I can see why kids like this film and can even understand why adults who saw it as a child could be sentimental for it. But if you are over 14 and haven't seen it, I think you would be pretty disappointed. First off, the acting. Bette Davis and David McCallum are good, the rest are pretty bad although Kyle Richards gets a pass due to her age and her creepy performance in the original ending. The special effects are weak even for that period. The storyline is very weak as you can see every setup and turn coming a mile off (Narek indeed, the overlapping circles). So what was good? The directing - the pacing of the film is perfect - and it does reasonably hold your interest by revealing little bits and pieces are regular intervals. The cinematography is also good and the music. The sets were well chosen.
But, and here come the spoilers, the biggest problem is that it doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Bette Davis will only rent to the right people which means a family that has a daughter who looks like her lost daughter. And she talks to the entity in the woods about whether this is what it wants (I guess you can accept that she's somewhat psychic). Even though Bette has no idea why she should have someone like this around (you think it would be painful). Then there are all the scenes where the entity seems to be trying to hurt Jan (e.g. at the pond, on the bridge). How does three kids doing some club initiation open an interdimensional wormhole? Or is that just the biggest coincidence in the world (lightning and the eclipse and the ceremony)? If so, why do they have to do it again - what does it really accomplish? Why does breaking the circle matter? Why was Karen frozen but the entity could move around in our world? If the entity was just trying to prevent Jan was leaving so she could be at the ceremony, why would they be in danger at the bridge? And the motorcycle accident scene - yet another giant coincidence or is Jan the girl most likely to die in freak accidents? Sorry folks, just way too many "huh?" moments in this to make it watchable.
And the alternate endings are horrible. Stick with the original (84 minute version) as at least it leaves you with a sense of wonder.
But, and here come the spoilers, the biggest problem is that it doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Bette Davis will only rent to the right people which means a family that has a daughter who looks like her lost daughter. And she talks to the entity in the woods about whether this is what it wants (I guess you can accept that she's somewhat psychic). Even though Bette has no idea why she should have someone like this around (you think it would be painful). Then there are all the scenes where the entity seems to be trying to hurt Jan (e.g. at the pond, on the bridge). How does three kids doing some club initiation open an interdimensional wormhole? Or is that just the biggest coincidence in the world (lightning and the eclipse and the ceremony)? If so, why do they have to do it again - what does it really accomplish? Why does breaking the circle matter? Why was Karen frozen but the entity could move around in our world? If the entity was just trying to prevent Jan was leaving so she could be at the ceremony, why would they be in danger at the bridge? And the motorcycle accident scene - yet another giant coincidence or is Jan the girl most likely to die in freak accidents? Sorry folks, just way too many "huh?" moments in this to make it watchable.
And the alternate endings are horrible. Stick with the original (84 minute version) as at least it leaves you with a sense of wonder.