The quick and dirty version of this movie without any spoilers - it changes the type of movie it's trying to be too many times! The problem with movies that do that is they don't do any one right. Good slashers stick with something - suspense, believability, etc. and run with it. The five is because it does entertain the viewer, but the acting is average and the movie does not give you something to think about after the credits role. Bottom line for those deciding whether or not to watch this movie - if you're hinging an evening on this flick, skip it. If it's a rainy day and there is quite nothing else to do, crack open that bottle of cognac and half of your attention will suffice to get the full value of this one.
44 Reviews
"There's someone out there tyring to kill us & overall his been pretty f*cking successful." Not too bad actually.
poolandrews5 June 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Nightmare Man starts as Bill (Luciano Szafir) is driving his wife Ellen (Blythe Metz) cross country to a mental institute, apparently Ellen thinks she's possessed by some sort of demon from an Afican tribal wood carved face mask, obviously she isn't & that's why she's on her way to a loony bin. However en-route the car runs out of petrol in the middle of nowhere, Bill sets off on foot to find a petrol station while Ellen stays behind in the car. It turns out though Ellen may not be as mad as originally anticipated as the Nightmare Man (Aaron Sherry) becomes a living reality that wants to kill her, she runs away into some wood where she stumbles upon a log cabin with four friends inside who all become potential victims for the Nightmare Man...
Written, produced & directed by Rolfe Kanefsky this low budget teen slasher isn't quite as bad as I had feared & isn't too bad if you have low enough expectations. The script obviously takes it inspiration from the self conscious Scream (1996) & it's imitators, this is a basic teen slasher & to be honest it doesn't really try to be anything else. Sure there are a couple of average twists in the story to liven things up a bit but at heart this is just a slasher. To be positive at least it moves along at a nice enough pace, there might have been a couple more murders but I wasn't bored with it, the character's are actually a lot better than I thought with reasonable decision making like actively trying to stick together & deciding not to go out in the woods alone or split up which is a nice change & generally speaking I thought it was a painless if undemanding & forgettable enough way to pass 90 odd minutes. The other thing that I liked about this film is Tiffany Shepis who I have seen in several other low budget horror films but didn't particularly know her in the sense if I saw a picture of her I wouldn't recognise her, here though she's probably the best thing about Nightmare Man as she runs around in her extremely mini skirt & boots holding a huge hunting rifle spouting mildly amusing one-liners, hey I'm easily pleased OK?
Director Kanefsky does alright on a low budget but it's not stylish & it all rather flat & bland. I've just realised that I've seen every horror film Kanefsky has directed to this point (lucky me, not), The Hazing (2004) which is pretty good, Corpses (2004) which is not so good, Jacqueline Hyde (2006) which is terrible & this which is OK. There's no scares, the twists aren't entirely successful or surprising, there's not much tension & no atmosphere but nothings perfect I suppose. Horror fans will also be able to spot the blatant The Evil Dead (1982) homage. There's not much gore here, an arrow fired into someones mouth, a knife stuck under someones chin & a bit of blood splatter & not much else.
Withn a supposed budget of about $250,000 this is as well made as you could expect, it's certainly glossier & nicer looking than many low budget straight-to-video/DVD horror film crap that's out there. As I said Tiffany Shepis is the best thing about Nightmare Man, she's a really hot looking chick with a great body & she actually gives a decent performance here which I'm sure no one was expecting to hear. The rest of the cast do OK & all of the girls find themselves in some degree of undress at one point or another.
Nightmare Man isn't anything particularly special, in fact it's nothing more than OK but even that's still a hell of a lot better than I was expecting. Worth a watch for horror fans who have to see everything & anything but other more casual viewers out there may not be that impressed.
Written, produced & directed by Rolfe Kanefsky this low budget teen slasher isn't quite as bad as I had feared & isn't too bad if you have low enough expectations. The script obviously takes it inspiration from the self conscious Scream (1996) & it's imitators, this is a basic teen slasher & to be honest it doesn't really try to be anything else. Sure there are a couple of average twists in the story to liven things up a bit but at heart this is just a slasher. To be positive at least it moves along at a nice enough pace, there might have been a couple more murders but I wasn't bored with it, the character's are actually a lot better than I thought with reasonable decision making like actively trying to stick together & deciding not to go out in the woods alone or split up which is a nice change & generally speaking I thought it was a painless if undemanding & forgettable enough way to pass 90 odd minutes. The other thing that I liked about this film is Tiffany Shepis who I have seen in several other low budget horror films but didn't particularly know her in the sense if I saw a picture of her I wouldn't recognise her, here though she's probably the best thing about Nightmare Man as she runs around in her extremely mini skirt & boots holding a huge hunting rifle spouting mildly amusing one-liners, hey I'm easily pleased OK?
Director Kanefsky does alright on a low budget but it's not stylish & it all rather flat & bland. I've just realised that I've seen every horror film Kanefsky has directed to this point (lucky me, not), The Hazing (2004) which is pretty good, Corpses (2004) which is not so good, Jacqueline Hyde (2006) which is terrible & this which is OK. There's no scares, the twists aren't entirely successful or surprising, there's not much tension & no atmosphere but nothings perfect I suppose. Horror fans will also be able to spot the blatant The Evil Dead (1982) homage. There's not much gore here, an arrow fired into someones mouth, a knife stuck under someones chin & a bit of blood splatter & not much else.
Withn a supposed budget of about $250,000 this is as well made as you could expect, it's certainly glossier & nicer looking than many low budget straight-to-video/DVD horror film crap that's out there. As I said Tiffany Shepis is the best thing about Nightmare Man, she's a really hot looking chick with a great body & she actually gives a decent performance here which I'm sure no one was expecting to hear. The rest of the cast do OK & all of the girls find themselves in some degree of undress at one point or another.
Nightmare Man isn't anything particularly special, in fact it's nothing more than OK but even that's still a hell of a lot better than I was expecting. Worth a watch for horror fans who have to see everything & anything but other more casual viewers out there may not be that impressed.
The highlight of this film was the truth or dare scene.
Aaron137524 April 2008
Not that I am saying this movie was all bad, but that was the highlight and if the sexy talk is the highlight of a horror movie then it is not much of a horror film in the end. The story has this woman who seems to be having a bit of trouble on the marital front. Her solution to the problems seems to be to order some love god mask, they instead seem to send her the evil demon love god mask and throughout the movie you wander if this manifest ion is real or not. She is being driven to the mental institution by her husband they break down and she is seemingly stalked and attacked by this person or thing while her husband is getting gas. Meanwhile, somewhere in the woods there is a house with two couples. Two very cute girls who are friends and their boyfriends. They play truth or dare and then the crazy...or not, girl ends up in their care. Well lets just say there is somebody out there trying to get at her as he quickly steals a crossbow and handles the one guy while he is being mooned. However, you still don't know if it is the mysterious nightmare man the girl goes on about or something else. The husband is heading for the cabin though and soon afterward so are the police. This movie had potential as do most horror movies and like so many they just miss some stuff. On the plus side you get to see a couple of good kills, some good nudity, and the end was rather good too. However, I was kind of hoping for something more in the lines of say an Evil Dead movie rather than a typical slasher film with a twist here and there. So far out of the three Afterdark movies in this new batch this is the strongest, sadly though compared to the last batch this one would be tied with Penny Dreadful as the weakest in my eyes.
Wow...
nastirithwh18 November 2007
I have to say, I have never walked out of a movie before. I've seen some pretty crap movies, too, but I stick around and watch them, and then laugh later.
