The New Kids

Plot synopsis:
Abby McWilliams (Lori Loughlin) and her brother Loren McWilliams (Shannon Presby) are a pair of teenagers.
When their parents Mac (Tom Atkins) and Mary Beth (Jean de Baer) are killed in an accident, and it's decided that Abby and Loren will live in the small town of Glenby, Florida with their uncle Charlie (Eddie Jones) and aunt Fay (Lucy Martin), who own a gas station and a small amusement park, both of which are on Charlie and Fay's property.
Loren and Abby do not have much trouble making friends at the high school in Glenby. Loren starts dating Karen (Paige Lyn Price), who is the daughter of the local sheriff (Court Miller), while Abby starts dating a guy named Mark (Eric Stoltz).
Loren feels uncomfortable when he sees a guy with blond hair harassing Abby one day at school in the cafeteria. Mark tells Loren and Abby that the blond haired guy is Eddie Dutra (James Spader), a drug-addicted teenager whose henchmen are Gideon (John Philbin), Moonie (David H. MacDonald), Gordo (Theron Montgomery), and Joe Bob (Vince Grant).
Dutra thinks Abby is very attractive, and that's why he wants to get his hands on her. Loren helps Abby keep Dutra at a distance, and Dutra does not like that at all.
Dutra and his gang start retaliating against Loren for keeping them away from Abby. Dutra's retaliations keep getting more and more vicious until Dutra forces a showdown at the amusement park by kidnapping Abby.
Charlie is severely injured by Dutra. Gordo is killed by a vicious dog, and Dutra kills the dog. Loren causes Moonie to be thrown to his death from the Ferris wheel, then Loren causes Joe Bob to be electrocuted above the bumper car ride, then Loren uses the roller coaster to decapitate Gideon.
Dutra then fires a shot at Abby, who flees to the parking lot of the gas station, where Dutra hits her with the gun. Dutra then grabs a nozzle from one of the gas pumps and lights it up to be used as a flame thrower. Loren grabs Dutra, and Loren and Dutra struggle over the nozzle. Dutra dies when Loren forces the nozzle to Dutra's face, setting Dutra on fire.
On the next day, the newspaper headline reads: Bloodbath at Funland—Five die as dope crazed vandals terrorize amusement park. Charlie survives his injuries, and the park is reopened after it is repaired. As Abby, Loren and his girlfriend, Karen, drive away in a car, Joe Bob's little brother looks on in a threatening state.

Tags: revenge, murder

Review:
Cunningham (the man behind such films like 'Friday the 13th', 'A Stranger Is Watching ' and 'Deepstar Six') takes a stab at a routine (but gutsy) revenge/vigilante thriller set in the good ol' south of Florida with a group of feuding teenagers at the core.
The plot is familiar in structure, but the bold dialogues and sweaty developments make it rather amusing.Loren and Abby are brother and sister, who go to live with their uncle Charlie in a small town in Florida, after the death of their parents.
A brother and sister (Shannon Presby and Lori Loughlin) lose their parents in a tragic accident, and are sent to live with relatives in Florida.
The New Kids is probably best for fans of the cast or anyone satisfied by mediocre teen 80s movies.
This is one of those movies about a bunch of psychotic weirdos trying to do as much damage as possible to two innocent victims, leaving you to wonder what the heck these kids did to push the antagonists so far over the edge.Here, our innocent victims are Abby (Lori Laughlin) and Loren (Shannon Presby).
After their parents died, the brother and sister go to live in an amusement park (how awesome is that?) where their relatives (surrogate parent-types) live and work.The psychos are led by Eddie Dutra (James Spader) a sadistic albino, and his gang of merry men (one of which is the excellent John Philbin who 80s fans will remember as 'Turtle' from the surf adventure, North Shore).
Cunningham ("Friday the 13th") offers an original variation of both the revenge thriller and vigilante action movie, since it has ordinary common high school teenagers in the lead roles.
Following the sudden death of their beloved parents in an accident, athletic siblings Loren and Abby McWilliams move to Florida to help restore their uncle's ramshackle amusement park.
Brother and sister Loren (Shannon Presby) and Abby (Lori Loughlin) find their lives turned upside down when their parents are killed in a car crash.
Naturally, they become the target of the local bullies led by Eddie Dutra (James Spader, with bleach blonde hair, horrific shirts and ridiculous accent).
The film ends with the ridiculous coda of the Uncle's theme park thriving because of the shootout that happened there and a younger sibling of those offering a stare that can only mean THE NEW KIDS II.
And that list definitely has The New Kids in there somewhere.The story revolves around a brother and sister who are trying to live their lives with their Uncle in Florida after the tragic deaths of their parents.
THE NEW KIDS is top-of-the-line moviemaking with a gleefully sleazy gloss.Cunningham, director of the first FRIDAY THE 13TH and the godawful DEEP STAR SIX, really does himself proud in this Southern-set rape/revenge thriller.Two kids, whose parents have died, start a new life at their uncle and aunt's luridly low rent carnival.Lori Laughlin, who plays one of the kids, becomes the target of sociopathic Dutra (James Spader in his best perf ever) and his gang of disgusting miscreants because she's so damn delicious looking.
It is extremely well directed and acted and moves at a peppy clip.You really do care about the characters and the film's Lalo Schifrin score nails the drama like a whore to a floorboard,The carnival setting is a doozy and a triumph of production design; and the film's final scene has a black, perverse feel to it that had me nodding with approval.A classic, and I'm not going to follow that with "of it's genre" because I'm tired of reviewers singling out films like this as less noteworthy because they're nasty.Nope, a classic piece of cinema in anybody's book and titled STRIKING BACK in some markets..
The New Kids is a likable eighties movie from veteran horror director/producer Sean S.
The great, young cast is fun to watch, including Eric Stoltz (Killing Zoe) and James Spader (Wolf), who is hilarious and evil at the same time as the crazy redneck, Dutra.
"The New Kids" is about average for this kind of film: competently if not stylishly made, routinely written, reasonably rousing for its big finish, and full of characters whom you can either like or loathe.
Cunningham, who despite efforts like this will always be best known as the original "Friday the 13th" guy, does a decent job, working from a script by future director Stephen Gyllenhaal (who also happens to be the father of Jake and Maggie G.).
Certainly there is some capable production design present here, as well as a good music score by the always reliable Lalo Schifrin.Lori Loughlin ('Full House') and Shannon Presby (making his only feature film appearance here) play Abby and Loren MacWilliams, two nice, ordinary teens who end up living with their uncle Charlie (Eddie Jones, 'Lois & Clark') and Aunt Fay (Lucy Martin, "Cops and Robbers") in Florida.
Things escalate until a bloody showdown at the amusement park that uncle Charlie operates.Cunningham does work with a pretty good cast here, also including Eric Stoltz as nice guy Mark, John Philbin ("The Return of the Living Dead"), the great (and too briefly seen) Tom Atkins ("Night of the Creeps") as Abby and Lorens' dad, Brad Sullivan ("The Untouchables") as Colonel Jenkins, and John D.
Following the tragic death of their marine father (Atkins) the surviving son and daughter go to live with the Uncle and Aunt out on an amusement park, out in the country.
A group of bullies led by Eddie Dutra (Spader) in one of his best performances, have been terrorising the town's folk, on a daily basis.
When rejected by Loughlin who'd rather date the clean cut Stoltz, again in a very nice boy role, Spader takes it not ever so lightly, so begins a nightmare of terror and games for the new kids, who are finally forced to strike back, as enough becomes enough.
There's an irony to him and the park burning down at the end, just check out Grandview U.S.A. Spader plays bad well, if seeing him in the current The Blacklist is any indication, where I'd call it a solid confirmation, The Blacklist, being the acting pinnacle of his career.
The catalyst of the movie, of course being Spader's rejection, it was interesting to see how far he would personally take it, and when the new kids returned fire, it's a much gladdened moment.
The New Kids a.k.a Striking Back isn't good or great, but a thrilling good time or one flick to kill 90 minutes of revenge loving viewing, where the onus really falls on the weight of the performers who do deliver good acting..
Somewhere out there, there is a guy named "Shannon Presby" who can tell his family and friends that he was top-billed over Spader in a movie.
The New Kids is the story of a couple of army brats who have to move in with relatives in rural Florida after their parents are killed in the first couple minutes of the film.
The amusement park is used as the location for the final showdown between the gang and the new kids, but it just isn't utilized all that well.
Teenage orphans Abby (Lori Loughlin) and Loren (Shannon Presby) go to live with their aunt and uncle in Florida, who run a combination gas station and amusement park.
Abby attracts the attention of scumbag Eddie Dutra (James Spader) and his redneck buddies.
