Search - Nightmare on DVD

Pleasant surprise

Ars Gratia Artis | 09/30/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I hadn't heard of this movie before I saw it among the new releases in Amazon's horror bin. It saw that it had interesting reviews, so I decided to give it a chance and am I ever happy that I did.

This movie is twisted, surreal, and full of violence and nudity. At times, it is also confusing and frustrating. But after watching the director's commentary, I see that's exactly what the filmmakers were going for.

This movie grabs you in an unexpected way and takes you on a journey through madness, courtesy of striking performances by the film's lead actors - all unknowns, as far as I could tell. The best part of this movie is that it defies your expectations and never lets you predict what's coming next. As a hardcore horror fan who always sees the big twist coming from a mile away, I was relieved to actually be surprised for a change.

I haven't been this disturbed and unnerved by a movie since "Irreversible". I hope this obscure indie film gets its due. It might be too raw for the mainstream, but it's a gem for horror heads looking for something bloody and provocative to sink their teeth into."

Graphic, Surreal and Inventive

S. P. Miskowski | West Coast, US | 11/12/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Nightmare is a low budget slasher in a surreal style guaranteed to separate the somewhat interested viewer from the fully committed horror fan. With blood, nudity, a slew of irritating minor characters and graphic sex galore, at first the film appears to be a self-indulgent exercise. Also, it's clear from the start that the sex scenes are not meant to be all that sexy, and some of the horror isn't meant to be scary. So, what gives?

Directed by Dylan Bank in 2005 and now available on DVD, Nightmare redeems itself with a premise that keeps paying off and solid, compelling performances by lead actors Jason Scott Campbell and Nicole Roderick and supporting actor Amin Joseph. By the midpoint viewers will either tune out altogether or become obsessed with figuring out what lies behind the core mystery.

I love a mystery, so I kept coming back for more and I'm glad I did. The conclusion to the story is not what I anticipated, but it is satisfying for anyone who likes both horror and meta-horror.

A self-confident film student goes to a party where he is praised by unctuous friends and envious classmates. He meets an interesting young actress, and they have a one-night stand. When they wake the next morning, they discover a video camera is pointed at the bed. The tape in the camera contains what looks like a snuff film--starring the couple as vicious killers, slaughtering several naked victims. All of the action appears to have been shot in the room where they made love and then slept, yet the tape is the only evidence that the event took place.

Emotionally shaken and still a bit hung-over, the director and the actress try to figure out what has happened to them. Are they the victims of a practical joke? If so, who is behind it? Have they been drugged and used, or is someone simply playing mind games with them? Are they performing the acts on tape or have they been portrayed by doubles?

Their fear spikes when the same thing occurs on the following night. In their confusion, the two form a bond that might have been less likely under normal circumstances. They decide to make sense of their nightmare in the only way they know how: by making a film about it.

Bank and co-writer Morgan Pehme know what they are doing, and why. Their film pokes fun at the reverent study of cinema, while reveling in the horror genre instead of apologizing for it. I would be excited to see these artists operating on a bigger scale with a more generous budget. As it is, they have created a film with a nifty hook, good timing, a sense of humor--and what I think is an ending worth waiting for."