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16 reviews in total

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7 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
From the acclaimed director of "The Moderns" . . ., 6 November 2004
Author: lazarillo from Denver, Colorado and Santiago, Chile

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.

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8 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
Weird, Disturbing Garbage, 26 November 2003

Author: Steve Nyland (Squonkamatic) from New York, USA

Weird, Disturbing Garbage

One axiom is true about any given art form: It did not exist before a person made it. One of my primary interests in evaluating art forms in a critical manner is to contemplate the motivation behind the decision to execute the work. I have no idea why anyone would have made a movie like BARN OF THE NAKED DEAD, though after seeing it I can understand why folks want to see it: Great title.

Existing these days as scummy old rental tapes [including a preposterous version called NIGHTMARE CIRCUS, that is worse if possible] and the occaisional underground re-record, I managed to snag one of the original rental tapes by Ariel Entertainment, whoever they were, and was able to assess an "uncut" 87 minute print of the film. I was not prepared for what it had to offer.

I love low rent "B" grade horror, especially European 1970's stuff, and have just begun delving into some of the American made examples beyond DON'T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT or COUNT YORGA. I was enticed by the name Andrew Prine, a magnetic veteran actor of many a B exploitation movie romp -- his role in SIMON KING OF THE WITCHES might be one of the great overlooked performances of the 1970's. His role in BARN OF THE NAKED DEAD is one that I hope he eventually got over, because films like this can wreck a career especially when an actor throws himself into the role, something that he was not apparently able to resist. I wonder if he got to view his daily rushes, or even if there were any daily rushes -- My thought is that the entire film was shot in about a week & a half, and exposed/edited only afterwards when nobody could stop the cinematic car wreck that unfolds onscreen.

THE PLOT: Man has lived in near isolation on former Army nuclear testing grounds in Nevada [interesting premise], family having long since deserted or otherwise been rendered ioperable. Prine compensates his lack of company by sitting up in a duck tower with a rifle and putting a bullet through unsuspecting car engines.

These cars are all driven by skanky looking 70's B supporting actresses, whom he cons into coming back to his farm. There they are taken prisoner and chained inside of a large barn. The majority of the film consists of footage of the girls chained up to these little posts and cowering with fear, trembling with cold, and discussing their situation. Between conversations Prine lurches in [sometimes dressed as a big top circus M.C.] and drags one of them off to be abused -- verbally, psychologically, physically, and in the movies sole moment of true interest [though the outcome was cut], by a snake. Ahem. He also talks to himself and plays with a toy windup bigtop. He is not a person but a mannerism -- weird behavior for a movie plot with legs attached. I doubt if he was allowed a single 2nd take.

At the end of the film a not too secret horrifying secret is revealed, and everyone dies except the two girls that went crazy during their ordeal, which I guess is to make you think, "Gee ...". The End. How they all die I will leave to be a discovery for those stupid enough to seek it out: Don't let my description of a thirty second clip of Snake Sleaze tempt you: BARN OF THE NAKED DEAD just plain sucks.

The "cinemetography", on all levels of considerations, sucks. The script sucks, apparently an attempt to adapt the Ed Gein story to a contemporary "issue", though just what that issue would be remains undefined ... Be angry at the Army for atmospheric atom testing, maybe. Don't take the long scenic route when you can fly, perhaps. Watch out for maniacs that have been exposed to nuclear fallout? Nahh -- too easy. Maybe it will come to me at some point, but like I said this film seems to have been made without any real intent, unless that intention is to disturb.

And rest assured, BARN OF THE NAKED DEAD is disturbing. Folks may have some bondage romp in mind but BE WARNED: this film lacks even the slightest touch of erotic charm. There is sleaze, but it is not arousing sleaze, unless wondering how the girls go to the bathroom when chained up gives you a rise -- that was the only thing that the film made me wonder about. Then again I guess they didn't need to, since all of the barn scenes could have been shot in one afternoon, so maybe nobody had to go before they were finished.

Avoid this film. Avoid it like you would a burning car at a gas pump.

Avoid it like you would avoid an open cesspit. Avoid it like you would avoid someone with a bad case of bubonic plague. Don't be suckered in by a kinky box cover or descriptions of unspeakable horrors. They are unspeakable, allright -- so awful that I can't manage one more word.

