MovieChat Forums > Fear Itself (2008) Discussion > Community episode question (SPOILERS)

Community episode question (SPOILERS)

posted 9 years ago by Dr_Adam_Warlock
3 replies | jump to latest

Wasn't this kind of story done before, as an actual movie? Watching this episode I feel like it's been done before. A seemingly ideal community having less than honorable intentions. The head of community being in on it, a neighbor with a dark secret, people who messed up even in the tiniest way subjected to public shaming, and finally the twist in which not only was the hero's wife now brainwashed, but his best friend as well. The hero now, an unspecified amount of time later is now the neighbor with a dark secret, carrying this burden forever, and unable to do anything about it, while his wife is now the new head of community. I feel like I've seen this all before, but as a movie. Does anyone else feel this way? If so what was the name of the movie that Community basically ripped off?

BLACKOUT!

[–] jackiefoxybrown 9 years ago

I know what you mean, the premise was definitely done before on one of those anthology tv series or maybe even a movie. For the life of me, I cannot remember . Was it on the Outer Limits? I was gonna think Rosemary's Baby, but a tv show also had the idea too.......I think.

[–] Dr_Adam_Warlock 9 years ago

That's probably it, it was probably an anthology series/movie I saw it in, but I'm drawing blanks. I've tried googling it, but I never get a clear answer.

BLACKOUT!

[–] crypt_of_lovecraft 9 years ago

You might be thinking of The Dark Secret of Harvest Home, a great made for TV miniseries starring Bette Davis that originally aired in 1978. It's about a family from New York City that moves to a small New England town. At first the town seems wonderful, its people are eccentric but friendly. But then strange things start happening. I don't want to give away too much of the plot but the ending is similar to the ending in Community.

Here's the link for it on this site:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077399/?ref_=nv_sr_1

A more current film with a similar plot is the direct to DVD film Population 436. It's an OK film but The Dark Secret of Harvest Home is much, much better but sadly has yet to appear on DVD.

Have you seen the little piggies crawling in the dirt?