Nurse Sherri (1978)

User Rating:

2.1/10   

Director:

Al Adamson

Writers:

Michael Bockman (written by) &
Greg Tittinger (written by) ...

Release Date:

August 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Meet Sherri... for an evening of Pleasure and Terror!

Plot:

A hospital nurse is possessed by an evil spirit, and proceeds to kill off the hospital's patients.

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Nurse | Occult | Professor | Patient

Cast

Geoffrey Land	...	Peter Desmond
Jill Jacobson	...	Sherri Martin
Marilyn Joi	...	Tara Williams
Mary Kay Pass	...	Beth Dillon
Prentiss Moulden	...	Marcus Washington
Bill Roy	...	Reanhauer
Erwin Fuller	...	Charlie
J.C. Wells	...	Stevens
Clay Foster	...	Dr. Nelson (as Clayton Foster)
Caryl Briscoe	...	Nurse Gordon
Jack Barnes	...	Dr. Andrews
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John F. Goff	...	Psychiatrist

Also Known As:

Beyond the Living
Black Voodoo
Hands of Death
Hospital of Terror (USA) (alternative title)
Killer's Curse
Terror Hospital
The Possession of Nurse Sherri (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

USA:88 min | Belgium:83 min (video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Certain Sacrifice (1985)

File under "Spookier and More Atmospheric Than It Should Be"...

I love just about everything the late Al Adamson directed in his long and varied career, but "The Possession of Nurse Sherri" stands head and shoulders above fun yet admittedly grade-Z schlockfests like "Horror of the Blood Monsters" and "Dracula Vs. Frankenstein". This film is actually scary! Am I saying that you're going to jump out of your seat when you watch "Nurse Sherri"? No, of course not. But this pastiche of elements from "The Exorcist", "Ruby", and "Carrie" is one of those nice, eerie little horror movies common to the seventies. You can't put your finger on what's so spooky about it, but the film drips with atmosphere. (And what an ending! Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you.) Adamson and producer Sam Sherman really nailed it with this one, and it doesn't matter whether "Nurse Sherri" was a calculated success or a happy accident. Jill Jacobson is likable but not outstanding as the hapless nurse who becomes possessed by the spirit of a recently deceased cult leader (Bill Roy, who shines in his brief role). Geoffrey Land is okay as her surly doctor boyfriend. There are some blaxploitation elements here (profit was the bottom line with these el cheapo drive-in flicks, after all) but they actually contribute to the plot rather than just being window dressing. "Nurse Sherri" was a poverty row production, and it shows at times (sets, special effects, etc.). Still, the film has heart, mostly decent acting and direction, and some genuine chills. Sam Sherman also saw fit to use Harry Lubin's theme music for the late '50s/early '60s television series "One Step Beyond" in this film, which certainly adds to the creepy atmosphere. The DVD contains two significantly different cuts of the movie (the early version features a lot of T&A that wound up on the cutting room floor to make way for more horrific stuff) as well as the theatrical trailer, the TV spot, and a great commentary by Sherman. Does anybody know whatever happened to Bill Roy, by the way? Next to John Carradine, he's the best actor I've ever seen in an Al Adamson film, and he plays the cult leader like he means it.