What makes it different from others?

one of my absolute favorites!

A Disappointing Continuation

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Two college-age girls travel to farming country to console their friend, whose husband was recently killed in a tractor accident in their barn (which no one attempts to investigate or explain). The land appears to be cursed, yet the leader of the local religious sect, the Hittites, wants the young widow to vacate so his people can take it over. Director and co-scenarist Wes Craven takes the Amish way of life and style of dress and makes it macabre...but not frightening enough to bolster this wayward whodunit with occult overtones. Ernest Borgnine gives an amusingly glinty-eyed performance as the intimidating leader of the Hittites, and gets the best lines ("You are a stench in the nostrils of God!"). The mixture of T&A and terror wasn't invented here, though it's disheartening to see talented Craven stooping to this cheesy level. His career went soft during the slasher era, not receiving a boost until "A Nightmare on Elm Street" rescued him three years later. *1/2 from ****

"Deadly Blessing" is a surprisingly good horror movie from Wes Craven. It has Ernest Borgnine (Marty (1954)), Maren Jensen, otherwise known as Athena on Battlestar Galactica - The Complete Epic Series, and a young Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct). The Hittites (loosely based on the Hutterites/Amish) are an enclosed community, shunning modern technology. One of their own has left the fold to marry Maren. He suffers deadly consequences. As a widow, Maren is comforted by her friends. There's plenty of craziness, a questioning of societal mores. The Hittites somehow to manage to blend Eastern Orthodox sacred music with Catholic practices all the while being good Bible-quoting Protestants. The ending fight scenes are all between women, and the proper young lady Faith (Lisa Hartman) turns out to be androgynous. For some in the audience, Maren's frequent nudity is satisfying in its own way. The climactic scene... well, it makes no sense.Director Wes Craven obviously used "Deadly Blessing" as practicing grounds for his future horror exploits. One example is a very familiar camera angle used in "Deadly Blessing" that he re-used in the original "A Nightmare on Elm Street." It left me smiling throughout the entire sequence. One thing I'll give Craven is he knows how to drum up enough suspense to make you nervously bite your fingernails through pacing and editing alone. There are some genuinely nerve-wracking moments in "Deadly Blessing." The movie boasts an interesting variety of cast members at various times in their careers. "Deadly Blessing" is Maren Jensen's ("Battlestar Galactica") last big-screen role. It features Sharon Stone in one of her first film appearances. Genre-favorite Michael Berryman ("The Hills Have Eyes") appears as a creepy mentally handicapped Hittite. Ernest Borgnine had already won Academy and Golden Globe Awards before taking the role of cult leader Isaiah. Any other actor of his caliber probably would've stuck his nose up in the air and walked away when offered this role in a low-budget horror film. Borgnine instead throws himself into the character and adds a level of class to the movie that takes it to a whole new level.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

Before his shoddy period in the mid 80's to '90's(besides Serpent and the Rainbow)Craven did some very decent work in the late 70's to early '80 and Deadly Blessing is one of them. Filled with beautiful scenery, awesome scary set pieces, and pretty good acting and pacing. The only weak points are the script and a ending that feels like a cop-out.After her husband is killed in a "accident", recently widowed Martha(Marleen Jensen) is visited by her college friends Vicky(Susan Buckner) and Lana(Sharon Stone) in her home surrounded by a ultra-conservative religious cult. They are not too happy that she is staying and not selling her dead, ex-cult member husband's farm left to him by his tyrannical father(Ernest Borgnine) who believes that she and her friends are in line with the devil. Could it be the cult that is trying to scare Martha into selling?While the story, ending, and plot work against him Craven is still in his prime here. His creepy set-pieces are second to none and he is one of the best of doing what I like to call the "jump" scare. Do not watch this one if you have a phobia of snakes or spiders. In the end the movie does scare you and for a horror movie you cannot ask for anything else, just do not try to think about it too hard.

Up until recently I have never heard of this movie, all I knew before I saw it was that this was Sharon Stone's first ever speaking role, and now that I finally got round to seeing this, well I was pleasantly surprised.The plot = Set in the Amish country, where a young woman named Martha (Maren Jensen) and her husband John (Jeff East) are hated by the Hitites because John was once one of them and now he's married Martha who they think is an incubus. But when her husband dies in a mysterious tractor accident, she invites her 2 friends Vicky (Susan Buckner) and Lana (Sharon Stone) and once they arrive strange things begin to happen.I really liked this movie and I don't know why this isn't more remembered by some other of Wes Craven's work, Well I must say that this movie is really solid and really packs a punch. I thought the story was really unique and perfect for a horror setting. I really liked the sort or religious aspect of this movie as well, I mean the Hitities are hilarious with they're questionable moral views and over the top rants. Not only was the story interesting but the performances were really strong as well.As I've already said the acting in this movie is really strong and top notch Maren Jensen was really outstanding as the female lead, I don't know why she isn't more well known, she brings depth and warmth to her character. Ernest Borgnine was really entertaining as the leader of the Hitites really chews up the scenery but in a good way and steals every scene he's in with his brilliantly ridiculous rants. Michael Berryman another horror star (The Hills Have Eyes) was awesome but didn't get enough screen time, Susan Brukner who plays one of the 3 female leads was also really strong and Sharon Stone well she was stunning in this, a bit of paced performance wise, but all is forgiven as it was her first proper role and she really shines towards the end.The horror aspect of this movie also hits the mark There are some solid jump scares and intense moments. Like the snake in the bathtub which really kept me on the edge of my seat very effective and the weird dream sequence when Sharon Stone has a spider dropped into her mouth was also very effective. The ending well is another thing a lot of people talk about and splits everyone down the middle, well in my opinion doesn't exactly come from nowhere as what some people think if you pay attention about the whole thing with the incubus, it proves that the Hitites are not total whack jobs. The entire last 10 minutes with the typical slasher chase and escape moments were really well done and enjoyable and I also loved the twist when the killer is revealed was done really well although slightly rushed in my opinion but still works.All in all "Deadly Blessing" may not be bloody or gory but it is still a slasher movie right until the end and it's a really great movie and if you're a fan of Wes Craven like I am then check this little unknown gem out.