I can only say that this movie was so horrible (perhaps the reason it made it into the Horrorfest line up, because it was so terrible as to be horrifying?), that I was insulted by it. Heralding back to the days of cheesy 80's horror, this was by far even worse than those amusing flicks.
Bad acting, horrible effects and makeup, terrible filming, irritating music...did I mention the bad acting? There's a place for movies like this...it's called Blockbuster, where you spend $3 to go home and be disappointed. My wife and I spent over $20 on this one movie to end up walking out, it was atrocious.
To the people in charge of selecting the Horrorfest lineup...please bother to pick something a bit more worth our time and money. More selections like this in the future will only land you crappy reviews and less ticket sales. Try living up to at least SOME kind of standards.
To those of you that got through the entire movie, bravo! You have more stamina than I...we seriously had to leave, or I might have hurt myself laughing.
I can only say that this movie was so horrible (perhaps the reason it made it into the Horrorfest line up, because it was so terrible as to be horrifying?), that I was insulted by it. Heralding back to the days of cheesy 80's horror, this was by far even worse than those amusing flicks.
Bad acting, horrible effects and makeup, terrible filming, irritating music...did I mention the bad acting? There's a place for movies like this...it's called Blockbuster, where you spend $3 to go home and be disappointed. My wife and I spent over $20 on this one movie to end up walking out, it was atrocious.
To the people in charge of selecting the Horrorfest lineup...please bother to pick something a bit more worth our time and money. More selections like this in the future will only land you crappy reviews and less ticket sales. Try living up to at least SOME kind of standards.
To those of you that got through the entire movie, bravo! You have more stamina than I...we seriously had to leave, or I might have hurt myself laughing.
Absolutely horrendous
esoterikfilms11 November 2007
If Mystery Science Theater was still on the air they'd have a ball roasting this turkey. There is almost nothing redeeming here. The script is terrible, the characters are morons, the acting is mostly bad (especially the Spanish husband of the main character - I have no idea why anyone would put him in front of a camera), there are several really bad continuity errors (like the cut on the woman's leg that magically disappears), the make-up is cheesy, and there really aren't any scares. About the only thing watchable about this movie is the chick in the miniskirt. Don't waste your time or money; skip this one! There are much better movies (like "Crazy Eights") in the Horrorfest series.
Not Gonna Lie, This Was Bad
Scars_Remain29 March 2008
I had heard some good things about this Horrorfest film so I decided to give it a shot. I had fun with some parts of it but it's mostly an annoying, typical slasher mess. This is the only film of the 2007 Horrorfest I've seen but I'll probably be checking out the others as well. Though, they're usually pretty bad, to be honest.
The acting was okay, I guess but Tiffany Shepis' character was so extremely annoying that her performance alone could have ruined the whole movie. However, a lot of things did. The script is terrible, I am so tired of "trapped in a cabin in the middle of the woods with a killer on the loose" films. There was also very little suspense whatsoever. One thing I liked was the blood, it seems like a throw back to low budget horror of the 70's and 80's and that made me happy. Unfortunately, it was pretty much the only thing.
If you decide to see this, see it for the blood alone and expect nothing else. It truly is a tedious film that does absolutely nothing we haven't seen a million times before.
The acting was okay, I guess but Tiffany Shepis' character was so extremely annoying that her performance alone could have ruined the whole movie. However, a lot of things did. The script is terrible, I am so tired of "trapped in a cabin in the middle of the woods with a killer on the loose" films. There was also very little suspense whatsoever. One thing I liked was the blood, it seems like a throw back to low budget horror of the 70's and 80's and that made me happy. Unfortunately, it was pretty much the only thing.
If you decide to see this, see it for the blood alone and expect nothing else. It truly is a tedious film that does absolutely nothing we haven't seen a million times before.
bad for my taste
morrigan198220 February 2009
This was a really bad movie. Not parts of it, but the whole damn thing. What was this director thinking? The acting was so bad you can't even imagine. There were no emotions at all. The actors were responding the same way to whatever the director throws at them! They were in this film not for their acting skills but because they looked good in front of the camera! As for the script ... What script? Is there a script really? Were the actors allowed to make up the lines as the movie went on? Because their lines were so bad and corny that they had to be improvised! I don't understand how some people were able to laugh with this thing, I wasn't able to bring myself to do that.
Clichés and horrible acting kill an original plot idea
Shattered_Wake25 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
After ordering an African mask (from Italy?) that promises increased fertility, Ellen (Blythe Metz) begins to experience demonic visions of a 'Nightmare Man' attacking her. To help rid her of these horrible visions, Ellen's flaccid husband, William (Luciano Szafir), takes her to a health clinic. En route, the couple's car breaks down and Ellen is attacked by the Nightmare Man yet again. Fleeing, she takes shelter in a lone cabin with a group of strangers. The unstoppable Nightmare Man, however, continues his attack on the group of Ellen's protectors.
The batch in After Dark Horrorfest 2006 was a disappointment and I heard the same about this 2007's as well. Regardless of my disappointment in them, however, the films always did have a couple things going for them: they're original (mostly) and they have cool one-sheets. Other than a rare couple, I haven't seen any of the fest-horrors that I'd consider to be of any quality. Nightmare Man looked promising. . . again, creative story and a cool poster. Unfortunately, the actual film fell flat due to extremely poor execution by writer/director Rolfe Kanefsky. It wasn't COMPLETELY bad: The Nightmare Man was pretty cool-looking, even though he looked like Howie Mandel in Little Monsters ("Got 'em, got 'em, need 'em, got 'em"). And, again, the story was interesting. There were a few scenes of some very good tension & suspense. Also, a bit of gore & violence helped it along, though the gore wasn't very well done. The dialogue was in a league of its own of horrible and it was made even worse by some terrible performances by the leads (I understand and advocate the hiring of international actors, but c'mon, I could barely understand the husband). The script was jammed with clichés. Over the course of a two-minute period: The arguing couple's car runs out of gas, she accuses him, the phone gets no reception, no cars on the road for 'eighty miles,' 'Oh wait! I saw a gas station sign!,' the husband leaves the wife alone in the dark in the middle of the woods, etc. Yikes! I thought my head would explode out of lack of creativity there. The predictability of the ending is pathetic and, in an attempt to eliminate the predictability, gets even MORE predictable and downright stupid. And, it all comes together to make an ultimately crappy modern horror film.
Final verdict: 3/10. PASS!
The batch in After Dark Horrorfest 2006 was a disappointment and I heard the same about this 2007's as well. Regardless of my disappointment in them, however, the films always did have a couple things going for them: they're original (mostly) and they have cool one-sheets. Other than a rare couple, I haven't seen any of the fest-horrors that I'd consider to be of any quality. Nightmare Man looked promising. . . again, creative story and a cool poster. Unfortunately, the actual film fell flat due to extremely poor execution by writer/director Rolfe Kanefsky. It wasn't COMPLETELY bad: The Nightmare Man was pretty cool-looking, even though he looked like Howie Mandel in Little Monsters ("Got 'em, got 'em, need 'em, got 'em"). And, again, the story was interesting. There were a few scenes of some very good tension & suspense. Also, a bit of gore & violence helped it along, though the gore wasn't very well done. The dialogue was in a league of its own of horrible and it was made even worse by some terrible performances by the leads (I understand and advocate the hiring of international actors, but c'mon, I could barely understand the husband). The script was jammed with clichés. Over the course of a two-minute period: The arguing couple's car runs out of gas, she accuses him, the phone gets no reception, no cars on the road for 'eighty miles,' 'Oh wait! I saw a gas station sign!,' the husband leaves the wife alone in the dark in the middle of the woods, etc. Yikes! I thought my head would explode out of lack of creativity there. The predictability of the ending is pathetic and, in an attempt to eliminate the predictability, gets even MORE predictable and downright stupid. And, it all comes together to make an ultimately crappy modern horror film.
