Wealthy pianist Eric Blade (Lawrence Day) tries to locate his missing runaway sister in an unnamed (and presumably US) metropolis. His journey takes him to seedy sex shops and strip joints. Of course, the police (include a detective played by one "Mike" Ironside) aren't really interested in a missing hooker until they find out she is the daughter of a wealthy businessman. Even then they spend their time following the "obvious he didn't do it" guy while the quick audience members have already correctly guessed the real culprit 10 minutes in. Despite being a tad predictable, this is still worth watching for the the sleaze factor. This ranks right up there with films like MANIAC and NEVER PICK UP A STRANGER in terms of on screen skank. I'm just saddened that my Northern neighbors think so lowly of us that they called this American NIGHTMARE. I guess Canadian NIGHTMARE didn't have that ring to it.
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udar556 September 2006
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S.A.B.6 August 2000While the 1981 slasher film AMERICAN NIGHTMARE is not a classic by any means, it stands out from most of its contemporaries. This is because it seems to be much more influenced by the Italian "giallo" films (mystery-thrillers featuring flashy gore sequences) than by the teen-oriented slasher films which were produced in great numbers in Canada and the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s. If you're simply looking for dumb teens getting killed off by masked madmen, you should stay away from AMERICAN NIGHTMARE. The film's plot concerns musician Eric Blake (Lawrence Day), who is trying to find his runaway sister who has disappeared into the sleazy world of stripping and prostitution in Toronto. At the same time a slasher is on the loose, targeting those involved in Toronto's sex industry in a twisted scheme to rid the world of "moral degenerates."
This film was obviously made on a very low budget, and that limits its ability to look like a giallo. It is poorly filmed and dimly lit in most scenes. While the gore scenes are competently done, they lack the visual style that is the hallmark of the giallo. Simply stated, AMERICAN NIGHTMARE lacks the vivid colors and visual flair that are typically found in the best giallo films by directors such as Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci.
At the same time, AMERICAN NIGHTMARE is not worthless either. The film has a serious, grim tone, which I think is appropriate given the unpleasantness of the material. The acting is competently done. The low budget and on-location filming in Toronto also gives the film a gritty, realistic feel. Also, despite the fact that this film is extremely obscure, there are some notable cast members. Veteran character actor Michael Ironside, seen most recently in THE PERFECT STORM, portrays a detective investigating the murders in one of his earlier film roles. And oddly enough, this is the feature film debut of Alexandra Paul, who at barely age 18 appears nude in the film, in what surely is not one of her prouder moments.
This film is worth a look for fans of slasher films, but it must be noted that it is very hard to find. I believe the film is best viewed as a mild companion piece to Fulci's superior THE NEW YORK RIPPER.
** out of **** -
trashgang5 October 2008The fact that this one isn't easy to catch over here I was able to find me a copy. I thought it would be so creepy as Visiting Hours 'cause Ironside was involved, but he just plays a copper and nothing more. Is it scary, sometimes it has his moments but overall it's more about naked girls. But here the girls are in it for the nakedness and nothing more. Both main actresses have their strip act (eat your heart out Demi Moore) and that's the reason most viewers want to see this one. I watched it and after a few days i was already forgotten the plot of this movie, watchable, yes, gore or bloody, not that many. And don't do it for the sake of Ironside, you will be disappointed.
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EyeAskance28 March 2008The son of a powerful entrepreneur receives a post from his sister, pleading for him to rescue her from an unspecified danger. With only the letter's return address as a lead, he begins a dot-to-dot descent into the seedy urban underbelly, gathering bits of information from one sleazy miscreant after another.
Along the way, a good-natured stripper comes to his aid, and love blooms between the two. Meanwhile, hookers, exotic dancers, and various other reprobates are dropping dead, the victims of an unseen madman.
