31 opiniones
- juliamacon
- 28 dic 2019
- Enlace permanente
Young Cathy accidentally kills her mother,who is making out with a man in the passenger seat of a car.Believing the man is hurting her mother,Cathy starts hitting him and her mother crashes the car sending her through the windshield.When an orderly tries to molest her,Cathy slashes his face with a broken glass.Years later Helen(Jenny Neumann of "Hell Night" fame)is an aspiring American actress auditioning for a Victorian comic play about death made by sarcastic director George.Soon a black gloved sex-hating killer wielding shards of glass starts killing members of theatrical play.Sleazy Australian slasher with lots of POV shots and fairly brutal glass slashings.The identity of the killer is blatantly obvious and there is a bit of graphic nudity.If you are a fan of "Flesh and the Blood Show","Theatre of Blood","Deliria" and "Opera" you may give this one a look.6 out of 10.
- HumanoidOfFlesh
- 29 sep 2009
- Enlace permanente
- PeterMitchell-506-564364
- 18 nov 2012
- Enlace permanente
This is a rather strange early Australian attempt to ape the American slasher films, but it is only really interesting in the places where it deviates from them. It's one of a small number of slasher films that is set in a theater during a theatrical production, which not only provides a good setting, but also a lot of very worthy victims (theater actors, directors, critics, etc.) as well as a very believable reason why no one notices the initial disappearances (theater people being as self-absorbed and narcissistic as they get). Unfortunately, the back story is very lame, involving a young acting ingenue (Jenny Neumann) with a vague, troubled past (her mother died in a car accident after a sexual tryst). When she is cast in a new theater production, people start being brutally murdered. So who is the killer? Unfortunately, it's probably EXACTLY who you think it is.
The director of this movie was an unknown (at least outside Australia), but the co-writer/co-producer Collin Eggleston gave the world both the idiotic sex film "Fantasm Comes Again" and underrated nature-gone-amok thriller "Long Weekend". Jenny Neumann also appeared in American slasher semi-classic "Hell Night" where she played the English girl (you know, the one who WASN'T Linda Blair)who spends her entire screen time in bed with a guy without ever actually taking off her underwear. Regrettably, she doesn't get naked here either, but pretty much everyone else does. This movie stands apart from the rest of the slasher films in the sheer gratuitousness of its gratuitous nudity, including a LONG scene where one corpulent Aussie lass is chased butt-naked out of the theater and into the street by the killer. In this respect the movie kind of resembles Pete Walkers sexploitation/early slasher film "The Flesh and Blood Show", but it's not a patch on that one.
The film also compares pretty unfavorably with Michel Soavi's film "Stage Fright" with which it is often confused, and a lot of the decent, if micro-budgeted, horror films being made Down Under in the late 70's/early 80's. On the plus side, it's a lot better than "Cut" and some of the crap that has been seeping out of the country more recently. See it if you can find it, but don't go out of your way.
The director of this movie was an unknown (at least outside Australia), but the co-writer/co-producer Collin Eggleston gave the world both the idiotic sex film "Fantasm Comes Again" and underrated nature-gone-amok thriller "Long Weekend". Jenny Neumann also appeared in American slasher semi-classic "Hell Night" where she played the English girl (you know, the one who WASN'T Linda Blair)who spends her entire screen time in bed with a guy without ever actually taking off her underwear. Regrettably, she doesn't get naked here either, but pretty much everyone else does. This movie stands apart from the rest of the slasher films in the sheer gratuitousness of its gratuitous nudity, including a LONG scene where one corpulent Aussie lass is chased butt-naked out of the theater and into the street by the killer. In this respect the movie kind of resembles Pete Walkers sexploitation/early slasher film "The Flesh and Blood Show", but it's not a patch on that one.
The film also compares pretty unfavorably with Michel Soavi's film "Stage Fright" with which it is often confused, and a lot of the decent, if micro-budgeted, horror films being made Down Under in the late 70's/early 80's. On the plus side, it's a lot better than "Cut" and some of the crap that has been seeping out of the country more recently. See it if you can find it, but don't go out of your way.