Now it's a life or death showdown vs the rednecks.Not a horror movie like the poster implies but an action-thriller that sadly has nothing to do with New Kids on the Block.
At their new school, the girl, Abby, soon gets harrased by a gang of redneck bullies, led by James Spader, who want her to date them, but won't take no for an answer.
"the new kids" is quite possibly the greatest movie ever filmed.
There is senseless violence and gore, and james spader's character Dutra is the greatest performence in movie history.
The New Kids starts off in teen drama mode, with brother and sister Loren and Abby (Shannon Presby and Lori Loughlin) going to stay with their uncle and aunt in Florida after both of their parents are killed in a car crash.
At their new school, the siblings run into trouble with a gang of redneck thugs led by drug dealing sociopath Dutra (James Spader at his most loathsome), but hold their own having been brought up to be tough as nails by their army colonel father (Tom Atkins).
Pretty blonde Karen (Paige Lyn Price) and ginger nice guy Mark (Eric Stoltz) are suitably impressed.Unfortunately for the kids, matters slowly escalate, until Dutra and his cronies eventually abduct Abby and hold her and her uncle captive at his ramshackle amusement park.
This part of the film makes great use of its fun-land setting, with Loren sending one gang member to his death from a ferris wheel, electrocuting another on the dodgems, and crushing one guy's head with a roller-coaster car.
"The New Kids" is a mid-Eighties exploitation thriller directed by the man who helmed the first "Friday the 13th" movie, Sean S.
Cunningham, and starring James Spader and Eric Stoltz, both in minor roles.
Almost immediately they discover that this town has a problem with gang violence, centred in the high school.The titular "New Kids" are played by Lori Loughlin, from the classic Eighties teen flick "Secret Admirer" and the awful sitcom "Full House", and some guy called Shannon Presby, who never went on to much else after this overlooked movie.
It seems obvious pretty early on that Spader or Stoltz should have played his role.After introducing themselves as bullies on the first day of school, we see the gang playing target practice in the woods with jars full of urine, and making a bet that they can "pop the new girl's cherry".
Rebuffed like "Dutra" (Spader), he spits on the screen of the microfiche reader Loughlin was wearing.The gang attack the New Kids' barn with their pick up truck, and you get the impression the movie is just going to turn into a succession of increasingly aggressive attacks on them by the gang, until a big showdown, when the gang will lose (obviously).While repairing the barn, this Shannon Presby guy is approached by an attractive blonde classmate who has been giving him the eye.
She climbs up the ladder with him and is almost as aggressive in her affection as the two guys that hit on Loughlin.The movie takes a surprising, homoerotic turn when Presby sneaks into Dutra (James Spader)'s house at night time and threatens him with a knife.
Nothing we have seen from Presby's character so far hinted at all that he would be capable of this - it makes you wonder who the real bad guy in the movie is.
This is actually worse than what Dutra's gang have done to the New Kids.This is just further proof that Spader should have played the lead.
They just seem like typical school bullies.The ending does feature one creative scene, a pit bull trained to go for blood finding its target, but the movie avoids graphic violence.Overall, "The New Kids" isn't interesting enough to recommend..
Lori Loughlin is as beautiful as ever in this film (She was 18-19 at the time, and three years after this release she was cast on Full House.
Military brats Abby McWilliams (Lori Loughlin) and her brother Loren (Shannon Presby) have to move in with their aunt and uncle after their hero dad is killed with their mom in a car crash.
Then local thug leader platinum blonde Eddie Dutra (James Spader) comes sniffing around.
James Spader is pretty good as the bad guy although his blonde hair is so crazy.
This action packed classic features early performances by James Spader and Lori Loughlin, before Full House was put on the map.
The New Kids is a story about two young teens, a brother and a sister, who get up early every morning to stay fit with their father, a military family man who has earned his respect.
It doesn't take long at all before the kids become the target of a ruthless punk named Dutra ( James Spader.) Dutra makes unwanted advances on Abby, played by Lori Loughlin.
) The New Kids is a treat for horror fans, it has in depth character performances, some great violent scenes, and a great story line plot.
Weird and financially irresponsible, but nice folks.At school the siblings are literally tormented at every possible moment by a gang of redneck bullies led by James Spader.
All because they're the new kids.There's never really a scene where the family contacts the police and is denied help because Spader is the mayor's son or something like that.
