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.