Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Sunday, December 30, 2007

DAY OF THE NIGHTMARE

DAY OF THE NIGHTMARE (1965) Director: John Bushelman.

Clearly influenced by both Psycho and Homicidal, this is actually a very low-budget exploitation film with several very soft core sex scenes, including a lesbian love scene, assorted hetero sequences, and a mild group orgy wherein the dorky participants are blind-folded. The story concerns a married artist, Johnathan Crane (Cliff Fields), who is yet another in a long line of psychotic cross-dressers -- he also has an interested in S and M. He is suspected of murdering his female alter ego, Doris, and at one point goes after his confused wife (Beverly Bain) with a knife. He also has issues with his philandering psychiatrist father (John Hart). John Ireland, who plays a cop, is the only fairly well-known cast member. The acting in this isn't bad all, and there are certainly interesting story elements, but it is filmed without elan or pacing, and --despite all the "crazy' goings-on -- is essentially a snooze fest of limited interest.

Verdict: Not great but awful. * for the acting.

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