This is a better-than-expected film, one that joyfully wallows in the sleaze of its urban environs, but manages to rise slightly above the lowbrow caliber of gratuitous exploitation cinema. Fine performances and steady pacing catapult American NIGHTMARE above the average for films of its type, but the tawdriness of the subject matter at hand should keep the grindhouse crowd pleased, as well.
6/10...reccomended. -
BandSAboutMovies22 January 2019This is a movie that starts off in a way that got me quick. A prostitute named Isabelle (pre-Baywatch Alexandra Paul) is naked in bed, smoking a joint and trying to get a man in the bathroom to come out and make love to her. He keeps washing his hands obsessively while she apologizes for some videos she appeared in. The man comes out, gets out top of her and slices her throat open. In the world of exploitation movies, this is what we call a good start.
American Nightmare isn't from this country. It's from our pals in Canada, where we for some reason aren't building a wall.
Isabelle's brother Eric is a famous musician who is coming to find his sister after she writes him - no cell phones yet - to let him know that she's in trouble. This sends him on a journey through strip clubs, adult theaters and dens of prostitution, all to find his sister - who was killed at the beginning of the movie.
This movie is pretty scummy - when Eric confronts his father about he and his sister leaving the family, the old man kicks him out and then fondles a photo of his daughter. Is this how the Great White North sees us?
The killer starts murdering all of Isabelle's friends, except for Louise, who Eric saves. They end up becoming lovers, because that's how the world works in movies.
Of course, the video in question is one of Eric's dad having sex with his sister. The reveal causes the old man to blow his brains out. This is the kind of movie my wife walks into the room and just stares and walks out angry. Then I yell, "But Michael Ironside is in it!" -
cassiewright-8952012 January 2020Icky is the only word that comes to mind when one watches American Nightmare. The sleaze basically oozes from every gritty, murky frame. For a Canadian slasher, it sure feels more like one of those downbeat NYC movies from the late 70's and early 80's like Maniac or Don't Go in the House. There's nothing truly fun or thrilling about American Nightmare except for maybe a flamboyant drag queen character who shows up whenever things get too depressing. The rest of the movie is a somewhat gross and nasty time with a bunch of strippers being murdered by some nutso with a straight razor. It's never incredibly gory, but the atmosphere alone makes the murders more unpleasant than they should be.
The twist during the film's finale at least attempts some type of social commentary about people in positions of power and how things get covered up, so it makes the whole film a bit more redeemable than other movies of this sort, but American Nightmare is still a great contender for "feel bad movie of 1983." -
It's not exactly a fresh concept, but obviously some care was taken in writing this, obviously influenced by the controversial film "Hardcore" (as others have noted) and news reports on urban crime and coverage of the goings on in red light districts of big cities. It's ironic that the women who do the topless dancing aren't exactly beauties, and that is a realistic element to what you'd see in those dive bars and dance clubs. There's also prostitution being depicted which results in your average movie psychopathic killer slashing them with a straight razor, a modern Jack the Ripper, leading to some tense moments which includes the death of a flamboyant drag queen, "den mother" to the strippers.
The main story focuses on a young man searching for his sister, neglected children of a powerful Toronto businessman who has obviously tried to control their lives without any kind of real fatherly love. His son makes it clear that he hates him and blames him for what has happened to his sister, explained with a shocking twist that makes sense. The young man meets up with a stripper friend of his sister's, and after being told to take a hike, a friendship grows and becomes romantic. The father is one sick man, and is similar to powerful men whose disgusting pasts came back to haunt them when exposed in the press, both before this and long after. That really adds a sympathetic element to the story that has much better acting than I expected from a non-professional cast and a very low budget. Take away the T&A and slashings, and you've got a decent thriller with some powerful twists. -
HumanoidOfFlesh20 August 2009A pianist is searching for his sister who has become a prostitute.A sadistic killer is preying on prostitutes.He kills his victims with a razor.Police hunt for the girl and the killer."American Nightmare" by Don McBrearty is a Canadian giallo with some slasher elements.The look of the film is dirty and grimy and there is enough sleaze and nudity to satisfy even the most demanding smut-peddlers.There is one extremely surprising twist involving the pianist's father that truly knocked me out of my seat.It's nice to see Michael Ironside in a small role as the cop.He was really believable as the killer in another overlooked Canadian slasher "Visiting Hours".Finally I must say that the killings are fairly brutal and effective for example one stripper is drowned in a bath-tub and the killer cuts her wrists.The water becomes red with her blood.So if you are a fan of Canadian exploitation cinema you can't miss "American Nightmare".7 out of 10.
