The American Nightmare

American horror movies of the 70s are well known for newly defining the genre and changing the borders of what was possible to show up to that point. Up to then there had been Hammer Productions with their usual suspects like Frankenstein, Dracula or there had been "gentleman" murderers like Dr. Phybes, who killed their victims out revenge, but still with a certain esprit of spirit. The "new" horror of the American movies was highly influenced by five movies the directors of which still have their say in today's horror industry: George Romero („Night of the Living Dead" 1968), Wes Craven („The Last House on the Left" 1972), Tobe Hooper („The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" 1974), David Cronenberg („The Parasite Murders" 1975) as well as John Carpenter („Halloween" 1978). The documentation "The American Nightmare" now sets out to connect interviews of the film makers, film critics and academics with excerpts of contemporary as well as fictional movies. The core thesis now is that the young generation of the 60s and 70s had a feeling of fundamental uncertainty that was taken up by young film makers and transformed into angry visions full of nightmares - American nightmares. Against that foil we learn about the connections between the Civil Rights Movement and "Night of the Living Dead", we see Tom Savini talking about turning his experiences in Vietnam into his landmark splatter effects, David Cronenberg referring to the sexual liberation with "The Parasite Murders" or Wes Craven saying that on seeing Napalm attacks in Vietnam he learned that also Americans could commit atrocities. - The documentation allows some very interesting insights into the immediate historical context of American horror movies of the 60s and 70s. Especially in the middle of the documentation it might be challenging to ask oneself whether is is actually the fictional horror that horrifies us most. … Yet, the documentary also wants to be a creepy and entertaining movie itself. There is too much atmospheric gewgaw (Stockhausen's score, for example). Altogether you get too little concrete information about what you see. Whereas the film makers' commentaries are very interesting the critics are sometimes not convincing often digressing into their own individual movie watching nostalgia ("It was like - wow!"). Furthermore, the German DVD bonus materials mostly consist of text barely readable. So, all in all, highly interesting and enlightening, but I could have done with some more minutes of interviews and some more film clips.

What a great look at the societal fears that inspired some of the great horror masterpieces of the modern age! A documentary like this needed to be made. It definitely shows that modern horror is rooted much more in contemporary fears than most people think. Although slightly weighted to the 'Dead' series (Night of, Dawn of), it runs the gamut through TX Chainsaw Massacre and Cronenberg films. I only wish that it was longer. I would love to see a multi-part series of this content along the lines of Ken Burns' Baseball or the such.

Although listed as a Canadian production, I think they got a lot of information and footage from Pittsburgh (George Romero, Tom Savini, and some new footage of the Monroeville Mall). Anyway, it's good information about some of my favorite films of all time. WATCH IT. It'll make you want to rent Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Shivers, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Halloween and watch them until your eyes bleed...

This is a serious look at some of the most groundbreaking and innovative horror films ever made. It is also incredibly graphic, disturbing and somewhat bleak and depressing, so consider yourselves warned. No hardcore fan of horror will want to miss this, but people with weak stomachs may not be able to take it.

There are long and satisfyingly gruesome clips from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Night of the Living Dead & Dawn of the Dead, Last House on the Left, Shivers and many others, each accompanied by a look at what was happening in the world at the time they were made, and the bizarre ways in which art imitates life and vice versa. Gore Make-up Master Tom Savini has some amazing stories to tell about his time in Vietnam and how the atrocities he viewed through a camera later inspired his craft. There are also some wickedly clever moments here, as film footage of crazed shoppers are intercut with scenes from the zombie feeding frenzy in Dawn of the Dead. Nausea inducing moments include the rape and sadistic torture scenes from Last House on the Left, and an unflinching look at such real life horrors as Vietnam, the rioting following the King assassination, the Kent State Massacre and the Kennedy Assassination.

The directors interviewed (Romero, Cronenberg, Carpenter, Hooper, Craven, etc) have some great stories to tell about their famous (and infamous) films, not only about how they were made, but also why, how they continue to inspire the current genre, what kind of an effect they had upon being released and how they reflect the times in which they were made.

This is a totally engrossing documentary from start to finish that was sometimes hard to watch but which also seemed much too short. I didn't want it to end! VERY well done and highly recommended for hardcore fans.

The 1970s are considered by many to have been a golden age of Amrican film-making in general; but the were arguably also a golden age of American horror films, with many classics of the genre dating from this time. 'The American Nightmare' considers some of these movies in the engaging and thoughtful company of some of those who made them; and also of John Landis, who sadly gets most screen time although the enthusiasm he has for his own words is in inverse proportion to the interest of what he has to say. But I don't quite buy the argument presented that these movies amounted to social commentary: they can be quite scary, and they may borrow their imagery from Vietnam or the civil rights movement, but their fundamental silliness is completely ignored in this reverent discussion. Personally, I think most of the films considered here are good, after a fashion; but scarcely serious. So don't watch this film for the most profound of analysis. But if you want to learn why Tobe Hooper made 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (and so on), it's unmissable viewing.

i saw this documentary and as a big horror movies fan i must say it was excellent!!! however some things are very bloody but it doesn't matter 'cause now i know almost everything about my favorite movie genre.