The Stay Awake

Before Nu Image made a name for itself by making and distributing high-quality straight-to-video movies, they were known for making and distributing junk like this. "Stay Awake" may not be the worst horror movie, but it would probably be high on a list of the most BORING movies. After the execution scene at the beginning of the movie (supposedly taking place in America, though you see South African license plates), just about nothing of real consequence happens for the next forty or so minutes! And what does eventually happen is not worth the wait, with slaughter sequences that are tame in gore and blood, and directed with as little passion as you can imagine. There isn't even any gratuitous nudity! The characters are thin and all alike in nature, and there are a bunch of unanswered questions like how the spirit of an executed serial killer could cross an ocean - and WHY he would do this. There is no possible reason to seek out and watch this movie.

Excuated killer comes back from beyond the grave to murder off the student body at an all girl's Catholic school, which also happened to be the scene of the crimes he committed back when he was alive. Really terrible film with some of the worst special effects to ever grace a screen. Too slow moving and dull to boot! Aburpt ending also.

Rated R; Violence, Nudity, and Profanity.

I hated this movie...it was boring, pointless, and stupid. There is no gore, no nudity, nothing fun...just lots of pointless footage of this messed up "demon killer" or something roaming the halls of a girls school in Europe. The girls are a bunch of annoying chicks with big hair and badly dubbed voices. One of them even sounds like she's a she-male her voice sounds so manly. I hated sitting through this film! Yuck! Do not even waste your money on it. I found it for like two dollars at an old flea market up in Northern Michigan. Good thing I didn't spend for than that. Yes, folks, it is that bad!! Avoid this piece of lard at all costs!

My review was written in August 1989 after watching the film on Orion/Nelson video cassette.

"The Stay Awake" doesn't live up to its title, South African-made horror pic imported to U. S. video stores is a snoozer.

Moniker refers to a Britishism for a slumber party. The young heroines at St. Mary's School for Girls stay up all night in the gym as a stunt to help raise money for the institution. They're terrorized by a demon, calling itself Angel of Darkness, summoned up by a vengeful guy executed in the gas chamber in 1969.

Cast is good-looking but weak in the acting department. (An actor named Ken Marshall is credited, but he's not the U. S. thesp from "Krull" and tv's "Marco Polo".) Picture is so tame that when the requisite shower room scene is presented, one girl is even shown showering with clothing still on.

Monster shows up looking like a green reptile man, mostly limited to closeups emphasizing its orange eyes. Minor special effects are used in the final reel, but disposal of the beastie is unimaginative.

You definitely won't want to stay awake for The Stay Awake. While it looks and sounds like a real movie and there's clearly some sort of budget behind this movie (even if it is small), there's not a single interesting character or set piece in the entire film. I just saw this movie last night and I'm already having a hard time remembering anything about it. I believe there was some sort of monster surrounded by fog and glowing eyes (but usually represented via Evil Dead-esque swirly cam), I'm pretty sure there were a bunch of girls staying inside their school for the night, and I believe there's a female gym teacher thrown in there, too. Ask me anything else and I'll be at a loss.

Why anyone felt the need to greenlight this script is a mystery. This one is rough and not even in a fun "so bad, it's good" kind of way. Save your sanity and skip it.