By Melissa Antoinette Garza
A distributor went to prison for 18 months because he refused to edit even one second of this video nasty cult classic. Now, we’re getting somewhere!
THE NIGHTMARE (1981) opens with psychologically damaged George Tatum (Baird Stafford) in a straight jacket screaming as visions of the head of his decapitated mother plague his mind. Orderlies rush in and give him a shot to calm his insanity. It works momentarily and subdues him. Years back, he had went bonkers and murdered an entire family. Now, he’s on an experimental drug program that seems to be having an adverse reaction or two.
George is still bothered by recurring nightmares and flashbacks of an S&M, bondage game with his mother on top of a man. It goes horribly wrong and still haunts George. He is suffering from the worst cases of PTSD that I’ve ever seen. I don’t want to be critical, but his treatment is not a success! He can’t even determine whether he’s the child watching the couple or if he’s someone else.
Despite, his behavior, he’s released and his initial stop is a peepshow where the dancer is nice enough to let him touch her a bit for his green. Hey, for his first night out that’s not bad! If he could just stop thinking about that bad night, he’d be all set. Some other goddesses of the night try to influence him to go for a real ride, but he calls it a day.
Meanwhile, Kathy (Danny Ronan) is babysitting George and his ex’s Susan’s (Sharon Smith) annoying kiddies, Tammy (Tammy Patterson), Kim (Kim Patterson) and the worst of them C.J. (C.J. Cooke). The children yell for her claiming they see someone out their window. She tells them it’s nothing, but then immediately doubts herself. Apprehensively, she walks around outside looking to see if anyone is out there. It’s only dipshit kid C.J. (C.J. Cooke) playing a prank. I hate dipshit kid C.J.
Now a free man, George breaks the terms of his probation and starts heading to Florida to see his old family. They are NOT expecting him! On his way there, he hits a bar and sees a woman that reminds him of his mother. He follows her home and has a massive setback in his therapy and murders the woman. That said, he does apologize after killing her, but then takes a few nibbles of her flesh which makes one call into question his sincerity.
The doctors struggle to find George when they find out he is no longer in New York and instead is heading to Florida. His direct psychiatrist doesn’t believe that he’s a threat to anyone. That doc is an idiot. Thankfully a short man (John L. Watkins) with a cigar, scarf, winter coat, moustache, glasses and a shitload of personality tells the moron off and insists that they get him back. I want to see that dude to motivational speeches. I think it would go something like, “get off your fucking ass”
While, George is going home, we learn that Susan has a new hippie beau named Bob (Mik Cribben. I assume Bob is the love child of Tommy Chong and Bob Ross, either that or he just raided both of their closets. He’s a nice guy, but way too hairy for my tastes. I can handle a sexually repressed psycho, but hair on the chest – no thank you!
Bob and Susan are trying to have some alone time when dipshit C.J. pretends that he was stabbed. No one calls the cops or an ambulance. Instead, Susan runs home to find that he’s just pulling another prank. That kid sucks, but Susan makes things worse. She screams at her daughters and at poor stoner wannabe Bob. Bob makes her feel guilty by flashing some puppy dog eyes and telling her that he cares. In her defense, she does apologize. I don’t envy her situation. I would not want to be a woman with three kids and a psycho ex who murdered a family in sexually suggestive ways. That’s a lot of baggage for one gal to carry. She’s entitled to a breakdown or two.
Not to mention, punk ass bitch C.J. doesn’t quit harassing Kathy. He purposely tries to drive her mad. Where is Curt Duncan from WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (1979) when you need him?
On the beach, jackass C.J. sees George. He tells Bob and Susan that he’s noticed a man following him. Susan automatically believes he’s lying, but nice guy Bob offers the benefit of the doubt.
When George sees Bob with his old family and playing nice to his son, he gets pissed and starts calling his ex wife with dirty talk, but doesn’t reveal who he is. He calls his doctor for help, when he has a seizure and another flashback.
In the end, we are left with some insane visuals and an equally insane conclusion.
I highly recommend this. It’s fun and crazy and campy. There are moments of it that remind me of SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT (1984) and NEW YEARS EVIL (1980). It’s a gory crazy ride made better by the rebellion and freedom loving distributor who actually served time to preserve the flick.
Catch this on AMAZON PRIME or purchase it as it has some great re-watch value.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8/10