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4 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
A choice scuzzy chunk of hardcore nasty 70's psycho exploitation horror sleaze, 31 January 2008

Author: Woodyanders (Woodyanders@aol.com) from The Last New Jersey Drive-In on the Left

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Simone (Manuela Thiess), Sheri (Sherry Alberoni), and Corrine (Gyl Roland) are three showgirls en route to Las Vegas who find themselves stranded when their car breaks down in the middle of the remote Nevada desert. They run afoul of Andre (a truly inspired portrayal of full-tilt intense insanity by the one and only Andrew Prine), a severely deranged Oedipal wreck misogynistic psycho who abducts lovely young stray ladies so he can use them in a menagerie for his own personal circus. Meanwhile, Andre's grotesquely disfigured mutant father occasionally gets loose and murders folks. Director Alan Rudolph, who went on to helm such acclaimed art-house hits as "Welcome to L.A.," "Remember My Name," "Choose Me," and "The Moderns," does an expert job of creating and maintaining a grim, sordid, and unpleasant tone of seething madness and depravity. The raw, unflinching violence against women is genuinely brutal and ugly stuff; this picture reaches its skin-crawling nasty peak when Andre has a large boa constrictor wrap itself around one hapless lass. Moreover, we also get a decent smattering of tasty nudity and a handy helping of grisly gore. E. Lynn's rough, but fairly accomplished cinematography astutely captures the dingy, dusty, and desolate aura of the isolated desert location. Tommy Vig's wonky, spacey, droning score likewise adds considerably to the overall harsh and unnerving quality of this resolutely foul-minded trash. Jennifer Ashley pops up as a traumatized mute hippie chick; she was mistreated by Prine some more in the even sleazier and hence better "The Centerfold Girls." The groovy theme song "Evil Eyes" and the nihilistic bummer ending totally hit the slimy spot as well. A satisfyingly mean'n'grungy serving of vintage 70's grindhouse junk.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Pretty good stuff., 27 December 2011

Author: Scott LeBrun from Canada

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Veteran cult favourite Andrew Prine excels here in one of his wonderfully warped 70's leading roles. He plays Andre, a sick, twisted freak living in seclusion in the desert, who comes upon a trio of aspiring showgirls trying to make their way to Vegas and who have had car trouble. He seems to be benevolent, but in reality is about to add them to his captives - a group of women he keeps chained up in his barn. The misogynistic Andre views these women as no more than (performing) animals, yet to add to his quirks he has a Norman Bates style mother fixation (he comes to believe that one of these girls actually *is* his long dead mother) and keeps his dear old dad, who mutated as a result of H bomb testing, confined on his large amount of property. Meanwhile, there's a concurrent story of the girls' agent (Chuck Niles) desperately trying to find them. Some exploitation fans can certainly take issue with a movie that they may feel really doesn't go far *enough*; for one thing, the nekkid-ness promised by the DVD cover is in actuality quite fleeting! That's not to say there isn't some fun to be had from the premise and some of the scenes. Our macabre ringmaster is fond of whipping the girls, will sometimes drench them in blood and sic his big cat on them, and in one deliciously creepy scene, introduces one of the girls to his pet snake. And when we finally get a look at the deformed dad (makeup effects by Byrd Holland, who also plays a small role, and Douglas White), he's a hoot to behold. The girls are all pleasing to look at (there's also a small role for busy 70's era exploitation actress Jennifer Ashley, as the flower child), but the one to watch here is clearly Prine, who, as can be expected, acts the Hell out of his role; even if he does indeed regret making this movie, one wouldn't know it from the performance he gives, the mark of a true professional. The movie is admittedly quite a gritty and rough little production - perhaps the single most fascinating aspect is realizing that it's an early directorial effort for Robert Altman protégée and independent auteur Alan Rudolph, one that it's all too easy to believe he would want left off his resume. But it's reasonably enjoyable for exploitation buffs, right down to the downbeat ending typical of so many other A *and* B movies of the 1970's. Somewhat disappointing but not too bad. Seven out of 10.

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2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Mean and Ugly, 4 May 2006

Author: bensonmum2 from Tennessee

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

My, oh my! I feel like I've entered one of the seven layers of Hell. Barn of the Naked Dead is one of the worst examples of "filmmaking" I've run into. A serious critique of the movie would be ridiculous and making fun of the technical aspects of the film or much of the acting is so easy that I'll not even bother. Instead, I'll limit this to a brief comment on the plot – or lack thereof. Barn of the Naked Dead literally has no coherent plot. A few story ideas pieced together with scenes of unnecessary violence do not make for a plot. Take a look at the kind of films I like and you'll quickly see that I'm not squeamish when it comes to violence on screen, but it needs a context. Otherwise, it's just mean and ugly. Without a plot, the violence in Barn of the Naked Dead feels like that – mean and ugly.

If Barn of the Naked Dead has one saving grace that keeps it from sinking to the absolute bottom of the heap, it's Andrew Prine. While I'll never understand some of his professional decisions, he always comes across to me as a very capable and interesting actor. I've yet to be disappointed with him, just some of the movies he made.