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You know it can't be good when a horror film/thriller features non-stop footage of topless women and striptease acts, as well as a fair number of razorblade murders, and yet still feels like an overall very boring experience. "American Nightmare" certainly isn't a total failure, but if the plot promises a misogynist slasher with obvious giallo-influences, I - for one - expect things to get a lot filthier, bloodier, and more perverse than this. Maybe we should leave it to the Italians to make the genuine giallo?
A man searches for his missing sister, who ran away from their dominant TV-tycoon father and ended up working as a prostitute. She may have fallen victim to the vicious serial killer who's roaming the streets and slicing up sex workers with surgical gloves and a sharp razorblade. But who is the maniac and what is his/her reason for going after the prostitutes? Admittedly, "American Nightmare" holds a couple of nicely demented twists in store during the final act, but it's too little too late to compensate for the previous and dull 75 minutes. The pacing is slow, the kills are too brief & blurry whereas the striptease acts are excessively long, and Michael "Mike" Ironside plays a totally insignificant character. -
saliberti19 June 2005I agree with the earlier "user comment" that described this film as a "Canadian Giallo." Having recently watched a number of Italian Giallos from the 1970s and 1960s, I find many of the characteristics of this film match up neatly with those of traditional giallos. (In particular, I can think of a number of similarities between this film and the giallo classic "Seven Blood-Stained Orchids.") For example, this film presents us with a murder mystery which really can't be called a "Whodunnit." Like many giallos, this movie has a gloved killer whose motivation for murder is revealed at the end. And as with many giallos, the police are largely ineffectual, so it is ultimately up to the protagonists to deal with the killer.
The acting is also pretty good for a low budget feature. In particular, Lora Staley, the female lead, turns in a very good performance as does Larry Aubrey, who plays a transvestite named Dolly. The male lead, Lawrence Day, is generally good though somewhat wooden in some scenes. The rest of the cast is, at least, competent.
The main negatives regarding this movie are a result of its low budget. Because of budget constraints, this movie was filmed in 16 mm format rather than 35 mm. The result is rather dull and dark looking images and rather washed out colors. Other users have complained that while there is much nudity in this film, it is not very erotic. I found most of the women in this movie to be very attractive, but the poor film quality simply does not do them justice. Aside from film quality, you also the common slasher film flaw of characters seeming to go out of their way to get themselves killed. In the case of this film, after becoming aware that the killer is targeting people within their group, characters continue to travel by themselves to areas where the killer has appeared previously and where -- surprise, surprise -- the killer tracks them down and kills them!
All things considered, the positives outweigh the negatives with respect to this film. It is easily worth a rental. For those who like to collect slasher/giallo flicks, it is a must-have to such a collection. For all others, it is worth buying if you can find it at a decent price. -
forecastfortoday8 November 2009American Nightmare is a very unusual movie. It's not like your usual slasher where it's some guy in a mask killing a bunch of high school kids. But the movie plays out kind of like a slasher. This is sort of a cross over between a slasher and a mystery. A young girl goes missing and her older brother starts looking for her but the only people who can help him are a group of strippers (who are shallowly thought of as degenerates) who shared an apartment with her. The strippers start to get picked off one by one until the older brother, a girl named Louise, and a whole lot of red herrings are left standing.
