Bad Dreams (1988)

The lone survivor of a suicide cult wakes from a thirteen-year coma in a psychiatric ward, where other patients suddenly start dying under mysterious and gruesome circumstances.

Director:

Andrew Fleming

Writers:

Andrew Fleming (story), Michael Dick (story)

Stars:

Jennifer Rubin, Bruce Abbott, Richard Lynch

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Rubin	...	Cynthia
Bruce Abbott	...	Dr. Alex Karmen
Richard Lynch	...	Harris
Dean Cameron	...	Ralph
Harris Yulin	...	Dr. Berrisford
Susan Barnes	...	Connie
John Scott Clough	...	Victor
Elizabeth Daily	...	Lana (as E.G. Daily)
Damita Jo Freeman	...	Gilda
Louis Giambalvo	...	Ed
Susan Ruttan	...	Miriam
Sy Richardson	...	Detective Wasserman
Melissa Francis	...	Young Cynthia (as Missy Francis)
Sheila Scott-Wilkenson	...	Hettie (as Sheila Scott Wilkinson)
Ben Kronen	...	Edgar

Storyline

In the mid-'70s, a cult group called Unity Field commits mass suicide, but a young girl survives. After being in a coma for thirteen years she wakes up in a psyche ward, not remembering the incident. The psychiatrist tries to help her remember, but she begins seeing the leader of the cult talking to her from the grave, and the other members of her therapy group begin to commit suicide around her. Or is it suicide?

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | cult | mass suicide | fire | psychiatrist | 

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Taglines:

He is dead... but far from gone. And he's come back for his love child.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 April 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

La pesadilla mortal

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$9,797,098 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

No Frills Film Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Directorial debut of Andrew Fleming.

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Quotes

Dr. Alex Karmen: [trying to hit Dr. Berrisford with his car] If you don't like the way I drive, Dr. Addictive Buttface, stay out of the parking lot!

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Connections

Referenced in Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006)

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Soundtracks

Sweet Child O' Mine
Written by Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan and Steven Adler
Performed by Guns N' Roses

User Reviews

Interesting horror film has some neat ideas but it's certainly in familiar territory.

Cynthia (Jennifer Rubin) is been in coma for over 13 years. She's the only survivor from the "Unity Field". It's a cult group that committed suicide, when they set on fire by the leader Harris (Richard Lynch). Once she wakes up from her coma, she's been seeing visions and having strange nightmare. Which it seems that Harris is trying to speak to her from the dead. Dr. Berrisford (Harris Yulin) thinks its best for Cynthia if she placed in a group session with Dr. Alex Karmen (Bruce Abbott). When Cynthia slowly starts remembering with the incident, now the patients are dying one by one. Now Cynthia is trying to stop the madness with the help of her psychologist. It seems that the evil spirit of Harris wants her dead. Which Alex knows that Cynthia isn't crazy and tries to end her bad memories.

Directed by Andrew Fleming (The Craft, Dick, The In-Laws "2003") made an intriguing hallucinogenic horror film that has some effective horror moments and good performances by the cast. The premise seems a bit familiar to "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3:Dream Warriors" at times. Especially when Rubin had a supporting role in the "Nightmare" franchise. Dean Cameron (Best known from "Men at Work" and "Summer School") and E.G. Daily (Who's known as the voice of Tommy Pickles in the TV "Rugrats") are also in the movie. "Bad Dreams" is quite impressive for two-thirds of the way but the last act feels rushed and out of touch with the rest of the picture. Fleming, who directed his first film handles like a pro on his first feature. The main problem, the screenplay by the director and Steven E. de Souza (Commando, Die Hard, 48 Hrs) could have been much stronger at times, especially towards the last act. But still, it's well made and horror fans will enjoy it. It's worth a look, despite some flaws. From a story by the director, Michael Dick, P.J. Pettiette and Yuri Zeltser. Gale Anne Hurd also produced it. She's best known for producing movies like "Aliens", "The Hulk" and "The Terminator". (*** ½/*****).