Writer / director Romano Scavolini’s 1981 horror film Nightmare is a nasty little slasher!
George Tatum (Baird Stafford), a diagnosed schizophrenic being held in a psychiatric ward for mutilating a Brooklyn family, has been the subject of an experiment designed to curb - and eventually eliminate – his violent tendencies.
Convinced the treatment was successful, the hospital discharges George, who, soon after his release, steals a car and drives from New York to Florida, where he stalks single mom Susan (Sharon Smith) and her three kids.
Even by ‘80s standards, Nightmare is a brutal picture; before arriving in Florida, George makes a pit stop in South Carolina, where he murders Barbara (Kathleen Ferguson), a waitress, slashing her throat (not the greatest effect, but good enough to make you cringe) and stabbing her repeatedly. Scavolini doesn’t shy away from nudity either; at one point George takes a nighttime stroll down New York’s infamous 42nd Street, where he visits a porn theater and watches a live sex show.
Overall, Nightmare is an effective slasher, with some strong gore scenes (though I don’t believe for a minute the producer’s claim that Tom Savini handled the effects; the quality is nowhere near his standard), and fans of ‘80s horror are sure to enjoy it as much as I did.
But go in knowing that Nightmare is not for the squeamish. Unlike others, this movie deserved its spot on the UK’s Video Nasty list!
Rating: 8 out of 10