For such a low budget movie, American Nightmare is actually really good. I would even say it tops the more popular B-movies from this time such as Hell Night and maybe even Terror Train. The acting in this movie isn't too bad, I think the only person who is really that bad would be the killer when their identity is revealed. Another thing is that American Nightmare is pretty scary. The murders are pretty violent and suspenseful, and the creepiest part is some people you think are going to survive end up being murdered. There are two really good chase scenes in the middle and the end of the film between Louise and the killer between an apartment complex and a huge office building. For anybody who enjoys a slasher movie, a horror, or simply just a mystery this is obviously a huge recommendation. -
One has to wonder why the makers of this film would dub it "American Nightmare" when in fact it's 100% Canadian, showing that those of us in the Great White North have what it takes to make dark and depressing trash cinema.
The story is admittedly similar to that in the George C. Scott vehicle "Hardcore": a young man named Eric (Lawrence Day) frantically searches for his kid sister after having received a plea for help from her. This leads Eric into the underworld of Toronto (all shot on authentic seedy Toronto locations), including stop offs at a strip club. The characters, by and large, are kinky if not dangerous, and by the end there's going to be one hell of a disgusting revelation.
Directed in a straightforward manner by Don McBrearty, the film can boast Canadian genre icon Paul Lynch (director of "Prom Night", "Humongous", and "Bullies") as one of the executive producers and none other than the original Wizard of Gore, Ray Sager, as the producer. Now, of course it's not going to be for all tastes, but those who enjoy the sleazy and sordid in movies are sure to get a kick out of the various goings on. Enhanced by a subtle Paul Zaza score, the movie does immerse one in its ambiance and tells a reasonably interesting tale that also involves Erics' strained relationship with his fat cat father Hamilton (Tom Harvey).
Among the cast are Alexandra Paul ("Christine", 'Baywatch') in her first feature as the ill-fated sibling, Lenore Zann ("Happy Birthday to Me", "Visiting Hours") and Claudia Udy ("Savage Dawn", "Edge of Sanity") as strippers, Page "The Hitchhiker" Fletcher as Mark, Larry Aubrey as drag queen Dolly, and the always welcome Michael Ironside, who's unfortunately wasted in a boring part as the investigating detective. Day is unbearably stiff as the determined hero, but Lora Staley is appealing as the roommate who helps him in his journey and with whom he becomes smitten.
The whole thing is pretty crude and reeks of cheapness, but it's still got good moments. For one thing, McBrearty and company know that you can never have too many strip numbers in a movie, and for another, there is one effective stalking / suspense sequence featuring Zann as she tries to defend herself with a pitchfork.
Worth a look for hardcore enthusiasts of exploitation.
Seven out of 10. -
lazarillo19 November 2007Most of the other reviews of this are pretty much spot on. This movie does have elements of the Italian giallo, but it is much more gritty and realistic than the garish and stylized gialli. It also resembles America slasher movies (many of which, like this movie, were actually Canadian tax shelter productions). It's not a TEEN slasher movie, however, with rutting adolescents being almost metaphorically bumped off by an unreal murderous "boogey man"; this is a more realistic movie, as much crime thriller as horror flick. It resembles gritty, urban films like "Maniac", "Nightmares in a Damaged Brain", or "The New York Ripper" but, for better or worse, doesn't quite attain that level of sordidness. It's more of a downbeat and sleazy but less harrowing film, like "Too Scared to Scream" or "Windows".
In a nod to "Hardcore" (as another reviewer noted) this movie is about a brother looking for his younger sister in the red light district of strippers and prostitutes. In a noirish touch the audience knows from the opening sequence that the sister is already dead, but the brother's search will bring him face-to-face with her killer, a vicious modern-day "Jack the Ripper" who is carving up wayward women with a straight razor.