- lazarillo
- 14 jun 2007
- Enlace permanente
- capkronos
- 11 may 2003
- Enlace permanente
"Nightmares" is a dire, tedious and dirty attempt at a slasher movie that can't even be bothered with a twist in the tail.
The only thing - absolutely the only thing - that you'll remember about this movie is the sex. It has more of that than probably any slasher movie I've seen, and it's quite graphic, including a close up shot of a man's hand mauling a woman's pudenda.
Aside from this nothing in the movie connects because it is so stupid and absurd. The 'action' is set around a play where people keep getting murdered. All of the killings happen from POV shots except for when the killer raises the murder weapon - a shard of glass - in the air. More than once they kill their victims two at a time, so why isn't there any attempt to fight back? They scream, recoil, and get slashed up. Blood goes everywhere, but the killings are not particularly graphic. The budget went on actors willing to get naked, it seems, and allowed no room for visible wounds, so all we end up with is fake blood smeared on naked bodies.
I could hardly wait for this movie to be over, so I contemplated things like how the play could continue while its cast of only five people is already missing two actors, at least one of which has been discovered murdered in the theatre itself. The effort to find the killer is so lax that detectives allow the other cast and director into the crime scene so that they can watch from the seats as they go about their job of questioning one of the actors, and then disappear from the movie permanently so that subsequent performances can happen, minus the actor who got killed. Presumably the public has heard about the murder. Why are they so keen to enter the theatre where someone was brutally murdered yesterday and no one knows who did it?
This is the kind of movie where people take a long time to die from POV shots so that we can see them scream, get slashed up, run away, get chased, continue to get slashed up... but then other characters die immediately from one stab if they happen to be in a crowded place so that no one around can tell they've been killed. It's as though the filmmakers realise no one who watches such a movie will care enough to notice such inconsistencies and unrealities. Or perhaps they think the audience isn't bright enough to get it.
The existence of such a movie, therefore, is an insult to anyone who has to sit through it, on top of everything else.
The only thing - absolutely the only thing - that you'll remember about this movie is the sex. It has more of that than probably any slasher movie I've seen, and it's quite graphic, including a close up shot of a man's hand mauling a woman's pudenda.
Aside from this nothing in the movie connects because it is so stupid and absurd. The 'action' is set around a play where people keep getting murdered. All of the killings happen from POV shots except for when the killer raises the murder weapon - a shard of glass - in the air. More than once they kill their victims two at a time, so why isn't there any attempt to fight back? They scream, recoil, and get slashed up. Blood goes everywhere, but the killings are not particularly graphic. The budget went on actors willing to get naked, it seems, and allowed no room for visible wounds, so all we end up with is fake blood smeared on naked bodies.
I could hardly wait for this movie to be over, so I contemplated things like how the play could continue while its cast of only five people is already missing two actors, at least one of which has been discovered murdered in the theatre itself. The effort to find the killer is so lax that detectives allow the other cast and director into the crime scene so that they can watch from the seats as they go about their job of questioning one of the actors, and then disappear from the movie permanently so that subsequent performances can happen, minus the actor who got killed. Presumably the public has heard about the murder. Why are they so keen to enter the theatre where someone was brutally murdered yesterday and no one knows who did it?
This is the kind of movie where people take a long time to die from POV shots so that we can see them scream, get slashed up, run away, get chased, continue to get slashed up... but then other characters die immediately from one stab if they happen to be in a crowded place so that no one around can tell they've been killed. It's as though the filmmakers realise no one who watches such a movie will care enough to notice such inconsistencies and unrealities. Or perhaps they think the audience isn't bright enough to get it.
The existence of such a movie, therefore, is an insult to anyone who has to sit through it, on top of everything else.
- Groverdox
- 5 abr 2016
- Enlace permanente
Pleasant scope photography elevates this poorly thought out "whodunit" where there's no mystery as to who the killer is for even a second. Every character is a cardboard cutout in line for the slaughter and all the death scenes lack variety. This might be one better left forgotten.
- kayrannells
- 14 ago 2022
- Enlace permanente
- ninjas-r-cool
- 14 ene 2011
- Enlace permanente
Easy to watch slasher flick with basic thin plot starring jenny neumann from hell night.
Most of the ingredients for a good horror filmare here , blood ,deaths , naked bodies and sex.
