"Vampire Girls" is one of the many cruel nicknames that is used by ignorant neighbors in the movie "Children of the Dark", after two young sisters are diagnosed with a rare disease that makes them unable to come in contact with sunlight. The little girls' disease distraughts their parents, confuses their older step-brother, and horrifies the neighboors, who want that family out of their one horse town! The actions of their neighbors creates the greatest conflict in "Children of the Dark", but unfortunately, it is also the silliest plot twist of this so-so TV movie. Such actions peroformed by the unwelcoming neighbors include: spray painting the house and van with the message "vampire girls", mocking the younger sister when she sneaks outside and talking to her in a "Dracula" voice (even some adults were doing it!), avoiding all of the family members, but gossiping about them when they are in hearing range, fighting with the father and making him lose his job, and vandalizing and setting their house on fire while they were in their backyard having a party! What's the family to do, move of course. What do they face? Problems, problems and more problems. Now, I am aware that Children of the Dark is based on a true story, and I even remember the real little girls appearing on the news. I'm sure they did face alienation because of their disease, and maybe even some acts of cruelty, but the movie really goes overboard to a point of where it's just kind of dumb after awhile. Oh well, it was still an entertaining and somewhat touching story with a good performance by Peter Horton.
