1983's "Nightmares" is as generic an anthology as possible, supposedly shot as four episodes of the cancelled 1981 TV series DARKROOM, but actually a failed NBC pilot with added gore to ensure theatrical release with the coveted 'R' rating, Joseph Sargent credited as sole director. "Terror in Topanga" makes for a promising opener, Cristina Raines as a nicotine addict who ventures out for cigarettes at midnight knowing a dangerous lunatic is on the loose. "The Bishop of Battle" grinds to a halt with Emilio Estevez as a video game addict whose obsession with reaching the highest level does not achieve the intended result. The song "Pac Man Fever" might have eased the pain of viewing this one, despite the colorful visuals. Even more dull is "The Benediction," a straight retread of Steven Spielberg's 1971 "Duel," with Lance Henriksen as a fallen priest who encounters the pickup from hell on a lonely desert highway. Apparently saving the best for last (hardly a ringing endorsement), Jeffrey Bloom's "Night of the Rat" finds a suburban family terrorized in their home by a gigantic rat that leaves everything in tatters and their pet cat mutilated. This at least builds a sense of dread similar to the opener, Veronica Cartwright excellent as the concerned mother, Richard Masur insufferable as the stubborn father. Wasted potential on a climax with such awful special effects that one simply groans in disbelief, what might have been too intense for the small screen can't compare with the likes of Tom Savini or Rob Bottin.
Review of Nightmares
