jennifer is played by Lisa Peliken, who is excellent in this. She gets a scholarship to a ritzy school, and her poor background and lack of wealth make her an easy target. She almost instantly gets on the bad side of the biggest clique in the school, led by Chris Hargensen-like Sandra. The special effects (especially a giant snake) are poor, but it is a fun, dated movie to watch.

Intriguing film clearly designed to cash in on the success of "Carrie" (the film's main protagonist is somewhat a misfit in her surroundings, is tormented by her cruel schoolmates, has special powers, and lives alone with one parent who is a religious fanatic) however this is also quite effective in its own right.Best thing in the film is the characterisation of the schoolgirls and their relationships with one another. Lisa Pelikan is effective in the title role and particularly well drawn is the chubby girl Jane who puts up with being used by her popular friends lest she be expelled from the group. The scheming schoolgirls are so evil and this is so well portrayed that the audience really wants to see them get it. This creates tension as we await the promised cataclysm and this helps keep the film bubbling along.Unfortunately when this cataclysm is finally reached it seems rushed and comes as somewhat a let-down. Though there are some chilling scenes throughout the film (particularly good are the scenes in the swimming pool at night) the only real mayhem is all saved up for the very end. And oh yes there are a couple of other "Carrie" inspired moments during the concluding scenes too.Most annoying thing is Jennifer's father who is quite dull and whiny and rambles on through most of the film. Unfortunately Jeff Corey is not good enough in the role to make us chilled or unnerved by his character's preaching, just bored.