Set around a theatre company and the performance of a new play the actors and the crew are picked off one by one,quite a short film that runs at a nice pace. The acting and the string score are quite good, the killings are basic worth a watch.
Most of the ingredients for a good horror filmare here , blood ,deaths , naked bodies and sex.
Set around a theatre company and the performance of a new play the actors and the crew are picked off one by one,quite a short film that runs at a nice pace. The acting and the string score are quite good, the killings are basic worth a watch.
A little girl named Cathy tries to keep her mother from making out with a man while driving one day, and she inadvertently causes her mother's death in the car crash. 16 years later, Cathy has changed her name to Helen and has become a psychotic actress.
This film is pretty awesome. It relies on the absolute bare minimum of plot, with a killing every five minutes or so. And it does not always make sense -- why does she kill? Why the multiple personalities? I do appreciate that she uses broken glass as a reference to her mother dying in a windshield.
The soundtrack is also awesome, with the same underlying theme playing over and over again. Sometimes this level of repetition is annoying (such as in "Hausu"), but here I think it played well and just added to the silliness of it all. I am not exactly sure what makes something qualify as "ozploitation", but I am glad this fits the bill, because maybe more people will see it.
This film is pretty awesome. It relies on the absolute bare minimum of plot, with a killing every five minutes or so. And it does not always make sense -- why does she kill? Why the multiple personalities? I do appreciate that she uses broken glass as a reference to her mother dying in a windshield.
The soundtrack is also awesome, with the same underlying theme playing over and over again. Sometimes this level of repetition is annoying (such as in "Hausu"), but here I think it played well and just added to the silliness of it all. I am not exactly sure what makes something qualify as "ozploitation", but I am glad this fits the bill, because maybe more people will see it.
- gavin6942
- 26 oct 2012
- Enlace permanente
- Coventry
- 15 may 2009
- Enlace permanente
- Woodyanders
- 29 jun 2011
- Enlace permanente
I don't know why, but this one is a guilty pleasure for me. It's bad edited, the make-up FX are weak, the actings are cartoonish, but it simply works for me. I guess I like to think about what this movie's plot could've been with a bigger budget and a better writer.
- Fernando-Rodrigues
- 8 may 2021
- Enlace permanente
- garywhittaker-27089
- 6 ene 2020
- Enlace permanente
- horror7777
- 29 jun 2001
- Enlace permanente
I would advise that only lovers of 'b' horror movies would even attempt to watch this. Yes, there is plenty to love if you are into god awful movies, the acting is awful, absolutely terrible script, a fair amount of some quite risque nudity and a rip off of the theme from Jaws as the only music. Not sure if they are the plus points or negative ones.
- Sergiodave
- 8 ago 2021
- Enlace permanente
Heavy on style and wacky P.O.V. shots, but very low on anything resembling a cohesive story. We're essentially told who the killer is from the start of the film, but the script tries to pretend like we don't know and keep it a mystery, but it's so obvious that it makes you wish they'd just throw any mystery out the table and just show the killer as they're doing their slashing instead of filming nearly all the murders in P.O.V. mode.
- kevinfbarker
- 20 oct 2020
- Enlace permanente
- FilmFatale
- 27 oct 2012
- Enlace permanente
A good amount of gore and a lot more nudity and sex than you'd expect from a mainstream film. The ending was good in theory, but not executed as well as it could have been. Pretty good overall, but its hurt by the fact that there's no mystery as to who the killer is, lack of creativity in the kills and zero tension in the film.
- films-22537
- 17 feb 2020
- Enlace permanente
Australia's answer to the slasher market
well kind of, as this weird, trashy psychodrama does contain numerous elements found it slashers. Not perfect by any stretch, but it especially does a good job constructing its stalk and slash sequences with stylish verve and a real mean streak to boot. Like other reviewers mentioned it has a striking resemblance to Michele Soavi's late 80s slasher "Stagefright" and there's a touch Giallo evident. The POV shots do at times strike a nerve; just listen to the heavy breathing. The suspense when it's on, is gripping and the attack scenes are brutal and bloody. Hearing the glass slice the skin really does come through in these scenes. Also it doesn't skimp on the sleaze and nudity either. However it's too bad that the editing throws up some random scenes that are poorly linked, or don't add much to the unfolding situations and the final twist is so easy to pick up on that it's no surprise when its revealed. When it's not focusing on the stage cast and crew being dispatched, it's somewhat textbook in its tired dramas. Surprisingly the opening sequences are very effective in setting up a scarred character.