Final verdict: 3/10. PASS!
Much better than I expected but not for everyone
kaiju012 November 2007
I have been looking forward to Nightmare Man ever since June of 2006, when I had the opportunity to meet Tiffany Shepis at Flashback Weekend in Chicago. She was honestly excited about it, and I found her enthusiasm infectious enough to check out this movie as one of the 8 Films to Die For.
She was right. I really enjoyed this movie. That is not to say that it is, well, really good. At it's core, this film is your classic "boobs and blood" b-movie. You have to go in accepting this. The script is flimsy at times, the dialog is openly bad at times, the characters act accordingly most of the time (few moments you'll ask yourself "is that REALLY the most reasonable reaction" but those moments are uncommon) but overall...I really liked it. What really makes the movie work is Kanefsky's ability to put the viewer in the scene. I haven't seen many films that capture the surroundings better than this one does. The scene at the edge of the road is phenomenal. I can tell you where every tree is in relation to the car. I could feel how far it was from the trunk of the car to the trunk of the really big tree off the rear passenger window. And I knew there wasn't much room for Ellen to move if (when) she needed to. The suspense created is fantastic, and that alone carries this movie. I will be seeking out Kanefsky's other films for that alone.
The acting is much better than I expected, Blythe Metz is a bit inconsistent, but when she's on she's really good. Tiffany Shepis does a good job, but the writing for her character is...confusing at best. Her reactions are not what you might expect to the events that unfold around her. Of the women in the movie, Hanna Putnam puts in the best performance, I hope to see her get some roles with more exposure. The male actors are not as impressive as this is really a movie that highlights the women for more than the obvious reasons. James Ferris is the best of the male actors, but I did like Jack Sway as Ed and Luciano Szafir with the exception of his accent getting in the way a little.
Overall, I do recommend this movie for those that like low-budget horror. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I hope you do to.
She was right. I really enjoyed this movie. That is not to say that it is, well, really good. At it's core, this film is your classic "boobs and blood" b-movie. You have to go in accepting this. The script is flimsy at times, the dialog is openly bad at times, the characters act accordingly most of the time (few moments you'll ask yourself "is that REALLY the most reasonable reaction" but those moments are uncommon) but overall...I really liked it. What really makes the movie work is Kanefsky's ability to put the viewer in the scene. I haven't seen many films that capture the surroundings better than this one does. The scene at the edge of the road is phenomenal. I can tell you where every tree is in relation to the car. I could feel how far it was from the trunk of the car to the trunk of the really big tree off the rear passenger window. And I knew there wasn't much room for Ellen to move if (when) she needed to. The suspense created is fantastic, and that alone carries this movie. I will be seeking out Kanefsky's other films for that alone.
The acting is much better than I expected, Blythe Metz is a bit inconsistent, but when she's on she's really good. Tiffany Shepis does a good job, but the writing for her character is...confusing at best. Her reactions are not what you might expect to the events that unfold around her. Of the women in the movie, Hanna Putnam puts in the best performance, I hope to see her get some roles with more exposure. The male actors are not as impressive as this is really a movie that highlights the women for more than the obvious reasons. James Ferris is the best of the male actors, but I did like Jack Sway as Ed and Luciano Szafir with the exception of his accent getting in the way a little.
Overall, I do recommend this movie for those that like low-budget horror. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I hope you do to.
"There's Nothing New Out There"....just more frogs.
hippiedj22 March 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Remember the episode of Seinfeld, where while standing in line to see a film "Rochelle, Rochelle" Elaine says guys will sit through anything for an hour and a half just to see breasts? That seems to be the case for the positive reviews of this flick from young teen guys that can't get their hands on Girls Gone Wild videos and manage to buy DVDs like Nightmare Man, gushing mainly about the hot chicks, the boobs, possible girl-on-girl, etc. but not much about the quality of the movie. For them, they're easily distracted by the nudity so they don't care about the rest and can also claim they're watching a "legitimate movie" in case they're questioned by parents about what they're watching. I'm not against nudity in films, I love naked people! But when it's just a tool to distract the viewer from the lack of scares, humor, or PLOT, it's a cheap shot.
Oh, the plot: a woman with a mental problem eats pills as often as Tic Tacs and claims to be chased by the Nightmare Man ("That mask is HORRIBLE" she keeps exclaiming, and she's right -- it's just a terrible cheap mask that induces laughter instead of fear out of the viewer). She meets up with two horny young couples in a luxury "cabin" in the woods where the gals find numerous ways to be seen undressed. Killer shows up. There ya have it.
I went in with a very open mind, and found myself losing hope within the first 10 minutes. Nothing scary yet, and we're treated to the camera moving up Ellen's naked body in the shower (notice they never do that when a guy is in the shower?), and the Nightmare Man ripping open Ellen's top shortly after...I just knew where this was going. Even by hearing bad things about a film you can't really know for sure until you see it yourself. Well, thank goodness this DVD was part of a set (bought all eight 2007 After Dark Horrorfest titles together for a special sale price at Best Buy), because there is no way that the current $19.98 retail price (nor any future lower prices) can justify purchasing this. I've known plenty of friends who've walked out on this one when it was showing in theatres in their area as part of the Horrorfest, and I can fully understand why.
About 20 years after There's Nothing Out There, you'd think writer/director Rolfe Kanfsky would have improved on his craft. Most of the budget on that first flick went on the then state-of-the-art opening credits, leaving the rest of the film to naked girls and no scares nor great laughs (as it was intended to be somewhat of a parody). All these years later, Nightmare Man had nice opening credits, and the rest the same old thing of girls naked or wearing nothing much and no scares at all. The really sad thing is this was intended to be a serious horror film, not even a parody. In Kanefsky's statements he says he's very proud of this "flick." But he just really didn't try to give us anything original nor different. You've seen this type of film dozens of times before, and there's an obvious lack of an attempt to make the presentation look decent. Bad lighting, extreme acting, lazy dialogue and plot -- man, did that first chase through the woods go on forever, with so many chances for Ellen to get caught. Actually, she was caught a few times and too easily got away again and again. Low-grade effects included Ellen cutting her wrist with a knife, with blood ALREADY there on her wrist and looking like thick orange-red paint. The color was NOT set wrong on my TV. All in all, just nothing new here, no surprises. It's as if Kanefsky figured his loyal fan base would blindly praise and support anything he makes. Apparently they do, as someone keeps funding these projects and the DVDs keep coming.
Easily the worst of the 2007 After Dark Horrorfest along with Lake Dead. As Ellen kept annoyingly screaming, "Where are my pills? Where are my PILLS??" I felt I needed some pills too from this viewing experience...but was just left with the sound of frogs croaking, a Kanefsky trademark. One can't help but feel insulted from that.
Oh, the plot: a woman with a mental problem eats pills as often as Tic Tacs and claims to be chased by the Nightmare Man ("That mask is HORRIBLE" she keeps exclaiming, and she's right -- it's just a terrible cheap mask that induces laughter instead of fear out of the viewer). She meets up with two horny young couples in a luxury "cabin" in the woods where the gals find numerous ways to be seen undressed. Killer shows up. There ya have it.
