‘There is no escape, not even death…’
Frightmare is a 1983 horror film about a group of drama students who decide to kidnap the corpse of a recently deceased horror movie star. By disrupting his tomb, they unwittingly release an ancient black magic that begins consuming them one by one. It is also known as The Horror Star and Body Snatchers
Written and directed by Norman Thaddeus Vane (The Evil Touch TV series; The Black Room; You’re So Dead). The movie stars Ferdy Mayne, Luca Bercovici, Nita Talbot and Leon Askin. Future horror genre icon Jeffrey Combs has a minor role.
Our review:
After a promising start, Norman Thaddeus Vane’s Frightmare soon becomes overwrought and slightly irritating. In attempting to be a ‘knowing’ mock horror movie, it comes across instead like a version of a Disney kiddie scream fest aimed at a slightly older audience, or perhaps a forerunner of Charles Band’s sometimes juvenile late ’80s productions. Patience is required.
The film sat on the distribution shelf for a couple of years and deservedly so. On the upside, it features a young Jeffrey Combs, who, a few years later, was the best Re-Animator the world has ever seen.
Ade Smith, MOVIES & MANIA
Choice dialogue:
“Wake me up when it’s over.”
“I want you to look everywhere, even in the attic.”
“Has anyone checked the cellar?”
Trailer:
Frightmare – free on YouTube:
Cast and characters:
Ferdy Mayne [as Ferdinand Mayne] … Conrad Radzoff – Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf; The Vampire Happening; The Fearless Vampire Killers
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 – Would You Rather; Abominable; Lurking Fear; Re-Animator and sequels; et al
Peter Kastner … Commercial Director
Filming locations:
Raleigh Studios – 5300 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Release:
Frightmare premiered at the Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival in France in January 1983.
Frightmare was briefly released theatrically in the US in September 1983 by Saturn International.
Film facts:
The promotional artwork was copied from the French release of the 1973 British film From Beyond the Grave.
Alternate titles:
Kauhutähti – Finland (video title)
Az utolsó alakítás – Hungary
Strava i užas – Serbia
Кошмар – Soviet Union
El actor del terror – Spain
Geri Dönen Ölü – Turkey
Body Snatchers – UK (video title)
Frightmare – Alptraum – West Germany