There were some names attached to this Australian production that horror fans will recognise. Jenny Neumann playing the lead character, the aspiring actress with a troubled past would be known for her part in the Linda Blair's starring slasher "Hell Night" the following year. Also attached to the project was Colin Eggleston as writer, who brought us the eco-horror "Long Weekend" and would later churn out an even more stranger and ultra-slick slasher in "Cassandra" (1986). You could also throw in director John D. Lamond who was behind some Ozploitation films like "Felicity" and "Pacific Banana".
Lamond ups the atmospheric traits (good use of a theatre setting), keeps the drama thick with touch oddness and stays rather traditional in the set-up. No surprises, but just like our central character it can be a neurotic and twisted jumble. Although towards the closing stages it does feel fairly rushed and contrived. The performances are acceptable, if at times a little over-colourful and the dialogues did have that blunt nature to them. And that music score is far from subtle.
There were some names attached to this Australian production that horror fans will recognise. Jenny Neumann playing the lead character, the aspiring actress with a troubled past would be known for her part in the Linda Blair's starring slasher "Hell Night" the following year. Also attached to the project was Colin Eggleston as writer, who brought us the eco-horror "Long Weekend" and would later churn out an even more stranger and ultra-slick slasher in "Cassandra" (1986). You could also throw in director John D. Lamond who was behind some Ozploitation films like "Felicity" and "Pacific Banana".
Lamond ups the atmospheric traits (good use of a theatre setting), keeps the drama thick with touch oddness and stays rather traditional in the set-up. No surprises, but just like our central character it can be a neurotic and twisted jumble. Although towards the closing stages it does feel fairly rushed and contrived. The performances are acceptable, if at times a little over-colourful and the dialogues did have that blunt nature to them. And that music score is far from subtle.
- lost-in-limbo
- 7 mar 2014
- Enlace permanente
Crikey that was vicious. And strange. But still entertaining. The prevailing tone is almost satirical (maybe self-deprecating) at times, the rhythm akin to a waking nightmare in which scenes and situations appear randomly without apparent continuity nor explanation. Once you adjust to the unusual narrative style, the film becomes easier to enjoy, although it clearly won't be to everyone's taste.
Phipps who bellows his acerbic acting tips from the theatre shadows ('you are the actress' big brown freckle') is the most balanced character amongst the collection of cuckoos in the cast, Sweet does well enough as a confused soap actor making his first foray into stage acting, and Behets (scriptwriter Eggleston's wife) has a fun little part as a highly-strung thespian who takes theatre taboos very seriously. Landis too is effective as the confident but forgetful lead actress in the play.
Difficult to say much about Neumann's performance, her character is so unbalanced, the dialogue nonsensical, I wasn't sure if it was a masterclass of maniacal acting or excruciatingly over-wrought. Either way it seems to fit the eccentric tone if you can appreciate that 'Nightmares' (aka 'Stage Fright') is not a conventional horror film.
There's really not much plot of which to speak, it's mostly a series of gory glassing's against a cacophony of strident violins that even Bach might've found a tad tedious, although it generally accompanies nudity, groping, simulated sex and other sinister pleasures to arouse the audience and make the censors anxious. One such scene in particular seems to stretch far longer than usual as the victim trips, stumbles and even vomits before succumbing to their injuries.
Lamond's lurid style makes no secret of his desire to eroticise violence and push the boundaries (contemporaneously) of moral acceptability, a daring approach likely to polarise the audience into those who'll be entertained and those which the film will offend (perhaps intentionally). Either way, it uses a unique narrative arc, is inexpensive yet technically polished, and doesn't waste time getting to the point; no surprises nor false pretences, you'll get what you paid for with this quirky Ozploitation slasher.