A young Michael Ironside has a supporting role as police detective, and the murdered sister is played by a young Alexandra Paul. The latter has a long topless scene--and this might be the main reason this film is still sought out by anyone today. As for me though, I have a soft spot in my heart (or perhaps my brain-pan) for this kind of early 80's sleaze. If you feel the same way, you might want to check this one out. -
punishmentpark8 January 2015Quite a fantastic little film, which revolves around the brutal killings of seemingly random victims, mainly prostitutes. It's hardly believable that a well to do, caring older brother would let his sister get into this much trouble, but in the end it becomes obvious why things turned out that way. Is it believable that the brother, a famous pianist, would fall in love with an exotic dancer from skid row? Maybe not, but it's portrayed with the necessary integrity. The nasty kill scenes and many gratuitous striptease scenes should clash with the serious themes, but they hardly do. The film maintains a certain amount of integrity, though I don't think it's for everyone - my love for gore and nudity admittedly helps a lot...
The story (stories) evolves rather slowly, which leaves room for a believable way of Eric and Louise becoming more and more involved with each other. The ending may be a little far fetched (though I did have a feeling Uni-Save might have something to do with it), but it works well enough, even if the finale is a rather by the book way of concluding a thriller. It helps that Neil Dainard delivers a fine performance as the high and mighty baddie who believes he is just setting things right. The rest of the acting is rather okay, but nothing special.
If a mix of gritty thriller and a good dose of exploitation elements might be your thing, check this one out! A good 7 out of 10 from yours truly. -
HorrorFan198423 March 2020There is a serial killer on the loose murdering young women who all work at a downtown strip club. After the brother of one of the victims shows up to uncover the killer, a stripper joins forces with him to stop the American Nightmare.
American Nightmare is a hard to find gritty 80's slasher filmed in my hometown of Toronto in Canada. The film starts with a young prostitute being viciously murdered by an unknown assailant. We quickly meet her brother Eric who is trying to find out who killed her. Along his journey we meet a very likeable transvestite named Dolly and some of his friends who work at the nearby strip club, one of which is named Louise. Eric takes an instant liking to her and works with her to discover the identity of his sisters killer.
American Nightmare is so filthy of a slasher film, you'll need to take a shower afterwards. We get trashy nudity and a script which includes very homophobic dialogue at times. It definitely feels like the depths of low down Toronto in the 80's. The death scenes (mostly stabbings) are extremely realistic and not just because of the special effects and blood. There is a brutality to them which makes it feel very real. The identity of the killer was shocking to me and there was backstory told that felt a tad rushed and a little nonsensical. That was a weak point for me for sure.
The acting is nothing great in this one, mostly unknown Canadian actors. Most notably include scream queen Lenore Zann and well known actor Michael Ironside who have very small parts. For people who know Toronto, you'll see some very familiar filming locations such as the CN Tower, downtown Yonge Street, and some office buildings around the CNE/Exhibition Grounds.
I appreciate American Nightmare for what it is. A cheap Canadian slasher flick from the 1980's that has some extremely tense moments with the killer and their victims. It isn't a must see horror film, but I would watch it if you get the chance. It gets a 6/10 for me for it's chase scenes involving the killer and it's overall decaying/depressing atmosphere.
6/10 -
This relentlessly seedy and downbeat Canadian "Hardcore" clone largely eschews the heavy-handed moralizing of Paul Schrader's spectacularly lurid '79 feature in favor of wallowing with unstinting graphicness in a festering stinkweed urban cesspool of raw sexuality and total sleaze. A naive, clean-cut young classical pianist (the insufferably virtuous Lawrence S. Daly) tirelessly trolls the filthy streets and grungy back alleys of a gaudy, depraved and morally bankrupt red light district in search of his missing sister. Our painfully out of his element choirboy protagonist, who's the son of a prominent rich jerk who's none too happy with Daly's search for dear sis in the city's down-trodden, despicable underbelly, enlists the aid of a sad, pill-popping stripper (the fetching Lora Staley) and gets no help from weary, jaded, seen-it-all-three-times-over vice cop Michael Ironside.
