Nightmare (1981) #80sFlashback #Slasher #Horror

It’s been a while since I took copious notes for a movie, but for some reason, Nightmare (1981) seemed to be the one I needed them. I had to start this movie over after about fifteen minutes because I thought I missed something, but I didn’t. Rather than my usual review, I will give you the notes, which include spoilers.

Lots of screaming

Pretty gruesome

Kids are screaming because they saw someone peep through the window. When mom comes in to check, there’s no one there.

George gets released from the psychiatric unit and goes to a peep show, then he goes to a pay phone and calls phonesex. They show the phonesex operator with a vibrator, and the only thing I could think was Mary, Mary, quite contrary, trim that bush. It’s too damn hairy. Andrew Dice Clay.

He foams at the mouth as he has a flashback or vision of a young boy chopping off his mother’s head with an ax.

George calls the house, and a boy answers, and he hangs up. He ends up at a bar after his car breaks down and follows a woman home, who he kills and licks the blood from his fingers.

The guy from the hospital is upset that they can’t find him. Why did they release him if he’s still dangerous and on an experimental drug?

At least he has a working car now so that he can return home. C.J. sees a man across the street, C.J. comes into the house covered in something red, mom calls, and the other kids tell her he’s been stabbed. Susan and her boyfriend rush back to discover that he’s pranking them.

Kathy, the babysitter, gets freaked after a few no-answer calls and turns on the lights.

George, for whatever reason, takes the body of the woman he killed for the car with him to FL and left her on the beach. His screaming is spine-tingling.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Kathy finishes her shower (she needs a lip wax), and a dark figure with glowing red eyes stands in the hall. She screams. C.J. reveals himself and says Nannie-Nannie boo-boo stick your head in doo-doo.

Kathy quits the following day, and Susan goes to a realtor to sell the house.

1981 still held onto some of 1970s fashion. Bob with the high-waisted jeans and rainbow suspenders, open shirt to reveal his hairy chest.

Bob takes pics with his polaroid and sees a man in the upstairs window as it develops. When they investigate, no one is there. Of course, they don’t check the closet where George is hiding with a knife.

Now that C.J. has told the story of “the man” following him too often, no one believes him. Is it strange that CJ doesn’t recognize his dad? I guess George has been institutionalized so long, and the kid’s age, he wouldn’t remember.

When Susan answers the phone in the middle of the night, she doesn’t recognize George’s voice. You’d think that would be something she’d never forget – maybe, it’s not George,  hmm, I feel a twist a coming.

Each time a flashback comes, they show more details of what happened.

Tammy goes into an abandoned house looking for C.J. and is killed by George, then CJ’s friend Tony is killed too.

The police question C.J. but he doesn’t have any answers for them.

After George kills Kathy and her boyfriend, he goes after the kids, and C.J. shoots him, C.J. gets the other kids out of the house, but George isn’t dead. C.J .tries calling the cops, but the line is busy, George comes down the stairs, and C.J. shoots him again.

C.J. goes back inside to check but can’t find George immediately, so he goes upstairs. Somehow, George is still alive and follows C.J., who gets the rifle and kills him. The flashback begins.

C.J. watches his dad have S&M with a strange woman. He goes outside and comes back with an ax and goes Lizzy Borden on them. The blood spray is pretty amazing.

Susan freaks out when they unmask who C.J. shot. 

Nightmare is something to see, and I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars.

Nightmare (1981) #80sFlashback #Slasher #Horror Click To Tweet