Phipps who bellows his acerbic acting tips from the theatre shadows ('you are the actress' big brown freckle') is the most balanced character amongst the collection of cuckoos in the cast, Sweet does well enough as a confused soap actor making his first foray into stage acting, and Behets (scriptwriter Eggleston's wife) has a fun little part as a highly-strung thespian who takes theatre taboos very seriously. Landis too is effective as the confident but forgetful lead actress in the play.
Difficult to say much about Neumann's performance, her character is so unbalanced, the dialogue nonsensical, I wasn't sure if it was a masterclass of maniacal acting or excruciatingly over-wrought. Either way it seems to fit the eccentric tone if you can appreciate that 'Nightmares' (aka 'Stage Fright') is not a conventional horror film.
There's really not much plot of which to speak, it's mostly a series of gory glassing's against a cacophony of strident violins that even Bach might've found a tad tedious, although it generally accompanies nudity, groping, simulated sex and other sinister pleasures to arouse the audience and make the censors anxious. One such scene in particular seems to stretch far longer than usual as the victim trips, stumbles and even vomits before succumbing to their injuries.
Lamond's lurid style makes no secret of his desire to eroticise violence and push the boundaries (contemporaneously) of moral acceptability, a daring approach likely to polarise the audience into those who'll be entertained and those which the film will offend (perhaps intentionally). Either way, it uses a unique narrative arc, is inexpensive yet technically polished, and doesn't waste time getting to the point; no surprises nor false pretences, you'll get what you paid for with this quirky Ozploitation slasher.
- Chase_Witherspoon
- 8 may 2025
- Enlace permanente
- movieman_kev
- 4 mar 2012
- Enlace permanente
- Hey_Sweden
- 14 oct 2023
- Enlace permanente
Stage fright AKA Nightmares is truly a nightmare, altogether not enjoyable with zero redeeming qualities!
I never submit a review with negative comments, rather the only reviews I've been compelled to submit were those of praise.. Today marks a change in my writing a review for Stagefright AKA Nightmares as I truly have not one iota of praise, nor even a sliver of a positive opinion about this film.
I am a hard core horror movie fan, one who does not thrive on gore, with blood and guts as a necessity to illicit enjoyment.. I am someone who thoroughly appreciates the entire genre of 70's/80's B-movie horror flicks..some of them even more than all of the entire new generation of horror movies put together..
This film however is purely and completely an utter waste of an hour and a half of my life that I'll never get back(and believe me I hate reading this repeated cliché in these movie reviews) but with this movie there just is no other way in how to go about accurately describing the waste of precious time from one's life that will be made should you so choose to watch this film.
I beg of you don't do it.. Don't waste your time on this movie..and please, please, please whatever you do, don't make the common, yet horrible mistake of thinking this movie is the 1987 Italian horror film, "Stagefright".. It is not, and is nothing remotely similar to the fine film of Stagefright 1987 directed by the great Dario Argento's star pupil, Soavi.
Run, run from this film as fast as you can..its a complete and total waste of your time...1/10
I never submit a review with negative comments, rather the only reviews I've been compelled to submit were those of praise.. Today marks a change in my writing a review for Stagefright AKA Nightmares as I truly have not one iota of praise, nor even a sliver of a positive opinion about this film.
I am a hard core horror movie fan, one who does not thrive on gore, with blood and guts as a necessity to illicit enjoyment.. I am someone who thoroughly appreciates the entire genre of 70's/80's B-movie horror flicks..some of them even more than all of the entire new generation of horror movies put together..
This film however is purely and completely an utter waste of an hour and a half of my life that I'll never get back(and believe me I hate reading this repeated cliché in these movie reviews) but with this movie there just is no other way in how to go about accurately describing the waste of precious time from one's life that will be made should you so choose to watch this film.
I beg of you don't do it.. Don't waste your time on this movie..and please, please, please whatever you do, don't make the common, yet horrible mistake of thinking this movie is the 1987 Italian horror film, "Stagefright".. It is not, and is nothing remotely similar to the fine film of Stagefright 1987 directed by the great Dario Argento's star pupil, Soavi.
Run, run from this film as fast as you can..its a complete and total waste of your time...1/10
- jswindter01
- 10 ago 2013
- Enlace permanente
- MrTaft
- 15 jun 2004
- Enlace permanente