‘Her dreams are your worst nightmare’
Waking Nightmare is a 2023 American horror thriller film about a young woman who is suffering from manic episodes.
Directed and produced by Steve Craig and Brian Farmer from a screenplay by Farmer. Also produced by Scot Dyer.
The Final Kill Pictures production stars Shelley Regner (Pitch Perfect), Diane Franklin, David Naughton (An American Werewolf in London), Jamison Newlander (The Lost Boys), Yan Birch (The People Under The Stairs), Brian Tyler Cohen, Stephen Wu, Every Heart, Ryan Bonnick, Helene Udy, Brian Tyler Cohen, Gabby West, Stephen Wu, Brian Farmer, Damny Filaccio, Steve Craig, Shawn C. Phillips, Nicole Slotterbeck, Thomas Hanslowe and Sean Teague.
Plot:
Jordan (Shelley Regner) has been suffering from manic episodes since her roommate in college took her own life. Her mother has a family doctor prescribe her Ambien to help with her sleepwalking. As time goes on, Jordan has issues remembering what happened…
Reviews:
” …if you fancy a cool and raw feeling film, do check out Waking Nightmare. If you want to see some iconic cast members sharing the screen. Check out Waking Nightmare, and if you love watching films that are unique and different then check out Waking Nightmare. I’ve seen it twice now and yes it’s kinda bonkers, but it’s the kinda bonkers that I like in my movies from time to time.” From Page 2 Screen
“Ultimately, anyone who likes their horror refined and narratively satisfying will want to sleep on Waking Nightmare. But if you’re looking for something different than the same old tired thing and like your horror films a bit weird, inexplicable, and undeniably indie, this might just be kooky enough to warrant a brief watch.” Morbidly Beautiful
” …not too much of the movie feels as connected as it could. We seem to get thrown into a supernatural connection with the nightmares. While on the other hand, we get caught up in the middle of a slasher movie that never has any suspense. Waking Nightmare tries to put too much into the story, causing the scares to fall flat.” 2 out of 5, Movie Reviews 101
“While this film’s build-up at first seems pretty familiar to an average genre audience, by the by there are plenty surprise twists and turns to keep one at the edge of one’s seat […] a strong ensemble cast made up of many familiar genre faces keep things grounded and relatable at all times…” Search My Trash
“Several ideas are introduced and then almost instantly discarded. Others are left floating unconnected to the plot […] Despite that, Waking Nightmare is an above-average film that should satisfy viewers. There’s an interesting plot, a cast full of familiar faces […] even, despite a relatively low body count, a bit of practical gore.” 3.5 out of 5, Voices from the Balcony
Blurb:
Co-director Stephen Craig commented: “We wanted to create a unique experience for horror fans by blending horror comedy and drama with the toxic uncertainty of films like Miike’s Audition. What drew me to the project was Brian’s concept of an unwitting killer who is just an average girl struggling to find normalcy in a mad world.”
Co-director Brian Farmer commented: “Bending the forms of reality is something that has always intrigued me. I was honored to work with my brother in cinema Stephen Craig on Waking Nightmare. Creating the world that the characters lived in, sane and insane in something that bends the visual scape of the genre. People are affected by sleepwalking. The unknown of where you’ll wake up, is truly a Waking Nightmare.”
YouTube reviews:
Trailer:
