Director: Nicolas Gessner
Screenplay: Laird Koenig
Based on a novel by: Laird Koenig
Starring: Jodie Foster, Scott Jacoby, Martin Sheen, Alexis Smith, Mort Shuman
Country: France, Canada
Running Fourth dimension: 92 min
Year: 1976
BBFC Document: 15

Jodie Foster had quite a year in 1976. Only 13 when the year came around, she'd already enjoyed a successful career with dozens of TV credits and a couple of films under her belt. 1976 marked the offset of her transition from child role player in family shows and Disney movies to a truly achieved actress though. Inside ane yr she starred in the cult classic (at least in more recent years) Bugsy Malone, family favourite Freaky Friday and, about notably, Martin Scorsese'due south Taxi Driver, in which she played a pre-boyish prostitute. With these films she cemented her place in movie house history in ane fell dive. There was another pic released that year though that is less talked about, The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (plus Echoes of a Summer, only I know footling about that). It won awards for best horror film and best actress for Foster at the Academy of Scientific discipline Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, so within genre circles information technology was well regarded, merely it certainly doesn't share the reputation of the three other 1976 titles I mentioned before. Signal One Entertainment felt the demand to address the balance a little though and gave the film a decent Blu-Ray release in the UK a couple of years agone. I recently got my easily on a copy and here are my thoughts on information technology

The Lilliputian Daughter Who Lives Downwardly the Lane sees Foster play Rynn, a xiii year onetime girl living on her own in a small-scale town, just hiding the fact to her rather nosey neighbours. She tells them her father is a poet that is always working upstairs and doesn't want to be disturbed. I neighbour, Frank Hallet (Martin Sheen), is a sleazy human being, known by the townsfolk for having a taste for immature girls and he sees Rynn'southward isolation as an opportunity. Frank's mother (Alexis Smith), who owns the property Rynn rents, is besides suspicious of the situation and continues to snoop effectually, until she is accidentally killed later on discovering a night hole-and-corner in the house. Rynn hides her trunk, but local teenager Mario (Scott Jacoby) bumps into her and tin see something isn't right. As the two develop a strong bond, Rynn decides to let him in on her underground and the two do their all-time to go on on pinnacle of things.

This is a most unusual footling film and information technology's no surprise it'south non as well known as many of Foster's other roles. The premise and avenues the story goes down are quite odd, which is always welcome in my book. Nonetheless, it's all rather far-fetched and gets quite ridiculous at times. The fact that Mario so hands accepts what Rynn has done and helps out with her grisly activities after simply having known her for a day or two is specially difficult to eat.

The film's rather stagey also, with pretty much the whole pic taking place in or around Rynn'southward house. Although it could be classed as a horror film, it's more of a talk-heavy dark drama in this sense. It's certainly never scary, although Sheen'south grapheme is pretty disturbing to watch, if a little over the top.

What keeps the film afloat notwithstanding is Foster. Fifty-fifty at this young historic period she had the ability to carry a film and she truly does here. She's in practically every scene, whereas she was definitely only a supporting player in Taxi Driver and Bugsy Malone. The movie would fall autonomously without just the right actress and Foster is perfect for the role, due to her onetime-beyond-her-years nature. She balances common cold and mysterious with warm and lovable to just the right caste to brand the more ridiculous aspects of the film just nearly piece of work.

As not bad as Foster is, it'southward hard to course The Picayune Girl Who Lives Down the Lane every bit much more than than a curiosity though. Stagey and far-fetched, it's not one of the finest genre films of the 70s, although it'south enjoyably unique and worth watching for Foster'southward functioning.

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane is out now on Blu-Ray & DVD in the Uk, released by Point One Amusement. I watched the Blu-Ray version and the transfer is excellent, with a generally sharp motion-picture show with nice natural grain and colours.

The only special characteristic of note is a commentary past DVD Delirium'south Nathaniel Thompson and Tim Greer. They're a good pair, with a lot of knowledge to impart and an occasionally fun chemistry.

The Trivial Girl Who Lives Down the Lane