Attention Film Print Collectors!

Troma is currently working on a restoration project for the film, "The Children" also known as, "The Children of Ravensback."

Directed by Max Kalmanowicz and produced Carlton J. Albright, the movie was theatrically released in 1980. "The Children" played on about 2,500 screens in the U.S. alone. The original pre-print material that we have shows some signs of aging, and is in need of remastering, especially in reel #4.

Troma believes that film history, in the true spirit of independant art, merits preserving not only the "Lawrence of Arabia"'s or "Ben Hur"'s, but also the lower-budget, but important cinematic gems like, "The Children."

It is a truly chilling movie, involving a busload of children that have been transformed into murderous zombies by radioactive gas. The little ghouls, impervious to harm, systematically destroy a New England town.

If any collector has a 35mm release print that may be referenced or any other materials, we will gladly credit you on the DVD! It is a great film and we feel it should be seen in its best form. We at Troma are on a ongoing crusade to make sure films like this one are not lost forever.

Please contact info [at] troma [dot] com.

I remember this film. What is strange is I was trying to remember the name of it recently and couldn't. I really wish you the best in getting this one restored.

This is an awesome, really creepy movie, even better than "Village of the Damned" and "Island of the Damned" (aka "Who Can Kill a Child?"). I really hope a pristine print makes it to DVD.

They used to play this on USA a lot. When I was younger, I thought it was pretty scary, but the last time I saw it, it was ultra-cheesy...in other words, a disc that I would buy in a second.

*bump*

Well, I am anxiously awaiting this title! Aside from my original 27x41 one sheet, I'm afraid I can't help with locating an original 35 mm print of THE CHILDREN. I remember seeing this in the theatre as a kid in 1980, and it literally scared me for weeks afterward! A true favorite, along with similar titles such as BLOODY BIRTHDAY, which were then in vogue, the "Murderous Kids craze" of the late 1970s.

Any more news from Troma on THE CHILDREN?

Here's another thumbs up for this movie. I remember being scared watching this as a kid back in 1980 also. My sister unknowingly picked up a boot of this and I watched it for a trip down nostalgia lane. I hope Troma does a decent job (hell anything should be better than that boot).

I hope that Troma realizes that you need a interpostive for these types of restorations.

Release print isn't going to cut it unless they are using it for running time reference.


I just don't wanna see people burned. Some years ago I recall reading a story about a dvd company looking for a print in 70mm and this guy had one and lent it to the company and they destroyed the print.

man! I really need to find the newspaper movie ads I collected from when I was a kid, I think I even remember the ad for this, where some boy's head (in handdrawn form) is pictured from the nose up, with other children's heads in the background, as I recall I think it was double billed with another film.

Fangoria has june 28th as a release date for THE CHILDREN at their site.

From what I've read so far, Troma 'restored' a 35mm source print and the DVD is getting its final touches. The bad news is the film is *not* in its OAR!

Bad news concerning a Troma release? That's a new one.

I wish Brentwood would release it since they would have it for cheaper and sometimes they do put out widescreen versions. On the other hand if it was full-frame, I wouldn't mind as much since I would have bought it in a 10 pack and paid about what Troma would rip us off for.

I've got an early review copy of the DVD. Here's the short version -- It is indeed full-frame. The print used for the transfer is riddled with cuts, scratches, green lines, and bad splices. In other words, it doesn't look very good. Full review soon.

Here's my review.

I guess they didn't get all the help that they needed....

last I spoke with the director, he was not even contacted!!!!!

you know guys, we HAVE to tell Troma when they pick up these favorites of ours that played theatrical, that OAR is a must! We attack MGM, Sony, etc when they do this, well maybe to get our voice heard to Troma, we have to let them know no OAR=NO SALE!

I've been sick of Troma doing this for years and it seems that since they are indie and go against the big studios lots of people cut them slack when they produce shoddy after shoddy product.

Does anyone know if this is the movie where the director was interested in helping out but Troma kept acting like they didn't know he existed and made no effort to get with him or was that another movie that Troma screwed up?

From what I can gather from the DVD, the director wasn't involved at all, but the prodcuer was. Actually, the DVD cover declares "Carlton Albright's THE CHILDREN", as opposed to having the director's name in front of the film. During the interviews on the DVD, the producer doesn't have many nice things to say about the director. Still, one would think that the producer would have access to a better-looking print than the one used for this DVD.

i just got my copy of it today..finally glad to at least have this movie in some form but dam..troma you suck

I love this..."Troma needs your help to save the Children!"

Sorry, I have nothing else to add to the conversation.