I went in with a very open mind, and found myself losing hope within the first 10 minutes. Nothing scary yet, and we're treated to the camera moving up Ellen's naked body in the shower (notice they never do that when a guy is in the shower?), and the Nightmare Man ripping open Ellen's top shortly after...I just knew where this was going. Even by hearing bad things about a film you can't really know for sure until you see it yourself. Well, thank goodness this DVD was part of a set (bought all eight 2007 After Dark Horrorfest titles together for a special sale price at Best Buy), because there is no way that the current $19.98 retail price (nor any future lower prices) can justify purchasing this. I've known plenty of friends who've walked out on this one when it was showing in theatres in their area as part of the Horrorfest, and I can fully understand why.
About 20 years after There's Nothing Out There, you'd think writer/director Rolfe Kanfsky would have improved on his craft. Most of the budget on that first flick went on the then state-of-the-art opening credits, leaving the rest of the film to naked girls and no scares nor great laughs (as it was intended to be somewhat of a parody). All these years later, Nightmare Man had nice opening credits, and the rest the same old thing of girls naked or wearing nothing much and no scares at all. The really sad thing is this was intended to be a serious horror film, not even a parody. In Kanefsky's statements he says he's very proud of this "flick." But he just really didn't try to give us anything original nor different. You've seen this type of film dozens of times before, and there's an obvious lack of an attempt to make the presentation look decent. Bad lighting, extreme acting, lazy dialogue and plot -- man, did that first chase through the woods go on forever, with so many chances for Ellen to get caught. Actually, she was caught a few times and too easily got away again and again. Low-grade effects included Ellen cutting her wrist with a knife, with blood ALREADY there on her wrist and looking like thick orange-red paint. The color was NOT set wrong on my TV. All in all, just nothing new here, no surprises. It's as if Kanefsky figured his loyal fan base would blindly praise and support anything he makes. Apparently they do, as someone keeps funding these projects and the DVDs keep coming.
Easily the worst of the 2007 After Dark Horrorfest along with Lake Dead. As Ellen kept annoyingly screaming, "Where are my pills? Where are my PILLS??" I felt I needed some pills too from this viewing experience...but was just left with the sound of frogs croaking, a Kanefsky trademark. One can't help but feel insulted from that.
Hazing director works wonders with a tiny budget.
landrupog20 May 2007
Rolf Kanesky is becoming the most interesting director working in low budget horror. Lord knows there are enough terrible hand-held efforts clogging up the rental shelves, although it's cool that people are getting out there and trying. Anyhow, Rolf seems to have a much lower budget on this one than on The Hazing, be he economises well and the make up and effects are good and it works to the films benefit that they are sparingly used until the climax.
Story concerns an unstable young woman who uses a wacko ancient fertility mask to try and improve her sex life with her husband only to end up having horrific visions of a spirit contained within the mask. The demon seems to come to life while she's stranded in the woods on a ill-fated road trip and ends up running for her life. In to the the mix is Kanefsky regular Tiffany Shepis and her gang of buddies hanging out in a remote cottage. They have their own complicated relationship issues. Shepis is a good actress who seems naturally uninhibited and doesn't look down upon B-movie roles and just has fun with it. She's great here, and has a sexy tough and funny role. Sure, there's nudity and gore, but who would want to see her as, say, Ashton Kutchers girl in a sucky comedy. The rest of cast are variable with the lead actress overplaying at times but improving as the film goes on and her responses look more appropriate.
I digress, sorry, violence and weirdness abound as the "nightmare man " descends upon the cottage, and the newly arrived guest ain't feeling herself. Some odd, surprising twists happen before the climax. Think the The Mask meets The Exorcist and you're there. Kind of..
I was lucky enough to have caught this on The Horror Channel and it's one of their best recent acquisitions. I'm not saying Nightare Man is a stone-cold classic but it is a gem and well executed considering the low budget and resources. I do feel this director will improve with each movie. Kanfesky knows how to be ambitious whilst giving the horror fans what they want.
Story concerns an unstable young woman who uses a wacko ancient fertility mask to try and improve her sex life with her husband only to end up having horrific visions of a spirit contained within the mask. The demon seems to come to life while she's stranded in the woods on a ill-fated road trip and ends up running for her life. In to the the mix is Kanefsky regular Tiffany Shepis and her gang of buddies hanging out in a remote cottage. They have their own complicated relationship issues. Shepis is a good actress who seems naturally uninhibited and doesn't look down upon B-movie roles and just has fun with it. She's great here, and has a sexy tough and funny role. Sure, there's nudity and gore, but who would want to see her as, say, Ashton Kutchers girl in a sucky comedy. The rest of cast are variable with the lead actress overplaying at times but improving as the film goes on and her responses look more appropriate.
I digress, sorry, violence and weirdness abound as the "nightmare man " descends upon the cottage, and the newly arrived guest ain't feeling herself. Some odd, surprising twists happen before the climax. Think the The Mask meets The Exorcist and you're there. Kind of..
I was lucky enough to have caught this on The Horror Channel and it's one of their best recent acquisitions. I'm not saying Nightare Man is a stone-cold classic but it is a gem and well executed considering the low budget and resources. I do feel this director will improve with each movie. Kanfesky knows how to be ambitious whilst giving the horror fans what they want.
Evil Is Inside Me
claudio_carvalho4 January 2010
Ellen (Blythe Metz) orders an African hand-carved mask from Rome to resolve her fertility problem with her husband William (Luciano Szafir). After receiving a wrong mask, Ellen insists that the demon Nightmare Man is attacking her and she needs pills to keep him under control inside her, but the doctors diagnose her as paranoid schizophrenic. On the way to be committed in the remote Devonshine Institute, the car runs out of gas and Bill leaves Ellen in the car while he walks to a gas station 10 miles away. Ellen is attacked by the Nightmare Man but she escapes through the woods, reaching the house of Mia (Tiffany Shepis) that is receiving her boyfriend Ed (Jack Sway) and the friends Trinity (Hanna Putnam) and her fiancé Jack (James Ferris). They shelter her and call Bill that tells them about the delusional state of Ellen, and they do not call the police. Sooner they discover that the deadly Nightmare Man is outside threatening their lives and they realize that Ellen was telling the truth.
"Nightmare Man" is a good low-budget slash movie with many twists in the story. There are many bad reviews in IMDb but I liked this movie, maybe because I do not read reviews before watching the movie and writing mine. Unfortunately Rolfe Kanefsky should research before writing – he would discover that Brazil does not produce tequila and this drink is imported usually from Mexico. Therefore his reference to "Brazilian tequila" is absolutely wrong and does not exist; next time, try to use Brazilian "cachaça". My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
"Nightmare Man" is a good low-budget slash movie with many twists in the story. There are many bad reviews in IMDb but I liked this movie, maybe because I do not read reviews before watching the movie and writing mine. Unfortunately Rolfe Kanefsky should research before writing – he would discover that Brazil does not produce tequila and this drink is imported usually from Mexico. Therefore his reference to "Brazilian tequila" is absolutely wrong and does not exist; next time, try to use Brazilian "cachaça". My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
A Pathetic Attempt At...Well, I'm Not So Sure
hinesgtrservice21 April 2009
Wow, this movie was downright bad. From the acting to the score to the screenplay to the direction, just downright bad. I think the writer didn't realize that fertility deals with procreation, not libido.
