NIGHTMARE AT SHADOW WOODS
(1983)
aka BLOOD RAGE
Directed by John Grissmer
Legacy Entertainment DVD
THE FILM
The Angry Samoans were pretty cool
when I was 16. They had this song
called "The Todd Killings,"
which was a sixty second burst of
yelps and nasty accusations. While
watching Nightmare At Shadow
Woods, I couldn't get that
song out of my head. The sweet nostalgia
of early 80s slashers works in strange
ways. Don't ask me why.
Terry and Todd are twin brothers
with awesome names. Their Mom looks
like a corpse and probably eats
ashtrays for breakfast. During a
steamy interlude at the drive-in
(rarity The House That Cried
Murder bathes the screen),
Terry and Todd leave the comforts
of their station wagon, their mother,
and her weasel boyfriend. Forget
the snack bar. Terry has other plans.
He murders a love-making couple
with a small axe and pins the deed
on Todd (cue "The Todd Killings"
in my head, FYI). Before we know
it, it's TEN YEARS LATER! Terry,
18 and balding, lives with his Mom
in a cruddy 80s condominium. It's
part of a ten acre community (!)
called Shadow Woods. During Thanksgiving
dinner, Terry spills the beans;
his brother Todd has escaped from
the mental institution. But who,
exactly, is the crazy one? Terry
gets violent, everyone thinks it's
Todd. Mom hits the vodka. A horny
couple pulls an elaborate practical
joke instead of having sex. Terry
smokes pot and takes a piss break
inbetween the killings. Just when
you think the ending's gonna pull
a Spielberg, bam! There goes Shadow
Woods' property values.
Released theatrically and on video
(by Prism) as Blood Rage
in 1983, this film was trimmed of
lingering gore shots and then reissued
in theaters and on home video as
Nightmare At Shadow Woods
in 1987. That's pretty boring, so
let's move on to the good stuff.
Namely, this is a sloppily edited,
synth score seeping, blow dried
hair flowing, violence strewn good
time. Shot in Jacksonville, Florida
by obscure director John Grissmer,
Nightmare captures that
special low budget (but not inept),
early 80s sass. Think House
Of Death meets Honeymoon
Horror. Inserted scenes
of full on nudity pop up, then reappear
later in the film. Two jean jacketed
dudes accept the challenge of Advanced
Pole Position. A woman wears a leopard
skin bathing suit and jams to a
Walkman at the pool. Sure, Terry
gets a little annoying towards the
end (dopey jokes like "It's
not cranberry sauce!" overstay
their welcome), but his abnormal
hair definitely makes up for that.
The low key confines of the Shadow
Woods condos made me think of innocent
days and crappy songs. It's no wonder
why the two made for such good bedfellows.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
For a five dollar DVD, Nightmare
At Shadow Woods looks fantastic.
Although this is the cut 1987 version
of the film, it's definitely not
an old VHS rip. The full frame print
is sharp and completely free of
defects, with a flat feel and consistent
colors. The mono sound was loud
and clear, but not overly tweaked.
I noticed the slightest hint of
compression during a few busy scenes.
EXTRAS
Just a Legacy Entertainment promo
reel, complete with hipster clip
art and gracious Robert De Niro
screen caps.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Once in awhile, the mood hits for
a comforting, redolent slasher.
You know the kind. Excess gore or
not, Nightmare At Shadow Woods
taps the vein and keeps giving.
Plenty of laughs, comic book violence,
a short runtime, and unbelievable
haircuts; you must pick it up.
— Joseph A. Ziemba, 01.19.06 |
So sweet
Terry gots the look
Mom, you've let yourself go
Nike chop shop
|