This made me feel less sorry for the family as the bullies could have gone to jail for these very serious crimes.The acting and production quality are average but there's nothing special, interesting, or entertaining about 'The New Kids' leave it alone.The only reason this film is even mentioned online today is that to die hard James Spader fans it's a classic.
While I can see a Spader fan being amused for 5 minutes at him playing a redneck it hardly justifies a 90 minute bad movie..
I wont give the plot away but basically weirdo leader Eddie sets his sites on pretty Abby who turns him down as nicely as possible but i guess this guy does not take rejection lightly so basically a battle is waged against Abby and her brother by the weird gang of rednecks...in the mix there is an amusement park getting fixed up and animals getting slaughtered.
I had first seen the new kids back when it was released although not a horror film,it is more like death wish,Sean Cunningham who did the original Friday the 13th back in 1980,really did a great job with producing this thriller about two teens who go to live with their aunt and uncle down in Florida.at a low rent theme park called Santa's fun land.well the move is not a pleasant one,the teens Lori and Shannon run into a unpleasant gang of teens led by creepy dutra played by the very talented James Spader following his break through performance in 1985's tuff turf.great performances by all.i thought the new kids was a very thrilling b-movie with a great cast.Eric stoltz is also on hand as a friendly teen who is there to help.well the new kids is a great 80's b movie that you will not forget.Spader deserved an award for this creepy performance.10 out of 10.
The New Kids (1985) is a rural horror film about two teens (Loren Loughlin and Shannon Presby) who have two move to the country when their parents (Tom Atkins and Jean De Baer) die in a horrible auto accident.
Eric Stoltze co-stars as a local youth who befriends the siblings and the ever shady James Spader co-stars as Eddie Dutra the leader of a "youth" group who makes life hard for the kids.
Too find out you'll just have to watch Sean Cunningham's The New Kids, a new kind of terror from the makers of Friday THE 13TH.Highly recommended.P.S. When will this come out on D.V.D.?.
Abby(Lori Loughlin)and Loren McWilliams(Shannon Presby)are two teenagers who have just lost their parents in a terrible car accident.Their Uncle Charlie decides invites brother and sister to his splendid amusement park in South Florida.Abby attracts the attention of the psychotic Eddie Dutra (James Spader)and his gang of redneck hooligans.Two siblings are harassed and bullied by vicious thugs,but this is only the beginning..."The New Kids" by Sean "Friday the 13th" Cunningham is an enjoyable and quite violent revenge thriller with few gruesome scenes and plenty of exciting action.I particularly enjoyed James Spader's performance as drug dealing Eddie.The final scenes of "The New Kids" are jaw-droppingly awesome.8 butchered rabbits out of 10..
In The New Kids, a brother and a sister lose their parents in a car accident, so they move down to Florida with their aunt and uncle who run a little junkyard looking amusement park.
Lori Loughlin's character Abby is one of the protagonists of the film, yet she's totally static and seems barely phased by the death of her parents or the psychopathic actions of James Spader's character, Dutra and his gang of goons.
Abby's brother Loren, played by Shannon Presby is a little more "dynamic" in his delivery, but he's made out to be like an unrealistic poster boy; well combed and always in control of the situation.
Lester's CLASS OF 1984 but it's not for lack of trying.Army brats Lori Loughlin and Shannon Presby go to live with their aunt and uncle in Florida.
The New Kids, like the hero of STRAW DOGS, finally realize that it's time to fight back or die, to kill or be killed.
As others have stated, Shannon Presby and Lori Loughlin play brother and sister, orphaned by the death of their parents in a car accident, who go to Florida to live with their dads brother and his wife.
When they start high school there, James Spader and his little gang of Southern rednecks start bullying them, especially when Lori rejects their advances.
It's Sean Cunningham's (Friday the 13th) 1985 opus, The New Kids.No offense to our friends from Horror and Sons, but Florida is the most frightening state in the nation.
Just ask Abby (Loughlin) and Loren McWilliams (Shannon Presby, who quit acting after this movie).
No, I don't think that gas pumps work that way, either.Becca woke up and came downstairs to watch some of my late night viewing of The New Kids and said, "This is one of those movies where they just show you stuff that happens to people and it's all horrible.
Who would even like this kind of movie?" That's probably the best summation I can think of, but I also loved James Spader in this and it confirms my theory: no one can be that good at being a lunatic without being a lunatic.