The biggest problem with this movie is apparent from the get-go. Generally in movies you pull for a hero, whether them likely or not. Films have protagonists and the audience is supposed to like or care for them depending on the context. In order for this film to work, we have to truly care for the well-being and safety of said protagonist. The character is terribly written; she's whiny, bitchy, and full of inconsistency. The actress makes it worse. She's just terrible. Literally unbelievably bad.
The plot is weak, and the "twist" is seen miles away. Very obvious, yet it doesn't make much sense.
The minor characters are fluff at best, and the "being" is hilarious. It isn't one of those, "so bad it's good" things, you actually find yourself forcing laughter at just how terrible this is.
The score reminds me of shaking uncontrollably in a cold sweat. It's uncomfortable, annoying and headache-inducing.
All in all, this movie is only worth a viewing if you're attempting to show someone how NOT to make a film. You could point out plot, screenplay, direction, cinematography, acting, characters, score, visuals, et cetera.
There are times we are all tempted to watch something so horrible, we get chuckles. This is NOT that film. Just stay away if you know what's good for you.
The biggest problem with this movie is apparent from the get-go. Generally in movies you pull for a hero, whether them likely or not. Films have protagonists and the audience is supposed to like or care for them depending on the context. In order for this film to work, we have to truly care for the well-being and safety of said protagonist. The character is terribly written; she's whiny, bitchy, and full of inconsistency. The actress makes it worse. She's just terrible. Literally unbelievably bad.
The plot is weak, and the "twist" is seen miles away. Very obvious, yet it doesn't make much sense.
The minor characters are fluff at best, and the "being" is hilarious. It isn't one of those, "so bad it's good" things, you actually find yourself forcing laughter at just how terrible this is.
The score reminds me of shaking uncontrollably in a cold sweat. It's uncomfortable, annoying and headache-inducing.
All in all, this movie is only worth a viewing if you're attempting to show someone how NOT to make a film. You could point out plot, screenplay, direction, cinematography, acting, characters, score, visuals, et cetera.
There are times we are all tempted to watch something so horrible, we get chuckles. This is NOT that film. Just stay away if you know what's good for you.
Worst movie ever!
pu_ma9 May 2008
Well, I've seen some movies from "After Dark Horrorfest" and over all, they've been pretty good. This title is not one of them. To summarize it: the worst move I've ever seen.
Bad effects, worse script and even worse acting. I don't know whether I should burst out laughing or burst out in tears because of the bad acting. There's no commitment from the actors to their respective roles. They're just reading their lines and scream a little. Something that also makes me hate this movie is, as I've said, the bad effects. You can clearly see that this is a low budget movie. Personally, I love low budget movies and they can be pretty amusing and it's okay if the effects aren't the best, but hey.. at least try to make it look good.
On the other hand, it was scary from time to time and it definitely gave me some shocks.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone really, except to a person that's really (and I mean really) bored. Other than that, a total waste of time.
Bad effects, worse script and even worse acting. I don't know whether I should burst out laughing or burst out in tears because of the bad acting. There's no commitment from the actors to their respective roles. They're just reading their lines and scream a little. Something that also makes me hate this movie is, as I've said, the bad effects. You can clearly see that this is a low budget movie. Personally, I love low budget movies and they can be pretty amusing and it's okay if the effects aren't the best, but hey.. at least try to make it look good.
On the other hand, it was scary from time to time and it definitely gave me some shocks.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone really, except to a person that's really (and I mean really) bored. Other than that, a total waste of time.
horrendous, terrible, awful, ungodly mess of cinematic CRAP
jhusk1331 March 2008
The whole reason i signed up or "registered" for this website was to comment on this film. This was the worst piece of garbage i've ever seen. this movie some how gained enough notoriety to be in "Horror fest," and i'm confident that it couldn't get a passing grade in an undergrad, beginning-film-making course. I hated everything about this movie, there isn't a single redeeming quality to it. there is nothing new, fresh, or distinct about this movie. This movie was my first experience with "Horror fest" ever, and because of it, I feel an overwhelming obligation to myself to never watch another "Horror fest" film again.
"Nightmare Man," you've tickled my gag reflex like no other movie before. I implore the cast, crew, production company, and director to abstain from ever getting near another camera again.
"Nightmare Man," you've tickled my gag reflex like no other movie before. I implore the cast, crew, production company, and director to abstain from ever getting near another camera again.
Great Technicalities but Poor Execution
jamhorner16 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
As much of an atrocity this film was, there were some hard-core scary parts that were not makeup effects or creature feature effects, but serious jump out scary. However, this movie was very painful to watch in the sense that it would have never made it on it's own had it not been attached to Horror Fest. I guarantee that nobody would dish out more than $3.00 to see it and just the overall acting; lighting and intensity of story would drive people to $1.00 bin. This movie is essentially about a woman, who appears to be mentally ill, who is haunted by a mask-wearing killer called the Nightmare Man. But when the Nightmare Man is released from her mind and starts attacking her, can she stop it? Is the Nightmare Man really real? Can a group of ridiculously hot young teens save her? Will there be any end to this horrible nightmare of a movie? That answer is yes.
The acting . was pretty bad. Tiffany Shepis, who plays the supposable schizophrenic, does a horrible job at playing her role. There were more than twenty different times were she overreacted to some of the most stupidest things. There were more than a few times were she was heavily breathing so much that it was distracting. Some of the stuff she does to avoid the knife-wielding maniac is so stupid. Blythe Metz, Hanna Putnam, Jack Sway and James Ferris play the young teens that happen to take this mental woman in and one by one they get killed. All of these kids did a somewhat feasible job acting our there roles but they seemed way to over the top and there performances were not natural. Nobody acts like that in that situation. Maybe that was the intention to give this movie that kind of feel, but as far as I'm concerned it did not work. I thought the acting was very poor. Luciano Szafir, who plays husband to the schizoid, has such a poor acting personality. You could tell that he was putting 00001% into what he was trying to portray as a foreign and caring husband.
For a low budget movie, the manipulation of the sets was very well done. This is perhaps one the better aspects of the movie. It brought back that horrible feeling of loneliness and entrapment by having half of the movie take place in a car. This was perhaps one of the best things they did, and the scares that accompanied the car scene were very well done. The lighting and the feel of that scene was somewhat there, not so much the feels as the lighting. It had a very cold and dead feel to it, which I think really captures the moment. The forest scenes were probably the worse scenes in the movie next to the cabin ones, however it still had the cold, eerie and dead feel to it. The cabin set was very carefully and masterfully utilized to make up for the very low budget on this movie. Some of the lighting, and placement of the cameras are very reminiscent of those old 80's slasher and comic book looks to it. It reminded me of Creepshow. With a very low money pile, this movie succeeds in set, camera work and lighting.
I will admit, the scares make up, in part, for the bad acting and the very stale plot. There are points were the jump-out effect comes at some of the most random times, and that's why it's scary, because it's random and you don't expect it. Accompanied with a high orchestra/music component, the scares are very abundant in this movie. There is, unfortunately, a scene near the end and the final confrontation, where they use heavy makeup to make a devilish looking face. This was not scary. In fact, it was more humorous than scary and it was completely random in a bad way. There was no point and I think that if they changed just the eyes, it would have done a lot better. It was just very inappropriate.
All together, this movie had a slightly below average rating to it. For a B-movie, the technical aspects (ie: camera, lighting, set and editing) were very well done and deserve a pat on the back. The acting, makeup and overall plot were very weak, and some of the scares were very cheap. On the contrary, there were a lot of good scares to. I would recommend this movie to those horror fans that have a developed a good taste in b-horror-movies and enjoy movies of that caliber. To those fans who have developed a bit of a sophisticated pallet of horror, I would not recommend this movie for you.