Director Don McBrearty cranks up the dismally debauched scuzzball atmosphere to the garishly sensationalized, yet still pretty ignoble and upsetting max: large portions of the film take place in trashy go-go bars, low-rent apartments and squalid porno shops; the dark, shadowy cinematography gives all the scummy action a properly murky and grungy air; a Jack the Ripper-type self-appointed murderous moralist takes it upon himself to rid the world of irredeemable scarlet harlots; numerous lovely young ladies remove their clothes at periodic intervals (perpetually nude Canuck B-picture regulars Claudia Udy and Lenore Zann among 'em, with a really young, topless and slutty-looking pre-"Baywatch" Alexandra Paul setting the unsparingly sordid tone in the opening scene as the killer's first victim); the secondary characters include such stock degenerates as creepy peepshow booth perverts, strung-out junkies, forlorn strippers and the inevitable swishy, whiny, lisping cross-dressing homosexual; and a cold, grim, utterly hopeless mood pervades throughout the whole movie. Way too bleak, seamy and depressing to be much fun, but still a reasonably engrossing and appropriately grotty celluloid excursion into neon slime territory just the same. -
blanbrn10 February 2013This movie "American Nightmare" is one of the countless early 80's B thriller films that involves murder and sex mixed in to make it a watch. Something to watch to pass a little time anyway it's a note that Page Fletcher has a guest spot here this was just before he got his most memorable role on HBO's terrific "Hitchhiker" series. Anyway this is typical 80's B horror sex drama a man arrives in a city looking for his missing sister only to find that she was caught up in a world of underground staples like drugs, strip clubs and peep shows and even a sadistic murder who wants all of the girls dead. Along the trail of blood and scum dark secrets are revealed behind club doors and office doors. Look for Michael Ironside's turn as a cop overall good to pass time if you like early 80's B horror thrill films.
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Wizard-86 December 2001Despite what the title states, the movie actually takes place in Toronto. Though like most Canadian movies, it is hesitant to say where it's actually taking place - you have to look for clues, such as seeing part of the CN Tower in the background during the final sequence.
As for the movie itself, it's pretty poor overall. It's relentlessly padded, with only a few turns in the story itself. Much of the movie consists of people talking, or to showcase the abundant nudity. Though that latter element may sound like it makes the movie worth watching, it's actually drearily presented, without it being the least erotic.
In fact, every location in the movie comes across as degenerate and filthy - never have I seen Toronto bathed in such an unflattering light. Actually, it's a change of pace for a Canadian movie, and with the movie taking place in a sleazy part of society, it seems somewhat appropriate. Though I'm sure this wasn't intentional, because this was a really low budget movie (only a $200,000 budget - Canadian dollars!), and the production values certainly show it, most notably the lack of adequate lighting.
To be fair, the slasher sequences aren't that bad - the squalid locations and the dark lighting actually give them some atmosphere, and the direction of these sequences show a little imagination (unlike the hopeless direction elsewhere.) And the movie does give B movie fans a chance to see Michael Ironside in not just an early role, but one that gives him the rare opportunity to play a good guy. Aside from those things, the movie is probably only of interest to people interested in Canadian tax shelter movies of this era. -
deborahrighetti20 October 2020Sleazy Canadian slasher film with a man looking to find out who murdered his prostitute sister and finding himself dragged into the depths of the sex work business. It's part Hardcore and part Friday the 13th. The killer reveal adds another layer of sleaze to the proceedings.
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Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of American Nightmare; here's the breakdown of my ratings:
Story: 1.25 Direction: 1.25 Pace: 1.00 Acting: 1.25 Enjoyment: 1.25
TOTAL: 6.00 out of 10.00
I was surprised by American Nightmare. I liked it. I had not heard anything about this little dark thriller, even though it stars Michael Ironside - one of my favourite actors. So I turned down the lights and settled down for the evening.
