Nightmare Circus (1974)

Director:

Alan Rudolph

Writers:

Jerald Cormier (story)
Roman Valenti (screenplay)

Release Date:

August 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Captive young girls... chained... abused... by a Madman!

Plot:

Three showgirls on their way to Las Vegas have car trouble and are stuck all night out in the desert...

Plot Keywords:

Mutant | Psychopath | Nevada | Madman | Whipping

Cast

Andrew Prine	...	Andre
Manuela Thiess	...	Simone (as Manuella Thiess)
Sherry Alberoni	...	Sheri
Gyl Roland	...	Corrine
Sheila Bromley	...	Mrs. Baynes (as Shiela Bromley)
Gil Lamb	...	Mr. Alvarez
Al Cormier	...	Sheriff Stanford
Chuck Niles	...	Derek Moore
Jennifer Ashley	...	Flower Child
Laura Campbell	...	Laura
Sonja Dunson	...	Sonja
Karen Fredrik	...	Karene (as Karene Fredrik)
Lin Henson	...	Lin
Jolene Lontere	...	Crazy Girl
Jeane Manson	...	Jean (as Jean Manson)
Leslie Oliver	...	Leslie
Marlene Tracy	...	Marlene
Byrd Holland	...	Club Manager
Nick Archondo	...	1st Deputy
Billy Holms	...	2nd Deputy
Bernie Schwartz	...	1st Hunter
Bill Conway	...	2nd Hunter
David Miller	...	Highway Patrolman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jerald Cormier	...	Andre's Father (uncredited)

Directed by
Alan Rudolph

Writing credits
Jerald Cormier		(story) (as Gerald Cormier)
Roman Valenti		(screenplay)

Produced by
Marvin Almeas	....	associate producer
Jerald Cormier	....	producer (as Gerald Cormier)
Shirlee F. Jamail	....	executive producer
Alan Rudolph	....	producer

Original Music by
Tommy Vig

Cinematography by
E. Lynn		(director of photography)

Art Direction by
Bill Conway

Makeup Department
Byrd Holland	....	special makeup effects creator
Douglas J. White	....	special makeup effects creator (as Douglas White)

Production Management
John Patrick Graham	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward D. Markley	....	assistant director (as Eddie Markley)

Art Department
Al Cormier	....	property master
Stephane Goulet	....	property designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Frank A. Coe	....	sound effects editor
John Vincent	....	sound mixer

Visual Effects by
Byrd Holland	....	visual effects creator
Douglas J. White	....	visual effects creator (as Douglas White)

Stunts
David Keith	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Brink Brydon	....	best boy
Daniel Dayton	....	still photographer (as Dan Dayton)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Allan A. Apone	....	wardrobe (as Allen Apone)

Editorial Department
Thomas Penick	....	assistant film editor (as Tom Penick)

Music Department
Frank A. Coe	....	music editor
Tommy Vig	....	conductor

Other crew
Joan Cormier	....	assistant to producer

Production Companies

• CMC Pictures Corp.

Distributors

• Twin World (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ariel International Releasing (AIR) Video (1987) (USA) (VHS) (as "The Barn of the Naked Dead")
• Astro Distribution (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Code Red DVD (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Legend House (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Media Blasters (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Nostalgia Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Platinum Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Regal Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD) (as "Barn of the Naked Dead")

Other Companies

• MK Productions  edited by
• Panavision  filmed with Panavision equipment
• Westheimer Company  titles

Also Known As:

"Barn of the Naked Dead" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Lancaster, California, USA

Company:

CMC Pictures Corp.

Trivia:

Star Andrew Prine has been quoted as saying, "This is the only movie I ever regretted making".

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Reanimator Academy (1992) (V)

Soundtrack:

Evil Eyes

From the acclaimed director of "The Moderns" . . .

From the acclaimed director of "The Moderns" and "Choose Me" we have a timeless, heartwarming tale of a deranged man living in rural Nevada who kidnaps stranded female motorists (which there seem to be an inordinate amount of for rural Nevada) and, bullwhip in hand, trains them to perform in his private circus, all the while his father who has been turned into deformed monster by radiation from nuclear tests runs amuck.

As other reviewers have noted there is a definite lack of nakedness in this movie alternatively titled "Barn of the Naked Dead", but a lot of bare breasts and female buttocks would only distract from the real (and perhaps only) reason to see this movie--Andrew Prine. Andrew Prine was second only to David Hess when it came to portraying sick psychopaths in 70's drive-in movies, but where Hess's psychos were just flat-out creeps, Prine's could be hilariously funny (even though it wasn't always clear whether the actor himself was in on the joke as he always seemed to take these roles VERY seriously). While this is far from his best work, Prine is always fun to watch.

This movie might also have a bit of "car wreck" appeal considering that it is loudly rattling skeleton in the closet of esteemed director Alan Rudolph. It has an incredibly ridiculous ending that can perhaps only be explained by Prine and the three female leads all walking off the set before the final scene leaving Rudolph to completely pull something out of his. . .well, see it and tell me where it came from. It's hard to believe that anybody would make a movie like this, let alone the otherwise respectable Rudolph.

Addendum: this movie was recently re-releaesed on DVD by Johnny Legend with brief nude scenes of overweight actresses that (partially) justify the alternate title.