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2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Step Right Up, Ladies And Gentlemen..., 23 August 2002

Author: Flixer1957 (flixer1957@yahoo.com) from Columbia County, NY

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Andrew Prine stars as yet another mother-fixated maniac who runs his own carnival in the Nevada desert. His star attractions are females held captive in the aforementioned barn. Whenever things slow down he marches them around the homestead to the tune of his cracking whip or sics his pet cougar on them. The action takes place near a former nuclear test site which gives the filmmakers an excuse to throw in a badly made-up mutant toward the end.

This has a reputation as an early splatter flick. Many video versions are tame and short on blood; there is more gore in the recent Code Red/Shriek Show release. In any case, the scenery-chewing Prine manages to keep things moving along. It's always a pleasure to watch this performer at work, even in a geek show like this. Alan Rudolph, since praised for directing numerous mainstream hits, would probably like to buy up all prints of BARN OF THE NAKED DEAD and burn them.

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3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Any old thing magically becomes watchable when ANDREW PRINE is in it., 28 October 2003
Author: nostrilingus from fabulous Las Vega$!

The woefully underrated Andrew Prine struts through this lousy but shamefully likable mess with a casually unaffected "yeah, but at least I'm working" charisma. In BARN OF THE NAKED DEAD aka NIGHTMARE CIRCUS, he portrays a psychologically unbalanced young man who keeps a private zoo of captive women on his desolate Nevada desert property. The girls are a stock of resistant performers for Prine's sadistic circus-themed psychodramas. If that's not weird enough to win you over, there's also a mutant and a hungry black panther lurking within the cuckoo mix.

As addle-brained 70s shockers go, this can be pretty enjoyable if expressly accepted as the unrefined trash that it is. The film's overwhelming dearth of professionalism renders it hard-to-recommend, but I'd be similarly held back from banishing it to avoid-at-all-costs territory...if pornography is considered a "guilty pleasure", then this film is akin to pornography watched while wearing undergarments of the opposite sex, handcuffed and in the choke-hold of a heavy leather belt on the morning of Easter Sunday.

4/10

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1 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Andrew Prine and his circus harem., 8 September 2010

Author: HumanoidOfFlesh from Chyby, Poland

Three young dancers Simone,Corine and Lisa are stranded in the Nevada desert after their car breaks down.A young man named Andre drives them to his ramshackle farm in the middle of nowhere.Unfortunately Andre is a dangerous psychopath and misogynist,who keeps women chained in a barn.He quickly becomes convinced that Simone is his long dead mother..."Barn of the Naked Dead" aka "Terror Circus" is a neglected classic of 70's horror.I can't believe the low rating this film has-it certainly deserves more positive reviews.It's sleazy and grimy horror film with several truly terrifying moments.The desert setting is completely barren and moody.The female victims of Andre are weak and utterly broken.The central performance of Andrew Prine is genuinely unsettling.There is also Prine's father,a repulsive freak deformed by atomic radiation.9 out of 10.A cult classic.

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2 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Siskel and Ebert's favorite director's first effort!, 23 April 1999
Author: William (williamnorton316@hotmail.com) from Seattle, Washington

Played in Seattle as TERROR CIRCUS in 1980 (!) as a bottom half of a double billing with MOTEL HELL. This film is just sick and boring at the same time. A car full of girls takes a short cut to Vegas and get stranded in the desert, only to be prisoners to a madman (Andrew Prine, who is really good in this film). The film has a bad theme song, sloppy editing, a creature who lives in a shack, and whipping girls like animals. The film is made by Alan Rudolph, who now makes art house films. Many of you might see this film and say, it can't be the same guy who made this, but it is. He also made ROADIE with meatloaf! The video print NIGHTMARE CIRCUS is grainy, and the title is video tacked in. I hear it played in most cities in the early 70's as BARN OF THE NAKED DEAD.

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3 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Antifable With No Happy Ending, 22 July 2002
Author: aazathoth from Sonoran Desert

Barn of the Nekkid Dead - or Nightmare Circus - is a film about a demented young man named Andre who captures women and keeps them chained in the barn. He believes that he is the ringleader of a circus and that they are the trained animals in his act. Andre is a psychopath, but it's not all his fault - his mother left him when he was very young and his father has turned into a murderous radioactive mutant. Andre crushes rebellion among his animals by feeding would-be rebels to his pet mountain lion or to his father.

The obvious moral of the story would be that men treat women horribly, be it is more likely that the pretense of the moral is an excuse to show attractive young women chained and whipped. The best part of this movie is the ending. Help is on the way in the background from the beginning but by the time it arrives at the barn, Andre's father has killed almost everyone. It's refreshing to watch a film without a morally happy ending.

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