Nightmare [Blu-ray]

Director: Freddie Francis Freddie Francis

Overview

Legendary cinematographer (Freddie Francis) directed this Hammer horror film of madness and murder. The story concerns young Janet (Jennie Linden), a student at finishing school who is suffering from a series of recurring nightmares, having witnessed her mother stabbing her father to death. When her nightmares intensify, Janet is brought to the home of her guardian, Henry Baxter (David Knight). Henry is not home, but Janet is put into the care of his live-in nurse, Grace (Moira Redmond). Janet's nightmares continue, in which she sees a woman in white beckoning her into her parents' bedroom. Following the apparition, Janet sees the woman lying in bed, with a knife sticking from her chest. When Henry returns home, he is told by the doctors that Janet should be confined to a mental institution. Henry refuses, but the arrival of Henry's wife changes all that -- when Janet sees Henry's wife, who resembles the woman from her dreams, she grabs a knife and stabs her to death. Janet is committed to an institution for the criminally insane. However, it turns out that Grace had deliberately disguised herself as the woman in white to drive Janet over the brink and kill Henry's wife, so that they could be married. Henry and Grace get married, but Grace then receives reports that Janet has escaped from the institution and is returning to Henry's estate, bent on revenge.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/15/2022
UPC:	0826663222869
Original Release:	1963
Rating:	NR
Source:	Shout Factory
Language:	English
Sales rank:	25,106

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Jennie Linden	Janet
David Knight	Henry Baxter
Moira Redmond	Grace
Brenda Bruce	Mary
George A. Cooper	John
Irene Richmond	Mrs. Gibbs
John Welsh	Doctor
Timothy Bateson	Barman
Clytie Jessop	Woman in White
Hedger Wallace	Sir Dudley
Julie Samuel	Maid
Elizabeth Dear	Janet as a Child
Isla Cameron	Mother
Don Banks	Composer

Technical Credits

Jimmy Sangster

Les Bowie	Special Effects
Freddie Francis	Director
Jimmy Sangster	Producer,Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

This Hitchcock-inspired blend of mystery and thriller from Hammer Films is gimmicky in the extreme but that's also part of its charm. Nightmare hinges upon a rather flamboyant narrative from house scripter Jimmy Sangster: some logic loopholes become apparent if you look at his wild plot too closely but he attacks his storyline with great gusto and pulls off a clever, Psycho-derived plot switcheroo that will throw the audience for a loop. It also helps that Nightmare is directed with great panache by Freddie Francis, who uses John Maxwell's moody black-and-white photography to tremendously atmospheric effect. Francis creates a number of genuinely intense setpieces along the way, cleverly using his framing choices and editing to comment on the story's events. Finally, Nightmare benefits from committed performances by a solid cast: Jennie Linden offers an intense turn as the film's troubled young heroine and her work is supported nicely by strong turns from Brenda Bruce as a wise, sympathetic teacher and Moira Redmond as a mysterious nurse brought in to watch over Linden. To sum up, Nightmare is an effective little chiller that packs a surprising punch for a film of its age.

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