Dream Demon

source: Dream Demon

Trailer—Dream Demon

Dream Demon

Dream Demon is one of those horror movies that though done on a budget, still come across and well written and well acted. Both the leads, Jemma Redgrave and Kathleen Wilhoite are great in their roles as Diana and Jenny. Timothy Spall and Jimmy Nail are the two crude harassing newsmen, one a photographer and the other an investigative journalist. Diana is engaged to Oliver, a Falkland's war hero and is having horrible nightmares. Even though her therapist assures her that it's normal, she is still anxious. When she meets the American Jenny who reveals that she grew up in the house, things really escalate. This is an imaginative film that deals with dreams vs reality and repressed memories. This is a fine example of a 80s horror movie that made the decade so much fun.

This film is a carbon copy of A Nightmare on Elm Street (meets Hellraiser) that offers a curious take on the dreams world. Unfortunately, its potential was poorly executed by a lazy and full of clichés script and weak performances.

Because this was British and starred Jemma Redgrave, I expected it to be classier. It's another of those dream horror movies where things happen according to no logical sequence but whenever the director feels like it. Yet it does have one great idea, which I know I've seen used in a story somewhere: the existence of a real house and its dream counterpart, connected in some occult way. In one scene of this movie the heroine's friend and partner becomes lost in the dream house, looking for a way to get out, while the heroine searches for her in the real one, looking for a way to get through. To me this is quite scary and evocative. But the idea only works if the two houses stay separate throughout; these dream horror movies rely on the shock of the dreams breaking through into the real world, or their mock-up of the real world. Some day a filmmaker with more restraint should take the idea and do it right.

An interesting but old idea for a film is unfortunately a mixed bag. The director didn't know how to stage the scenes and the acting. The two leading ladies are certainly capable of better performances. This needs a better director with more expertise and a better written script. There are many good and spooky scenes in the film but they are interspersed with poor scenes and reactions that are clearly uncertain. Half of the movie is suspenseful but the other half lollygags due to dark humor and poor direction. As it is, the film might be improved with more crisp editing. There are too many things seen that make no sense or are old tired cliches. You are left with many questions about what you have seen at the end.

Also shouldn't it be a Nightmare Demon? But Dream Demon does have a nice ring to it for sure. And the movie is quite nicely made. There is even a system behind the dreams, though you might not really decipher it from the start. Not everyone I reckon. And that's really a nice touch to add to the movie. Still most of it is, where are we and are we? It's like a dream version of Total Recall. Sort of and with a touch of fantasy and imagination. Then again, that is what you need or dreams isn't it? I think so, but whatever the case, a good thriller/horror movie that has no Freddy Krueger in it, but still is entertaining and horryfying enough

The musical scores reminded me of Hellraiser. There was a lot of effort put into making the movie look and feel like a nightmare which I thought was great. Almost a crossover between Hellraiser (1987) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). The lead character Diana played by Jemma Redgrave reminded me a lot of the character Kirsty from Hellraiser who was played by Ashley Laurence. The similarities where uncanny. Dream Demon could easily fall into the category of weird horror. There is a lot of strange imagery through out the movie a lot of which ends up making sense at the end. Fun and enjoyable.

"Dream Demon" features some imaginative visuals and clever camera shots, but is doomed by its terribly confusing, almost indecipherable plot. When it's all over, few answers have been given to the viewer and the rules of the dream-vs-reality game are never explained. This picture remains a blurry enigma from beginning to end. (*1/2)