The acting . was pretty bad. Tiffany Shepis, who plays the supposable schizophrenic, does a horrible job at playing her role. There were more than twenty different times were she overreacted to some of the most stupidest things. There were more than a few times were she was heavily breathing so much that it was distracting. Some of the stuff she does to avoid the knife-wielding maniac is so stupid. Blythe Metz, Hanna Putnam, Jack Sway and James Ferris play the young teens that happen to take this mental woman in and one by one they get killed. All of these kids did a somewhat feasible job acting our there roles but they seemed way to over the top and there performances were not natural. Nobody acts like that in that situation. Maybe that was the intention to give this movie that kind of feel, but as far as I'm concerned it did not work. I thought the acting was very poor. Luciano Szafir, who plays husband to the schizoid, has such a poor acting personality. You could tell that he was putting 00001% into what he was trying to portray as a foreign and caring husband.
For a low budget movie, the manipulation of the sets was very well done. This is perhaps one the better aspects of the movie. It brought back that horrible feeling of loneliness and entrapment by having half of the movie take place in a car. This was perhaps one of the best things they did, and the scares that accompanied the car scene were very well done. The lighting and the feel of that scene was somewhat there, not so much the feels as the lighting. It had a very cold and dead feel to it, which I think really captures the moment. The forest scenes were probably the worse scenes in the movie next to the cabin ones, however it still had the cold, eerie and dead feel to it. The cabin set was very carefully and masterfully utilized to make up for the very low budget on this movie. Some of the lighting, and placement of the cameras are very reminiscent of those old 80's slasher and comic book looks to it. It reminded me of Creepshow. With a very low money pile, this movie succeeds in set, camera work and lighting.
I will admit, the scares make up, in part, for the bad acting and the very stale plot. There are points were the jump-out effect comes at some of the most random times, and that's why it's scary, because it's random and you don't expect it. Accompanied with a high orchestra/music component, the scares are very abundant in this movie. There is, unfortunately, a scene near the end and the final confrontation, where they use heavy makeup to make a devilish looking face. This was not scary. In fact, it was more humorous than scary and it was completely random in a bad way. There was no point and I think that if they changed just the eyes, it would have done a lot better. It was just very inappropriate.
All together, this movie had a slightly below average rating to it. For a B-movie, the technical aspects (ie: camera, lighting, set and editing) were very well done and deserve a pat on the back. The acting, makeup and overall plot were very weak, and some of the scares were very cheap. On the contrary, there were a lot of good scares to. I would recommend this movie to those horror fans that have a developed a good taste in b-horror-movies and enjoy movies of that caliber. To those fans who have developed a bit of a sophisticated pallet of horror, I would not recommend this movie for you.
The Nightmare is spending good money on this piece of sh*t
bigdarvick8 February 2009
8 Films to Die for...I've had it with you. One stinker after another. Oh, yeah, there were a few decent movies (Grave Dancers, Unrest)but that has changed. One horribly bad bomb after another. Again, money well spent on DVD cover art and fake four star reviews and that's it!! The production values on this stinker didn't even meet that of a porn movie's. The women cast members were strictly placed in it for T & A reasons. The guy who played the husband must of had something to do with financing this movie, because there was no other reason for him to be in it. He had the range of a plastic action figure. I will make a solemn promise, to never, ever, buy or rent another 8 Films to Die For flick. To me, they have reached the point of no return (like Full Moon.) Shame on them.
Beware the Nightmare Man......
gulag5 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I rarely will write a review to say how bad a film is. Like many horror aficionados I will put up with a lot for a sublime moment. After hitting real pay dirt with this series' "Borderland" I thought I'd give this a try. Talk about a pointless exercise.
Is it a demon film or another slasher flick? Who cares? Even the filmmakers didn't seem to care. The film begins in mid-action and never bothers to provide even a flimsy rational for why anything is happening. Does the mask connect to the demon? Was the mask really purchased for a sexual aid or was that a nightmare? Why does the husband want to kill his wife? Why does he hate her? Who is this guy he is paying? Are people like this listed in the phone book? How did the demon get into the wife in the first place? Does anyone care about any character in this film? Was there a point to any of the nudity in this film? It certainly wasn't to be erotic. Did they cover the camera lens with mud before shooting? I mean jeepers if you're going to take the time to raise the money to make a film why waste so much footage on such low grade material? Okay I'm done. JUST STAY AWAY!!!
PS Suspect any of the 3 plus star ratings you read, they are probably the work of shills.
Is it a demon film or another slasher flick? Who cares? Even the filmmakers didn't seem to care. The film begins in mid-action and never bothers to provide even a flimsy rational for why anything is happening. Does the mask connect to the demon? Was the mask really purchased for a sexual aid or was that a nightmare? Why does the husband want to kill his wife? Why does he hate her? Who is this guy he is paying? Are people like this listed in the phone book? How did the demon get into the wife in the first place? Does anyone care about any character in this film? Was there a point to any of the nudity in this film? It certainly wasn't to be erotic. Did they cover the camera lens with mud before shooting? I mean jeepers if you're going to take the time to raise the money to make a film why waste so much footage on such low grade material? Okay I'm done. JUST STAY AWAY!!!
PS Suspect any of the 3 plus star ratings you read, they are probably the work of shills.
Kanefsky Continues to Make Big Movies With Small Budgets
gavin694211 November 2007
A woman is haunted by a "nightmare man" who fills her dreams with terror. When her medication runs out, Nightmare Man seemingly escapes her subconscious and enters the physical world. Hiding out in a secluded cottage (along with Tiffany Shepis and friends), she tries to stop the monster, but carnage ensues... can the beast be stopped without hurting the woman who carries him?
I really wanted to see this film for the Tiffany Shepis acting (and nudity) as well as the Rolfe Kanefsky writing and directing. Full disclosure: as part of my work as a reviewer, I have talked with both Tiffany and Rolfe and continue to exchange mail with Rolfe on occasion. So I'm a little biased, and I was more than eager to see this film (which in all honesty should have been released over a year ago).
What we have here is Kanefsky's trademarks. Good-looking girls in various stages of undress, holding rather large weapons (in this case a rifle and a crossbow). There's some sexual suggestive situations ("erotic truth or dare") and a killer demon on the loose. Unlike "The Hazing" with the excessive "Evil Dead" references, this one seems largely unique. I've heard it compared to "The Exorcist" (which is an amazing stretch), and there is one subtle and one not to subtle reference to Kanefsky's earlier film "There's Nothing Out There".
What is bothersome about Rolfe's movies is how he has big ideas but small budgets. His writing is much better than the average horror writer's and his directing is quite exquisite (as my friend Hannah keenly pointed out, he has that 1980s sense of where to put the camera while chasing a girl through the woods). And his special effects and gore are pretty decent. Even the acting is above average (Shepis in particular, but no one here was lacking -- which is more than I can say about other, "bigger" films).
This comes off as bothersome because if you're a film snob or don't have the patience for lower budget films, you'll be really turned off my the film quality. I don't know film grades (35mm? Super 8? These terms are familiar to me but unclear at the same time), so I can't say what he uses, but it does give the air of less than the Hollywood standard. Which, in turn, screams "amateur" to some people, despite Rolfe being quite the veteran of film and horror in particular. His "Hazing" makes him well-known in the cult circles -- he's without a doubt the biggest director in the 2007 After Dark Horrorfest lineup.
