Frightmare (1983)

User Rating:

3.4/10   

Director:

Norman Thaddeus Vane

Writer:

Norman Thaddeus Vane (writer)

Release Date:

September 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

There is no escape, not even death...

Plot:

Drama students decide to pay tribute to their favorite horror star by stealing his body from his crypt for a farewell party...

Plot Keywords:

Splatter | Telephone | Widow | Mass Murder | Mansion

Cast

Ferdy Mayne	...	Conrad Radzoff (as Ferdinand Mayne)
Luca Bercovici	...	Saint
Nita Talbot	...	Mrs. Rohmer
Leon Askin	...	Wolfgang
Jennifer Starrett	...	Meg
Barbara Pilavin	...	Etta Radzoff
Alan Stock	...	Oscar
Twyla Littleton	...	Actress in Commercial
Joe Witherell	...	Crewman
Janet Lee Orcutt	...	Script Girl
Carlene Olson	...	Eve
Scott Thomson	...	Bobo
Donna McDaniel	...	Donna
Jeffrey Combs	...	Stu
Peter Kastner	...	Commercial Director

Also Known As:

Body Snatchers (UK) (video title)
Horror Star (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

86 min | France:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | Australia:R | France:-12 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Iceland:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

Glendale, California, USA

Company:

Screenwriters

Trivia:

Jeffrey Combs was cast principally because a brunette was needed to match the prop head made for the decapitation scene.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During a scene towards the end of the movie where Conrad is walking up a staircase towards Stu, a hose can be seen spraying fog on the stairs.

Movie Connections:

References Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1973)

Vincent Price wannabe kills from beyond the grave.

My parents used to rent a lot of horror movies when I was a child. We loved watching them even when they were bad they made for some enjoyment. This was one such movie, kind of hard to review as I have only seen it the one time as a child, but it is not anything I want to track down again so I can do a more in-depth review. The story has some old horror actor legend dying. I seem to remember he acted a bit like an over the top Vincent Price, without being likable and classy. He commits murders and dies, but what is this? Is the movie over already? No, as some kids for some reason snag the body and are prepared for a fun night of being killed by the ham from beyond the grave. I remember the murders were nothing all that special after the first couple and I remember this movie was rather disappointing. Seemed to have a good premise, but it just failed to deliver the goods as more cool kills were needed and that super horror actor needed to add a bit to his repertoire.