Beyond Bedlam (1994)

Director:

Vadim Jean

Writers:

John Brosnan (novel)
Vadim Jean (writer)

Release Date:

22 April 1994 (UK)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Psychological Terror Beyond Your Wildest Nightmares

Plot:

Dr.Stephanie Lyell works for Neurological Research, and is testing a seemingly safe personality-altering...

Plot Keywords:

Drug | Serial Killer | Detective | Hallucination | Suicide

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Craig Fairbrass	...	Terry Hamilton
Elizabeth Hurley	...	Stephanie Lyell
Keith Allen	...	Marc Gilmour
Anita Dobson	...	Judith
Jesse Birdsall	...	Scott
Craig Kelly	...	Matthew Hamilton
Faith Kent	...	Miss Coope
Georgina Hale	...	Sister Romulus
Samantha Spiro	...	WPC Foster
Steven Brand	...	Turnball
Zoe Heyes	...	Josie
Annette Badland	...	Nurse Wrekin
Natasha Humphrey	...	Gloria
Jack McKenzie	...	DCI Clery
Christopher Adamson	...	Weasel

Also Known As:

Nightscare

MPAA:

Rated R for strong horror violence and gore, sexuality and language.

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Germany:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Friern Barnet Hospital, Friern Barnet Road, Friern Barnet, London, England, UK

Company:

Metrodome Films

Trivia:

Faith Kent replaced Rachel Kempson.

Soundtrack:

RETURN TO ME

This isn't horror, it's just horrible.

As a big horror fan I've learned by this time not to expect all horror movies to be perfect, but it's nice if they at least make sense. This film (playing as NIGHTSCARE on the movie channels, the American ones at least) starts out with the promise of a somewhat intriguing premise and quickly devolves into a confusing mess. The plot, such as it is, gives us Elizabeth Hurley as a doctor studying "neurotransmitters in the brain" and delving into unethical medical substance injection in an attempt to cure crazy people, or something like that. It doesn't really matter, since before long the toe-sucking, blood-inking bad guy is chasing Liz and her prospective boytoy around in dreams-within-hallucinations. Is it live? Is it Memorex? Does anyone care?

Note to producers: even the unscientific viewer will know that saying things like "neurotransmitters in the brain" is like saying "wires in the radio." In other words, the movie is ridiculously vague, relying too much on downright stupid plot twists and underdone action scenes to get its feeble point across. I'm not sure that the English have a right to complain about the sorry state of American film, when they are turning out cheese like this.

3/10. Dumb stuff.