So anyway, the film is enjoyable if you don't mind that. Good death scenes, plenty of dry humor, some butts and breasts for the guys to enjoy. Blood, blood, blood (and even a little gore and pieces of dangling flesh). The pacing is good. I found some parts too slow or too long, but Hannah says the suspense was really well done compared to films her and I have seen lately, so I suppose it depends what pace you're ready for. Maybe I needed a beer (Regal Cinemas is lacking in the booze department).
Of the four films I've seen so far this year, I'm ranking "Nightmare Man" my second favorite (behind "Tooth and Nail"). It's worth seeing in the theater if you can get there, or otherwise I sincerely hope you make it a top renting priority when it comes out. Throw on a few special features on the DVD and this may even be worth owning (a commentary track, Rolfe? Could you do that for us?). But yeah, I give this one two thumbs up (assuming Hannah allows me to borrow her thumb).
I really wanted to see this film for the Tiffany Shepis acting (and nudity) as well as the Rolfe Kanefsky writing and directing. Full disclosure: as part of my work as a reviewer, I have talked with both Tiffany and Rolfe and continue to exchange mail with Rolfe on occasion. So I'm a little biased, and I was more than eager to see this film (which in all honesty should have been released over a year ago).
What we have here is Kanefsky's trademarks. Good-looking girls in various stages of undress, holding rather large weapons (in this case a rifle and a crossbow). There's some sexual suggestive situations ("erotic truth or dare") and a killer demon on the loose. Unlike "The Hazing" with the excessive "Evil Dead" references, this one seems largely unique. I've heard it compared to "The Exorcist" (which is an amazing stretch), and there is one subtle and one not to subtle reference to Kanefsky's earlier film "There's Nothing Out There".
What is bothersome about Rolfe's movies is how he has big ideas but small budgets. His writing is much better than the average horror writer's and his directing is quite exquisite (as my friend Hannah keenly pointed out, he has that 1980s sense of where to put the camera while chasing a girl through the woods). And his special effects and gore are pretty decent. Even the acting is above average (Shepis in particular, but no one here was lacking -- which is more than I can say about other, "bigger" films).
This comes off as bothersome because if you're a film snob or don't have the patience for lower budget films, you'll be really turned off my the film quality. I don't know film grades (35mm? Super 8? These terms are familiar to me but unclear at the same time), so I can't say what he uses, but it does give the air of less than the Hollywood standard. Which, in turn, screams "amateur" to some people, despite Rolfe being quite the veteran of film and horror in particular. His "Hazing" makes him well-known in the cult circles -- he's without a doubt the biggest director in the 2007 After Dark Horrorfest lineup.
So anyway, the film is enjoyable if you don't mind that. Good death scenes, plenty of dry humor, some butts and breasts for the guys to enjoy. Blood, blood, blood (and even a little gore and pieces of dangling flesh). The pacing is good. I found some parts too slow or too long, but Hannah says the suspense was really well done compared to films her and I have seen lately, so I suppose it depends what pace you're ready for. Maybe I needed a beer (Regal Cinemas is lacking in the booze department).
Of the four films I've seen so far this year, I'm ranking "Nightmare Man" my second favorite (behind "Tooth and Nail"). It's worth seeing in the theater if you can get there, or otherwise I sincerely hope you make it a top renting priority when it comes out. Throw on a few special features on the DVD and this may even be worth owning (a commentary track, Rolfe? Could you do that for us?). But yeah, I give this one two thumbs up (assuming Hannah allows me to borrow her thumb).
One of the worst
dbborroughs5 January 2008
Woman who may or may not be crazy has dreams about a demon called the nightmare man. It takes its form from a fertility mask and when she's left alone by her husband when they run out of gas the demon comes after her and chases her to a house in the woods.
Awful just really awful. This was part of the after dark horror festival for this year and I'm shocked. Somewhere a while back I thought I saw on TV or in a horror fest or something(months and months and months ago) and I started it and hated it or at least disliked it enough to shut it off early on or walk out, this time unfortunately, as part of the After Dark festival, I suffered almost to the end. How this ended up in After Dark after that is beyond me. Its terrible. No one seems to be able to act which isn't entirely the casts fault since the direction is pretty poor. This reminded me of some really dreadful horror films from the early 1980's and late 1970's as the drive in films were dying. I'm talking films where Lawanda Paige was comic relief and big breasted "stars" took off their tops. You know a movie is bad when all I can say nice about it is that the women look good and some of them disrobe. I hope I never sit through this a third time.
Awful just really awful. This was part of the after dark horror festival for this year and I'm shocked. Somewhere a while back I thought I saw on TV or in a horror fest or something(months and months and months ago) and I started it and hated it or at least disliked it enough to shut it off early on or walk out, this time unfortunately, as part of the After Dark festival, I suffered almost to the end. How this ended up in After Dark after that is beyond me. Its terrible. No one seems to be able to act which isn't entirely the casts fault since the direction is pretty poor. This reminded me of some really dreadful horror films from the early 1980's and late 1970's as the drive in films were dying. I'm talking films where Lawanda Paige was comic relief and big breasted "stars" took off their tops. You know a movie is bad when all I can say nice about it is that the women look good and some of them disrobe. I hope I never sit through this a third time.
Tiffany Scheppis
kairingler2 October 2009
this was a pretty decent little low budget horror flick,, reminds you of the b movies of the 70's and 80's. a woman convinced by her husband is going to be checked into a mental hospital for her visions of the Nightmare Man.. she gets a mask from Rome, apparently she thinks it's the wrong mask and wants to ship it off the next morning,, apparently she think that this mask is supposed to be like a fertility drug or something,, something to help her husband get it up.. the car breaks down , husband leaves to get gas, doesn't return,, this is where the fun starts,, Nightmare Man comes after her, and she manager to get to a cabin with a bunch of other people who have their own little issues. that's as far as i wanna go with what happens in the movie.. Tiffany Schepis is by far the freshest newest hottie in town,, she ought be in a lot more movies,, she can act.. and her eye candy is unbelievable. this is a pretty decent film for such a low budget..
Familiar story with a pleasant twist.
soniasmith0517 August 2007
I caught this film on 'Zone Horror' the other week. Seeing as it was on that particular channel, I guessed it would be one of those low budget slashers I'd never heard of. I was correct on both counts but was pleasantly surprised at how superior it was to the other films that usually find a home after midnight on an obscure TV channel.
The question that needs to be asked is why do so many American 'teens' take a holiday in an isolated cabin? Don't they go to the cinema? I suppose the answer is the same as why people still live on Elm Street.
Anyway, without going into the synopsis, which can be read elsewhere, I never spotted the twist in whom the 'slasher' was (I assumed it would be the same guy as everyone else did), which made a change. What also made a change was the feisty lead, Tiffany Shepis. Not only does she look good, in and out of her clothes, but she carried an occasional one-liner as well as the crossbow and shotgun. She's certainly not a name I'm familiar with but one worth looking out for. I'm glad I stayed up for this one.
Don't get confused with the BBC series of the same name.
The question that needs to be asked is why do so many American 'teens' take a holiday in an isolated cabin? Don't they go to the cinema? I suppose the answer is the same as why people still live on Elm Street.
Anyway, without going into the synopsis, which can be read elsewhere, I never spotted the twist in whom the 'slasher' was (I assumed it would be the same guy as everyone else did), which made a change. What also made a change was the feisty lead, Tiffany Shepis. Not only does she look good, in and out of her clothes, but she carried an occasional one-liner as well as the crossbow and shotgun. She's certainly not a name I'm familiar with but one worth looking out for. I'm glad I stayed up for this one.