The chief ingredient that tickled my tastebuds was the story. A successful brother rushes home to help his sister, only to find she's disappeared. As he and the police dig into her life, they begin to uncover her dark truths. In her decision to break free of her father's controlling grasp, she's forced onto the streets, becoming a drugged-out prostitute. Does her vanishment hold darker secrets? Or is she just a victim of a psychotic punter or a serial killer? As we progress through the story, these and more questions are answered. And when we reach the reveal, your blood should be running cold with the terrible realisation of the poor girl's situation. The writers do a great job of infusing the characters with intriguing personas. And the dysfunctional family relationship between the kids and their father is superb. It's these elements which will help to keep your eyes on the screen.
As for the direction, Don McBrearty doesn't impart the picture with much eye candy. He keeps the filming to an uncomplicated style, which allows him to display the city's grimier side perfectly. But he injects engaging compositions and camera angles when the story requires it. For example, when Dolly, the transvestite is stalked, McBrearty captures the pursuit from above and below as they move down the boarding house's stairway. Then he shifts the action into the dark shadows of the alleyway. Doing this keeps the audience wondering if a killer is hiding in the inky blackness. He also utilises the steady pace superbly, allowing the performers and the story to create the atmosphere and moods contained within the picture.
The performers are superb in their portrayals. There are no small parts in American Nightmare. Even Alexandra Paul, as the sister Isabelle is excellent. I find she's either on form or not in her movie career. But this short appearance is one of her best, and it's not because she's nude - I'm shallow, but not that shallow. She nails the character's sassiness and drives. She feels that her latest John is dragging his heels. There are more punters on the streets, which means more money to be made, so she has to get him moving. You can see and hear the fake enthusiasm as Paul tries to coax the punter out of the John and into action in the bedroom. And the same can be said of the other lesser parts. Each performer gives their best, and that makes for a solid movie.
American Nightmare is a good film with a decent story and skilled acting. But it still misses pizazz and oomph at times, which keeps it from being a classic, though it comes close. As such, I would gladly recommend all mystery and dark thriller fans give it one viewing. I can see myself taking a second and maybe a third peak at this picture in the future.
Put that straight razor down and check out my Killer Thriller Chillers and The Game Is Afoot lists to see where I ranked American Nightmare.
Take Care & Stay Well. -
james1-494-8268578 April 2020I enjoyed this movie very much. Didn't have the awful 1980's style music that all so often ruins that decade's movies. A lot of good kill scenes and great City landscape visuals. Recommended.
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jpuck8117 July 2002"American Nightmare" is one of the better eighties slashers out there, featuring a funny, enjoyable cast, good suspense, and a fun, if not predictable take on the generic stalk-and-slash scenario. After the disappearance of a young girl (played by a young Alexandra Paul), the girl's brother (Day) comes to town looking for her, only to find out she was a dancer and hooker at a strip club. With the aid of his sister's roommate and co-worker (Staley), they begin the search for his sister. Meanwhile, the beret-wearing, razor-toting man who did in the sister begins stalking the other girls she worked with, one by one. A real sense of sympathy is felt for the unfortunate victims, who are good-hearted characters, regardless of their poverty or unfortunate lifestyle. The rich people in the movie are the loathsome characters. Slasher movie veteran Lenore Zann is quite likeable as the lovely 'Tina', and has a great chase sequence with the killer, while Aubrey supports comic relief as the hilarious wise-cracking transvestite 'Dolly'....great movie...check it out!
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drownsoda9020 August 2022"American Nightmare" follows Eric, a concert pianist attempting to locate his missing sister, a sex worker who has disappointed their austere CEO father with her career choices. Meanwhile, a series of violent murders begin in the missing sister's apartment building, and the targets seem to be her sex worker compatriots and friends.
