The setting is the same average American nuclear household that we have in A Nightmare on Elm Street, although one where the next-door neighbour conveniently just happens to be an anthropologist specialising in witchcraft. This is not a film with a huge amount of believability. (See below for Wes Craven’s other films). It is hardly likely to have been the Wes Craven name as he had only made two previous films at that point with The Last House on the Left (1972) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977), which gained him a name on the drive-in/exploitation circuit but hardly the cult figure he became a few years later with A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).

Why it was deemed interesting enough for a theatrical release is a mystery. It was originally a tv movie made under the title Stranger in the House but was theatrically released in Europe and some parts of the world as Summer of Fear under which name it appears to be more well known. This was the third film made by Wes Craven. Rachel then comes to the conclusion that Julia is a witch and is casting spells that are seducing everyone around her. Rachel finds a wax figure with Sundance’s hair among Julia’s things and soon after Sundance goes crazy and has to be put down. Everyone around Rachel from her parents, brother and best friend seems enchanted with Julia – all except for Rachel’s horse Sundance who rears when near Julia.

She sends Julia to the dance with her boyfriend Mike Gallagher in her place – only for Mike to abandon Rachel and take up with Julia. Rachel then comes down with a mystery case of overnight hives that prevent her from attending a dance. The teenage Rachel happily makes room so that Julia can share her bedroom. Julia Trent comes to stay with her cousins the Bryant family in California following the death of her parents in a car crash.

Summer of fear by lois duncan