Don't get confused with the BBC series of the same name.
So bad, it's funny...but definitely not frightening
pianomangidley8 October 2010
Warning: Spoilers
It seems that After Dark decided to distribute a film that was in that "so bad it's funny" category, worthy of MST3K-style commentary throughout. In fact, that's really the only way I'd recommend watching this film, because anything else will lead to utter disappointment. This movie starts off featuring Ellen, a woman who receives an African mask of a fertility deity she ordered to help her and her husband with their sex life, only it looks nothing like what she expected—a all-too- classic devil/demon looking face, which she insists leads to an actual demon taking over her body and mind (and haunting her dreams). Her husband, Bill (an Antonio Banderas knock-off), is driving her to have her committed to a mental hospital, when the car runs out of gas in a remote location. He goes off to get more gas, leaving her alone to see that this demon is in the woods where the car stalled and is actually after her. It pursues her to a house where four young adults are having a small party, and people start dying.
There's so much I wasn't expecting from this film (due to the level of professional cinema making I've come to expect from the movies distributed by After Dark) that I was already disappointed three minutes in. The camera quality is no better than a mid-grade porno and the acting and scriptwriting are no better. There's pretty much no exposition whatsoever—no character building to see Ellen's decline from a simple married woman to a possessed psychotic/schizophrenic, so don't expect to feel any sort of connection or sympathy for her...or any other character, for that matter. The editing, the blood-and-gore effects, the music—it's all pretty cheap. Even the demon mask itself looks like a cheap plastic mask you could find in any Halloween or general costume shop with a "Made in Taiwan" sticker on the back.
Even the "twist" an hour in is something I saw coming...but, admittedly, the second twist a short while later was sort of a saving grace for the film (if you can even think of it that way). In fact, the last 15-or-so minutes had me reminiscing a little of "Evil Dead." Perhaps that's the sort of cheesy, hokey mood of horror film making these people were out to accomplish. It's just about as cheap, if you factor in the difference of years between the two films. So, if you're really in the mood to watch something that's so bad that's it becomes all too easy to make fun of it during the entire ride, you could give "Nightmare Man" a try. There might be better films to suit that style of MST3K "horror," but I don't normally go in for such flicks myself, to be honest. Of course, if you're looking for an actually well-made scary movie to truly unsettle and disturb you, avoid this like the plague.
There's so much I wasn't expecting from this film (due to the level of professional cinema making I've come to expect from the movies distributed by After Dark) that I was already disappointed three minutes in. The camera quality is no better than a mid-grade porno and the acting and scriptwriting are no better. There's pretty much no exposition whatsoever—no character building to see Ellen's decline from a simple married woman to a possessed psychotic/schizophrenic, so don't expect to feel any sort of connection or sympathy for her...or any other character, for that matter. The editing, the blood-and-gore effects, the music—it's all pretty cheap. Even the demon mask itself looks like a cheap plastic mask you could find in any Halloween or general costume shop with a "Made in Taiwan" sticker on the back.
Even the "twist" an hour in is something I saw coming...but, admittedly, the second twist a short while later was sort of a saving grace for the film (if you can even think of it that way). In fact, the last 15-or-so minutes had me reminiscing a little of "Evil Dead." Perhaps that's the sort of cheesy, hokey mood of horror film making these people were out to accomplish. It's just about as cheap, if you factor in the difference of years between the two films. So, if you're really in the mood to watch something that's so bad that's it becomes all too easy to make fun of it during the entire ride, you could give "Nightmare Man" a try. There might be better films to suit that style of MST3K "horror," but I don't normally go in for such flicks myself, to be honest. Of course, if you're looking for an actually well-made scary movie to truly unsettle and disturb you, avoid this like the plague.
I would rather ...
deadsupremist8828 October 2008
man... i've used IMDb for about 4 or 5 years now and i just registered so i could warn the world about this movie. apparently your not allowed to use profanities on this? just make a list of 24 obscenities in your head and place them anywhere in here. first FILMTHREAT.com and BLooDY-DISGUSTING.com gave this film positive reviews which within 30 seconds of this movie i began to suspect that someone involved in this production gave someone at either of these sites a much needed organ in trade for a thesaurus worth of golden adjectives. how i longed to be locked into any or all of the devices in the saw movies than to have sat through this tremendous pile of heaping excrement. i would rather two girls one cup myself than wear the same contraption Alex in a clock work orange wore hold my eyes open so that i might suffer through this pile of used toilet paper again. i'd rather take a picture of my face, tape it to my testicles, and stick needles in it. i'd rather cut myself every quarter of an inch, catch infection, and have fly eggs embedded in me. i'd rather lick the sweet sour sweat clean off of every member of any given retirement home.
"This nightmare is almost over."
Backlash0076 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
~Spoiler~
Rolfe Kanefsky makes bad horror movies, but at least they are usually fun. Nightmare Man is a bit painful to watch. It's about a couple who receive a foreign fertility mask that the wife thinks is haunted by the titular Nightmare Man. She becomes increasingly paranoid that the creature is going to kill her and the husband eventually has no other choice but to commit her. But...on the way to the asylum they run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. While the husband heads out on foot for the gas station, the wife is attacked by the Nightmare Man. She has many narrow escapes before reaching a secluded home where we meet more cannon fodder characters for the slasher to maim and kill. Anyone whose ever seen a movie knows whose responsible for the killings almost immediately. It's in-your-face apparent so I'm going to tell you: it's the husband. Actually, the husband has hired someone to pose as the Nightmare Man to kill his annoying wife. However, much later in a laugh-out-loud moment, it turns out there really is a supernatural evil present. The movie starts to pick up here, but it's just too late and too silly. I should go ahead and admit I never would have watched this film if it weren't for Tiffany Shepis. I watch a lot of crap just to see her in action. But she's worth it. Richard Moll has a four minute cameo and Kanefsky shamelessly plugs his earlier film, There's Nothing Out There, on one of the lead's shirt. I thought that since this was a Horrorfest film, that the production values might look better than Kanefsky's other flicks. Nope, this one is just as cheap as his other efforts.
Rolfe Kanefsky makes bad horror movies, but at least they are usually fun. Nightmare Man is a bit painful to watch. It's about a couple who receive a foreign fertility mask that the wife thinks is haunted by the titular Nightmare Man. She becomes increasingly paranoid that the creature is going to kill her and the husband eventually has no other choice but to commit her. But...on the way to the asylum they run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. While the husband heads out on foot for the gas station, the wife is attacked by the Nightmare Man. She has many narrow escapes before reaching a secluded home where we meet more cannon fodder characters for the slasher to maim and kill. Anyone whose ever seen a movie knows whose responsible for the killings almost immediately. It's in-your-face apparent so I'm going to tell you: it's the husband. Actually, the husband has hired someone to pose as the Nightmare Man to kill his annoying wife. However, much later in a laugh-out-loud moment, it turns out there really is a supernatural evil present. The movie starts to pick up here, but it's just too late and too silly. I should go ahead and admit I never would have watched this film if it weren't for Tiffany Shepis. I watch a lot of crap just to see her in action. But she's worth it. Richard Moll has a four minute cameo and Kanefsky shamelessly plugs his earlier film, There's Nothing Out There, on one of the lead's shirt. I thought that since this was a Horrorfest film, that the production values might look better than Kanefsky's other flicks. Nope, this one is just as cheap as his other efforts.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
