Haunting Fear

I had fairly low expectations of this film, but nonetheless I was still disappointed. While there are some very pretty actresses in here, the level of acting was horrendously low. Jay Richardson takes the (heavily contested) prize for worst acting in this movie. Ay-yi-yi. Jan-Micael Vincent and Karen Black, clearly slumming, mailed it in. Brinke Stevens, with her husky voice and lovely visage, I tried so hard to like, but couldn't. To be fair, terror has to be one of the hardest things to do for an actor, but even so, she just didn't get it done. Delia Sheppard was the best of the major cast by far, and that was just adequate. The only believable acting came from the creepy Micael Berryman in a very small part. The aforementioned actresses, however, are major eye candy, so if you like that sort of thing, then check it out. If not, don't.

It has been a while since I saw the movie, but it was much more interesting that what I expected. Although not Poe's Premature Burial, the theme was well done. Brinke Stevens portrayed the victom very well and made the movie more interesting.

The interplay between the actors/actresses was well done, and I believe that is what made the movie a step above a B movie. I enjoyed some twists and turns in the plot that were not expected. I have to admit that Jay Richardson's acting, at times, was not the best.

Other than that, the movie was very well done and a joy to watch. I suggest to anyone to rent this movie. I hope I can say that.

Woman is haunted by nightmares. Her husband doesn't care much as he's having an affair wirh his secretary. Dumb husband needs money. They plot to kill his wife. She has something Freaky buried deep inside her. Don't wake it though.

Production values are low and match a home video quality. Dialogue is basic, acting subadequate. Storyline is basic ABC with a few moments that drew illogical questions to me. (We see two dreams, but neither are of the fear the character describes. Motivation is low for characters. Outcome feels forced with a twist just because why not?

Overall, slow moving, simple plotting, amateur acting, middle storyline, and an ending that lacks clarity make this movie boring.

First off...with names like Fred Olen Ray, Brinke Stevens and Jan-Michael Vincent, plus distributors like "Rhino" and "Troma" on the video box, you know what you're getting into with this one. B movie mania! If you're actually expecting to see a thriller "based on Edgar Allan Poe," then forget it and head straight for the excellent series of Roger Corman 60s Poe films. This is pure, unadulterated sleaze (with just a pedestrian attempt at a plot similar to "The Premature Burial"), complete with lots of R-rated, ready-for-video sex and nudity. However, it's certainly entertaining and fun in a slipshod kind of way...

Brinke (who has three nude scenes in the first 30 minutes) plays rich, traumatized, insomniac housewife Victoria Monroe, whose fear of being prematurely entombed stems from her belief that the same fate befell her father (Hoke Howell). Her worthless husband Terry (Jay Richardson) has racked up some serious gambling debt (owed to a gangster played by Robert Quarry) and, with help from his kinky, blonde, European-accented sexpot secretary Lisa (Delia Sheppard) plots to do away with Brinke for her money. Name-value actress Karen Black drops in briefly wearing a blonde wig as a hypnotist (she's way too talented to be playing an insignificant role like this), 50s sci-fi/horror star Robert Clarke plays a doctor and family friend and Michael Berryman shows up for a decent nightmare sequence performing an autopsy on a still-living Vicki. Jan-Michael Vincent mostly sits outside a house in his car making goo-goo eyes as Brinke enters and exits the home.

The kill-a-spouse-for-the-inheritance plot has been done a million times before, the ending is an unintentional laugh riot (concluding with a direct rip-off of the Zuni Fetish Doll segment in TRILOGY OF TERROR) and whoever created the awful stabbed face and decapitated head FX for this release needs to sharpen up on their skills a bit. Brinke does a decent job making her character somewhat sympathetic, but the biggest surprise of all is how good former Penthouse Pet Delia Sheppard is in her role. She stole every scene she was in and easily gave the standout performance here.

Looking at the box in the video store you will see names such as Fred Olen Ray, Brinke Stevens, Karen Black, and Jan-Michael Vincent. The kicker, of course, is "A Troma Team Release." These are not arguments for quality, and indeed there is no mistaking this film for anything other than a B-movie. However, it can be surprisingly effective, mostly due to the amount of heart Brinke Stevens puts into her portrayal of the lead character, the neurotic Victoria. If you want B-movie cheesiness and excess you'll uncover a fair helping of it here, but don't be surprised if you find yourself a bit more involved in the storyline than you originally expected.