Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Frightmare Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 24, 2015

The plot of “Frightmare” (also known as “The Horror Star”) is so delicious, so ripe with potential, it’s almost enough to carry the feature on its own. A loving tribute to horror cinema, with all its shadowy encounters and ghoulish events, the effort has its heart in the right place, cooking up a premise that places die-hard fans in the middle of their very own scary movie. It’s a long night of survival for a group of dim college students, yet the nightmare never finds a particularly gripping momentum, with writer/director Norman Thaddeus Vane so involved in creating atmosphere, he forgets to sustain tension throughout the feature. “Frightmare” is terrifically shot and the lead performance from screen veteran Ferdy Mayne is appropriately grandiose, but the production needs a little more air in its tires, often found slogging along with genre elements that demand a more animated execution.

Conrad Radzoff (Ferdy Mayne) is a horror legend, with an imposing filmography that’s bloated his ego, making him impossible to work with. When death finally catches up to him, Radzoff’s passing is greeted with relief, while his final resting place is a massive crypt that’s equipped with numerous videos greeting those who’ve decided to pay a visit. For the members of the Horror Film Society, Radzoff’s death is a crushing blow, with the group drowning their grief with booze, which also triggers some mischief. Electing to break into Radzoff’s crypt, the students steal the corpse, bringing the genre icon back to their mansion for a dinner party. After a night of revelry, Radzoff is placed into the attic for safe keeping, but across town, wife Etta (Barbara Pilavin) and medium Rohmer (Nita Talbot) have decided to resurrect the screen star, who rises from the dead to slaughter those daring to disturb his eternal sleep.

“Frightmare” eventually plays out like an average day in slasher cinema, but the set-up presented here is wonderful. We meet Radzoff on a film set, portraying his umpteenth vampire for an impatient director. He’s tired of the professional abuse, eventually killing his boss in secret, revealing the horror legend to be equally devious when cameras aren’t rolling, positioning Radzoff as the central threat. His death comes as a shock to Horror Film Society members such as Saint (Luca Bercovici), Meg (Jennifer Starrett), Stu (Jeffery Combs), and Bobo (Scott Thomson), but instead of celebrating Radzoff’s career achievements in private, they decide to steal his dead body, commencing a special night of realized fantasies as the horror hounds finally receive a chance to spend time with their idol. It’s such a promising premise, teeming with potential for “Frightmare” to parody scary movies and participate in a few chills of its own.

There are moments of inspiration scattered throughout “Frightmare,” which carries exceptional mood for a low-budget effort. Cinematographer Joel King invests in dramatic lighting and clouds of smoke while the script plays around with gothic touches (including dramatic organ stings and hungry ravens), keeping Radzoff’s night of murder almost celebratory as he picks off the gang one by one. The deaths are extreme, finding Radzoff tearing out the tongue of one poor sap, while others are swallowed by fire and bludgeoned by a flying coffin. Make-up is unusually minimal, with more attention placed on situations of doom instead of gory particulars, though, never fear, there’s plenty of bloodshed to go around.

Logic isn’t entirely welcome in “Frightmare,” and the movie skips a few steps when it comes to explaining exactly why Radzoff is so determined to destroy everything he can get his hands on (not to nitpick, but crypt’s tech set up is somehow less believable than life after death). The killing spree provides plenty of opportunities for Vane to show off directorial style, but storytelling lacks punch, with “Frightmare” providing more questions than answers as the night drags on and bodies begin to pile up. Performances are also lackluster, through there’s curiosity in seeing Combs in one of his earliest roles, working overtime to bring attention to his corner of the frame. Mayne is the star of the show, and his flamboyance is most welcome, carrying authority as the devilish icon, adding a touch of comedy and menace to the feature.

Frightmare Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation is challenged by softer, fog-laden cinematography, though detail is there for study, with the interiors of the mansion open for inspection and facial particulars still retaining textures in close-ups. Colors are successfully refreshed, with Radzoff's Dracula costume retaining its potency, and primaries are secure, doing well with greenery and decoration. Delineation goes about as far as period photography permits, keeping evening experiences shadowed but not swallowed. Whites are on the bloomy side. Grain is thick but filmic. Source is in decent shape, with some speckling and minor scratches detected.

Frightmare Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't emerge with ideal clarity, but as low-budget production from the Troma vaults, it gets the job done. Extremes in reaction are crispy, a little hard on the ears, but dialogue exchanges are intelligible, grasping emotional moments and horror encounters. Scoring is supportive but never cleanly defined, managing mood without bold instrumentation. Atmospherics are alert, helping set the scene with interior creaks and group activity, and sound effects are welcomingly loud and direct. Hiss is consistent, and pops are detected as well.

Frightmare Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features David Del Valle and David DeCoteau.

• Commentary #2 features The Hysteria Continues.

• Commentary #3 includes an archive audio interview with director Norman Thaddeus Vane.

• Interview (21:21, HD) with cinematographer Joel King is a fascinating conversation with one of the key players in the "Frightmare" production. King recounts his early days in the industry, working his way up through experience and opportunity, contributing to such classics as "Carrie" and "Duel." The wonderfully conversational King has fantastic anecdotes to share about his time on various sets, and the featurette takes a very surprising turn midway through, exploring his exit from the film industry and his return to still photography in Minnesota (his house is a glorious museum of pictures, posters, and props). More examples of his work can be found here.

• Artwork Gallery (2:05) shares 20 images from posters and lobby cards.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:28, HD) for "The Horror Star" is included.

Frightmare Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Frightmare" is extremely loopy at times, but never reaches orbit as an insane B-movie. Vane keeps his picture almost respectable in a way, doing what he can to maintain a chiller mood while the story eventually carries over to a police investigation featuring Etta and a doubting detective (played by Chuck Mitchell, of "Porky's" fame). However, a haunted house tone dominates the viewing experience, watching the characters slip slowly around in the dark, chasing noises and trying to find missing friends. Weirdly, these scenes of suspense aren't the highlights of the endeavor, which is far more interesting as an examination of moral corruption in the acting business and the extremity of fandom when it fails to respect the boundaries of life. It's an entertaining feature, but when one considers the directions it could've taken, it's easy to feel a little let down by "Frightmare," even when it gets so much of the genre just right.