Nightmare (1964)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Freddie Francis

Writer:

Jimmy Sangster (writer)

Release Date:

17 June 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Horror

Plot:

Janet is a young student at a private school; her nights are troubled by horrible dreams in which she sees her mother...

Plot Keywords:

Dreams | Fear | Flashback | Doctor | Paranoia

Cast

David Knight	...	Henry Baxter
Moira Redmond	...	Grace Maddox
Jennie Linden	...	Janet
Brenda Bruce	...	Mary Lewis
George A. Cooper	...	John
Clytie Jessop	...	Woman in White
Irene Richmond	...	Mrs. Gibbs
John Welsh	...	Doctor
Timothy Bateson	...	Barman
Elizabeth Dear	...	Janet as a Child
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Isla Cameron	...	Mother (uncredited)
Julie Samuel	...	Maid (uncredited)
Hedger Wallace	...	Sir Dudley (uncredited)

Directed by
Freddie Francis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jimmy Sangster		writer

Produced by
Jimmy Sangster	....	producer

Original Music by
Don Banks

Cinematography by
John Wilcox

Production Design by
Bernard Robinson

Art Direction by
Don Mingaye

Makeup Department
Roy Ashton	....	makeup artist
Frieda Steiger	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Don Weeks	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Douglas Hermes	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Jim Groom	....	sound editor
Ken Rawkins	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Les Bowie	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ronnie Maasz	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
James Needs	....	supervising editor

Music Department
John Hollingsworth	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Pauline Harlow	....	continuity (as Pauline Wise)

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1964) (UK) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Here's the Knife, Dear: Now Use It (UK)

Runtime:

USA:83 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:X

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

Jennie Linden was 11th hour casting choice replacing Julie Christie, who dropped out to do Darling.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Out of this World Super Shock Show (2007) (V)

Class Act

Mysterious puzzle of who or what is behind a young girl, having just returned from a boarding school in the English countryside, becoming increasingly paranoid and psychotic. The girl witnessed her mother killing her father years ago and has nightmares of the event. She believes that she has the same mania and starts seeing her mother, other apparitions, and various things connected with the event that happened on her birthday so long ago. She is heir to the house, but her uncle manages her estate. A nurse is supplied for her and the home is run by an elderly couple of servants that have been with the family for a long time. What starts out as something you keep thinking you have seen before - swiftly and adroitly changes direction and becomes something I had never seen before. This is above all a well-crafted film made with creating suspense and maintaining suspense as its primary objectives. Director Freddie Francis, the Hammer stalwart, directs with his usual keen, meticulous detail for the lens. He paces the film very nicely, and he is aided by very good performances from all concerned. The real credit for the film's success though must go to veteran Hammer writer Jimmy Sangster. Above all this is a script-driven vehicle. Certainly one of the lesser known Hammer horror films but definitely one of the better psycho films I have seen.