Screamtime (1983)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Directors:

Michael Armstrong
Stanley A. Long

Writer:

Michael Armstrong (writer)

Release Date:

February 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

Don't believe the rumors about all the dead bodies... They're the people who fainted watching!

Plot:

Compilation of three short horror films: "That's The Way To Do It", "Dreamhouse" and "Do You Believe In Fairies?" plus some new linking material. |

Plot Keywords:

Garden Gnome | Haunted House | Couple | Stabbing | Maniac

Cast

Vincent Russo	...	Ed
Michael Gordon	...	Bruce
Marie Scinto	...	Marie
Kevin Smith	...	Shop Owner
Robin Bailey	...	Jack
Ann Lynn	...	Lena
Jonathon Morris	...	Damien (as Johnathon Morris)
Dione Inman	...	Suzy
Bosco Hogan	...	Doctor (as Boscoe Hogan)
John Styles	...	Punch (voice)
Ian Saynor	...	Tony
Yvonne Nicholson	...	Susan
Lally Bowers	...	Mrs. Kingsley
Veronica Doran	...	Miss Burns
Brenda Kempner	...	Woman

Runtime:

Australia:91 min | UK:87 min | USA:89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:R | Iceland:(Banned) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Salon Productions

Movie Connections:

References The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)

Great little anthology flick!

Two guys steal some VHS tapes (big box!!!) from an early 80s 42nd Street video store (they do a walk by a theater showing TABOO II with great flair) and head to a girlfriend's house to watch them. How is that for a wrap around segment? The first section deals with a Punch & Judy puppeteer who has to deal with his nagging wife and disobedient son. When they decide to split, ol' Punch comes alive to enact revenge for his master. The second segment highlights a young couple who move into a new house, where the wife begins having visions of a murder that may have happened there. The is the best of the series and features an excellent ending. The final segment is about a broke biker who takes a job tending the garden for some old ladies who insist it is guarded by fairies. Kinda blah with this last one. Back in NYC, our petty criminals finish the flicks and get their just desserts.

A pretty good British anthology-by-force with three random short films strung together with a NYC lensed wrap around. The film proper lists one Al Beresford as the director here, but the IMDb reveals that is a pseudonym for Brit helmers Stanley Long and Michael Armstong, who both a have a history in the softcore UK sex comedy scene. Anyone know this history of these shorts in the UK? And who added on the NYC wrap around (which works in the requisite nudity and captures early 80s NY well)? I would definitely recommend this for the first two segments, which are quite well done.