{"id":28775,"date":"2018-10-08T00:25:36","date_gmt":"2018-10-08T04:25:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=28775"},"modified":"2018-10-08T08:24:54","modified_gmt":"2018-10-08T12:24:54","slug":"nightmares-1983","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2018\/10\/08\/nightmares-1983\/","title":{"rendered":"Nightmares (1983)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Joseph Sargent\u2019s \u201cNightmares\u201d is one of the more underrated anthology horror films to ever cross the genre and it\u2019s surprising how constantly overlooked it is. While it\u2019s not a masterpiece, it definitely serves up its fair share of strong horror tales. It\u2019s probably because it doesn\u2019t have a mascot like the Creeper or the Cryptkeeper to tell its tales. We\u2019re essentially treated to a pair of glowing eyes in a storm, and hands that open us up to some really creepy tales. \u201cNightmares\u201d wastes no time with fatty introductions and gets right to the thick of the creeps.<\/p>\n

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After a local cop is stabbed to death by an escaped serial killer, police warn about the threat of the madman. That very night Lisa is preparing to put the kids to bed and realizes she\u2019s run out of cigarettes. Despite her husband\u2019s demands that she stay in doors, she sneaks out to grab a pack, anyway, and things take a turn for the horrifying when she realizes she\u2019s halfway home without gas in her car. This is a pretty predictable tale if you\u2019re familiar with the classic urban legend it\u2019s based on, but I still enjoyed it thanks to the thick tension, and sense of urgency is brought to the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Bishop of Battle\u201d is another of the many warnings about the dangers of video games from the early eighties, centering on a video game addict and hustler named JJ. Determined to beat the game \u201cBishop of Battle\u201d and reach the mythical level thirteen, JJ sneaks out after dark to take on the game. When he finally reaches his goal, he finds out the game has a deadly prize in the end. With some solid special effects and a simple premise, \u201cBishop of Battle\u201d is a fun segment with a young Emilio Estevez. In \u201cThe Benediction,\u201d Lance Henriksen plays a priest who experiences a crisis of faith after the horrible death of a young boy. When he is viciously pursued by a seemingly Satanic truck on the road, he realizes his faith is a valuable tool.<\/p>\n

One of the weaker tales with a pretty barebones narrative overall, the symbolism is clunky, but the car chase scenes are at least tight. Last and certainly least, there\u2019s the goofy \u201cNight of the Rat\u201d about a seemingly normal suburban couple being terrorized by rats in their home. When they realize their being attacked not by rats, but a sentient mega rat, they have to figure out what it wants before it murders their daughter. \u201cNight of the Rat\u201d is a weak note for a pretty strong movie and is brought down by the bad green screen and goofy twist ending. That said, \u201cNightmares\u201d is a strong horror anthology with a strong sense of suspense and I\u2019d definitely watch it again.<\/p>\n