Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981)

An orphaned teenager finds himself being dominated by his aunt who's hell-bent on keeping him with her...at all costs.

Director:

William Asher

Writers:

Steve Breimer (screenplay) (as Stephen Breimer), Alan Jay Glueckman (screenplay)

Stars:

Jimmy McNichol, Susan Tyrrell, Bo Svenson

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jimmy McNichol	...	Billy Lynch
Susan Tyrrell	...	Cheryl Roberts
Bo Svenson	...	Detective Joe Carlson
Marcia Lewis	...	Margie
Julia Duffy	...	Julie Linden
Britt Leach	...	Sergeant Cook
Steve Eastin	...	Tom Landers
Caskey Swaim	...	Phil Brody
Cooper Neal	...	Frank
Bill Paxton	...	Eddie (as William Paxton)
Kay Kimler	...	Anna Lynch
Gary Baxley	...	Bill Lynch, Sr.
Vickie Oleson	...	Lady Police Officer
Clemente Anchondo	...	Jail Arrestee
Alex Baker	...	Police Officer Westcott

Storyline

Seventeen year old high school senior Billy Lynch was raised by his maternal aunt, Cheryl Roberts, with who he has lived since the age of three, when his parents died in a tragic accident. As never married Aunt Cheryl has not dated over that time, it has been only her and Billy in the big, old house next to the woods. Billy hopes to get a basketball scholarship to the University of Denver, where his girlfriend of one year, Julie Linden, will be attending. Aunt Cheryl, in her possessiveness of Billy, doesn't let Julie into the house and doesn't want Billy to go away to college. What those around her don't know is that Cheryl is deranged and will do whatever it takes to keep Billy all to herself. What Billy also does not know is that there is an unknown third in his and Aunt Cheryl's relationship, that third who is either the cause of or has exacerbated her derangement. Aunt Cheryl's actions lead to Billy being implicated in a murder, Billy's plea of innocence which is not helped by the...

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Plot Keywords:

aunt nephew relationship | closeted homosexual | sexually repressed woman | homophobic cop | stabbed to death | 

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Taglines:

They didn't go looking for trouble. They were just too curious. Now ... They know too much to live.

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Daryl Hannah and Ally Sheedy both auditioned for the role of Julie.

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Goofs

When aunt is tenderizing meat, it changes from not being tenderized to tenderized and back to not being tenderized between shots.

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Quotes

Margie: [arriving at Cheryl Roberts's house, bringing a cake for Billy's birthday] Frank, let me have the cake. If I know you, you'll drop it. I hope she likes it, it's a new recipe. Oh, and Frank, be sure and say something about her pickled tomatoes.
Frank: They were terrible!
Margie: Frank, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything!
Frank: I won't say anything.
Margie: Good!

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Connections

References Macabro (1980)

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Soundtracks

Little Boy Billy
Words and Music by Joyce Bulifant

User Reviews

Way better than it should be ..........

If ever a horror movie could be accused of throwing in everything but the proverbial "kitchen sink", "Night Warning" is that movie. With homosexual bashing, a nod to "Psycho", and a furious mother - son fixation, this film doesn't quit till all the cliché's are covered. The opening has a rather impressive car crash, that sets a somewhat intricate story in motion. Susan Tyrrell is in full deranged mode, and Bo Svenson is despicable as the investigating lieutenant. His entire investigation is built on "air castles' with homosexual overtones. Eventually the wheels of sanity come off, and Tyrrell gives a memorable performance that by itself carries the film into above average territory. - MERK

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

February 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Thrilled to Death

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Royal American Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1