Nighstlave is a bad movie. Let's be clear about that; to enjoy this film, you need to appreciate low-budget Ed Wood style filmmaking. If you're like most people, you probably won't like this film, but if you enjoy the unique charm of awkward grade-B films or simply strange movies, this one will probably be worth it! I certainly enjoyed it.
Here's a very simplified summary of the plot: Most of the film is about Lord Thrax (Denis Smith), a strange, immortal, cobweb-covered dirty old man who imprisons a young businesswoman named Norma (Claudia Udy, who steals the show in my opinion) so he can sacrifice her to a demon called Uncle. Also Thrax has a servant named Grimstone, portrayed by a stuffed puppet with a soothing, dubbed-in voice that reminds me of Eric Thompson's narration from The Magic Roundabout, in contrast to Thrax' campy antics. Also, this is actually all just a fantasy by a pathetic janitor named Jervis: Thrax is his imaginary alter-ego, while Norma is based on a clerk he met earlier that day. From there, things get really weird as the filmmakers pile on one quirky concept after another.
Most of the film is surreal-for-surreal's sake, but the movie's saving grace is its playfulness and extremely tongue-in-cheek attitude. The filmmakers never take themselves too seriously; they take a horror movie convention (evil old guy trying to sacrifice a girl) and just enjoy playing around with it. The focus is on the characters, particularly Thrax' bombastic and twisted attitude and Norma's quirky, often sarcastic reactions to her bizarre situation.
I enjoyed the film's merits. In particular, Claudia Udy was an appealing and unconventional leading lady, playing her part with a lot of spontaneity that makes her character unpredictable and fun. It says a lot when the film puts her in a skimpy outfit to show off her physique, yet it's her personality and acting that carry the scenes. I showed my friends a short clip where she simply runs behind a tombstone and pushes a ceramic angel onto a zombie that's chasing her, and just from those few seconds, they could tell Udy had an entertaining and charming style. She managed to put distinct personality into simple actions like that one, and you can definitely tell that Udy was enjoying herself on- and off-camera.
On the other hand, I also got a big kick out of the film's more incompetent, so-bad-it's-good elements. The Grimstone puppet looks utterly ridiculous, like a failed taxidermy; the sound editing is hilariously bad, with enormously loud thuds accompanying every step a character takes; the cutting & editing are often jarring and made me laugh simply from how awkwardly-timed they were. For example, there's a super-sped-up, fast-motion scene where Thrax shows off some torture tools to Norma, and she stabs him with his own sword--and then the movie abruptly yanks us back down to normal speed as Thrax wheezes in pain. It's completely jarring, but in a way that will probably bring a smile to your face if you enjoy funny-bad movies.
7 stars may seem overly generous, but this movie's blend of funny incompetence and earnest creativity work well together, and I had a great time watching it. Most people won't dig this movie, and that's fine! Its appeal is for a niche audience who can laugh at a strange B-movie; if that includes you, then happy viewing!