This dreary, wintry Canadian chiller is something of an unsung work in the slasher canon, having received scant release since it was first made in the early-1980s. Executive-produced by "Prom Night" director Paul Lynch, "American Nightmare" is a grim and unforgiving take on the genre, blending elements of Italian gialli with hard-edged urban American horror. Aesthetically speaking, the film has a pallid and cold appearance (despite apparently being set during Christmastime, as seasonal decorations abound), and the gritty Toronto locations serve as effective (if not very Canadian) stand-ins for an anywhere-USA metropolis.
What is perhaps most interesting about the film is that it portrays its sex worker characters (among them a humorous transgender woman) in a nonjudgmental manner. Rather than exploit the material for salaciousness' sake, "American Nightmare" subverts the typical bourgeoisie view of the "dregs" of American society, and instead exposes their elite counterparts as the true immoral deviants by way of several sick and shocking plot twists.
The film boasts a number of frightening and graphic murder sequences that qualify it as a veritable slasher, and Paul Zaza (who provided the scores of several of this film's contemporaries, including "Prom Night", "Ghostkeeper", and "Curtains") offers a haunting and oppressive musical score that lends itself nicely. The acting here is a mixed bag, though Lora Staley makes for a decent "final girl", and there are several genre favorites who make notable appearances, including Lenore Zann as a stripper, and Michael Ironside as an indifferent police investigator. A young Alexandra Paul also appears as the lead's missing sister, who figures in the film's brutal opening sequence.
All in all, I found myself very impressed by this film for both aesthetic and thematic reasons. It is an unforgiving slasher with one cold exterior that cuts to the bone. Beyond that, though, it offers the viewer some blistering observations on American moralism and the scabrous, unaccounted horrors of the "right side" of society. 9/10. -
midnight_wanderer8 August 2002I thought this would suck because of the feel of the movie when it first started but it turned out a watchable movie. I think the writer wanted to add something that would hold the watchers attention & that was the love story happening between the Eric & Louise characters. It's not real scary but a good thriller & I fell in love with Lora Staley, who plays Louise, while watching. She's just so...perfect. That's my ideal girl. Anywho, it's just a feel good movie...that is if you like love stories.
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lor_9 February 2023My review was written in June 1984 after watching the movie on Media Home Entertainment video cassette.
"American Nightmare" is a routine, low-budget 1982 Canadian-made terror picture, unreleased theatrically but available in video cassette format. Title apparently was inspird byh a 1979 horror film retro under that name held at the Toronto Film Festivall.
Lawrence S. Day toplines as Eric, a pianist searching the world of Sin City's (i.e., Toronto) bars, strip joints and hot sheets motels for his missing 18-year-old sister Isabelle (Alexandra Paul), wo as drifted into prostitution and drugs. A fellow dancer at the Club 2000, Louise (Lara Staley) helps Eric in his search and becomes involved romantically with him, while other dancers and bystanders are being killed by a mystery man. The police, led by Sgt. Skylar (Michael Ironside) are getting nowhere on the case.
Gimmicky effort relies on cornball devices of an incest subplot and muderers identity being utiamtely revealed via a convenient hidden-camera videotape setup at a motel. Plenty of blood is spilled by the killer with a straight razor but picture skimps on fantastic gore or makeup effects.
Filmmakers, who include executive produce-titles designer Paul Lynch (a horror genre vet with "Prom Night" and "Humongous" among his helming credits), have opted for a gritty, realistic approach hat is unengagigning and (until final eels with romance injected) unsympahetic to the characters.
Lead players are unimpressive but two of the small role femme victims subsequently have made career breakthroughs .Alexndra Paul, who appears here in the opening scene as the sexually aggressive Isabelle, has since had leading roles in John Carpenter's "Christine", the tv-movie "Getting Physical" and upcoming Kristy McNichol starrer "I Won't Dance". Blonde Claudia Udy, who meets her maker in a bathtub, starred in the title role of the 1983 softcore hit "Joy".