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 Wilkinson	...	Hettie
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:

cult | encouraged to commit suicide | sole survivor | coma | 1970s | 

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Taglines:

Cynthia's got a grave problem! 13 years ago, something terrifying almost killed her. Now it's coming back to finish the job.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The set/house depicted early on as the cult house bears a remarkable resemblance to the family's haunted house in House IV (1992).

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Goofs

When Cynthia falls down the stairs, the way she was falling doesn't match the position she is shown in the next shot. It also looks like it's not the actor, but a double.

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Quotes

Ralph: [breaks a coffee pot over his guard's head] Do you want cream or sugar with that?

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Alternate Versions

The 18-rated UK video release of this film was cut by 22 seconds by the BBFC to remove closeup shots of self-mutilation with a knife and a scalpel, and to reduce a scene where a man is repeatedly hit by a car. The cuts were waived by the BBFC in 2018 for DVD/Blu-ray.

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2020)

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Soundtracks

La Donna è Mobile
Written by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Ferruccio Tagliavini

User Reviews

Bad Dreams on elm Street 3 :)

The First time I remember seeing this movie was back in the late 80s, when it was being played on HBO late one night. I remember at the time I thought the movie was pretty cool. I didnt see the movie again until about a year ago , when I picked up a used copy of it. Since then I have watched the movie a couple times, and I think its pretty awesome. its got some scary sences, and its definately got that old style 80s horror feel to it, which I miss. Its also crazy how similar this movie is to the 1987 masterpeice,A Nightmare on Elm Street 3- Dream Worriors. This movie's main star is Jennifer Ruben, who played Taryn in Nightmare 3...and just like in Nightmare 3, Bad Dreams is about a group of troubled kids who are in a mental institution, being haunted in there dreams by a burned boogeyman. It was cool to see Jennifer Ruben in another horror movie. This, and Nightmare 3, are the only two movies I can remember her in. Check out "Bad Dreams" if you want to see another cool late 80s horror movie.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 April 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bad Dreams

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,008,870, 10 April 1988

Gross USA:

$9,797,098

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,797,098

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