Pyromaniac (1995) User Reviews

A cheap as desert sand Slasher Film

[Zontarr · 3/10 · 29 November 2005]

Karen Fontaine is cute in this weak 'psycho-in-the-desert' flick .

The heavy played y Warren Stevens, is no relation to that actor from FORBIDDEN PLANET . He is convincing though as a crazed killer, named Sam, a Freddy Krueger-type villain, minus the supernatural powers .

So basically it is a serial killer stalking dimwit teenagers !

There is an insect motif we all should come to expect in these films . In this film it is a giant butterfly- that is Sam's motif .

The whole flick is shot on Video Tape so you get either a Blair Witch effect of amateurism, or just a cheap grade-Z horror flick .

There is some cleavage in the unedited version . We get to see cute-as-a-button Karen Fontain's sweet bosom . And they are a sweet pair :-)

an understated, minimalist movie

[kingmonkey · 6/10 · 13 January 2007]

Looking at some of the comments and the reviews posted, I believe a number of people have misinterpreted this one.

It's no horror classic, granted, but it is a step above your average slasher film. The protagonist is a deeply troubled individual, and you get a well-rounded character as a bad guy for a change. No hockey masks or knife gloves on display here - just a man with fire.

Fire holds a dual role of master and servant, giving an interesting, intellectual slant to the central character. He fears fire, and yet he controls it. Students of the classics of literature will at least be able to relate to 25% of the four elements being given the limelight. It might not be to fire what, say, The Abyss was to water, but it is certainly the best presentation of the subject matter of fire since Backdraft, and the best horror usage of fire since Spontaneous Combustion.

Infamously this film is difficult to track down. If the chance presents itself to see it, there are many worse films to watch.