NIGHTMARES (1980)

NIGHTMARES (aka Stage Fright/1980). Director: John D. Lamond.

A little girl feels she is responsible for the death of her mother in a car accident, and grows up unhinged. Years later Helen (Jenny Neumann) is an actress appearing in a play which the nasty director, George (Max Phipps), describes as "a comedy about death." Meanwhile someone goes about using large slivers of glass to bloodily penetrate the bodies of cast members and others. Nightmares is a very minor slasher flick from Australia which does absolutely nothing with its interesting premise. There is no style, very little suspense, an insufficient screenplay and character development, and the murders are uninspired to say the least. Brian May's opening title music is okay, but the rest of the score is monotonous and does little to drum up any excitement. There's a fairly good cast of actors in this, with Phipps, John Michael Howson (as a "nasty old queen" of a critic), and Gary Sweet as Terry, Helen's new sweetheart, taking top honors. This was made the same year as the original Friday the 13th but is not in the same league.

Verdict: Almost a complete waste. *1/2.