The traditional dictionary definition of "asylum" is "a place where one can be safe" – a shelter, sanctuary, refuge. Back during the 1930's when I was a kid, my folks would take me to a wildlife sanctuary, and I'd get to feed stale bread to ducks. Therefore, one might assume that a nightmare asylum would be a place where people who suffered from nightmares could go to have pleasant sleep. Or, since this was a fantasy movie, perhaps a place where repetitive nightmares could go to obtain some much needed rest. For instance, I repeatedly dream that it's the first week of the academic year, that there are several classes that it's very important I attend, that I don't know where or when they are, and that the university has a policy of never releasing such information. That could use a rest, as well as the one where I'm teaching a class with no idea of what I'm supposed to be teaching. However, this wasn't such a movie. Unlike other reviewers, I watched it through to the end, though with the sound turned down because I couldn't make out what the nice folks in it were saying anyway and my dog needed her nap. The set was super low-budget, which I liked: mostly a cellar with steam pipes and the usual corridors that lead to dead ends. If the cast had appeared on the old Dragnet show, each member would have been arrested for overacting. The theme music should have been People, people who ear people / Aren't the most popular people in the world. The hamburger and various scrap meats seemed fresh enough, and leaner than what one usually finds in supermarkets, while the spaghetti seemed sufficiently cooked but not overcooked. I hope that the cast and staff salvaged most of their gore grub afterwards. The fight and dismemberment choreographies were frantic, unconvincing and boring. Especially those of a large, bewigged gentleman who waved a huge knife and his small, skinny gentleman pal. Since this film was made in the early 90's the pal didn't seem to be a Significant Other. That was kind of the author, producer and director.
7 Reviews
I guess it is gross, but it is BAD too
cruelshoes14 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This is a regular video movie... not a film. Pure VHS camcorder. Yes there is obvious hamburger meat, and really weird deaths (one includes a mouse-trap, and most involve power tools). This film is actually available on DVD via the Decrepit Crypt of Nightmares 50 Movie Pack. The whole thing looks like someone had a High School haunted house set available and decided to film in it (or an actual low quality wax museum... there is a wax dummies that are obviously based on Hellraiser, Child's Play and The Exorcist sitting in there). For Gorehounds, there are some Chainsaw Massacre moments, and Wizard of Gore-esquire moments... but that is giving this film WAY too much credit There are some gross out moments. Way too much yelling, and not enough terror. There are some cool cheesy 80's synthesizer score moments (totally ruined by amateur Halloween make-up). The credits will show you that the film makers did not take themselves seriously. Overall:
Really Bad acting (trying not to laugh, and sometimes trying to be humorous). Most looks like a Junior High stage production.
Not funny Bad.
Just Bad.
Really bad acting.
No nudity (a silky camisole is all you get).
"Special effects" include a Strobe Light, and the previously mentioned Hamburger (plus Spaghetti and Liver)!
**Possible spoiler*** Oh, I have to say something positive.... um, I liked the door opening sequence at the end, with its interesting camera angles... but the cheesy dream within a dream thing was, well, cheesy... but not good, fun cheesy. ***End Spoiler***
I wrote this while I watched the film... and it was filmed in a "Haunted House" called "The Devil's Dark Side Haunted House".
2 stars, for the interesting door opening sequence. Thanks!
Really Bad acting (trying not to laugh, and sometimes trying to be humorous). Most looks like a Junior High stage production.
Not funny Bad.
Just Bad.
Really bad acting.
No nudity (a silky camisole is all you get).
"Special effects" include a Strobe Light, and the previously mentioned Hamburger (plus Spaghetti and Liver)!
**Possible spoiler*** Oh, I have to say something positive.... um, I liked the door opening sequence at the end, with its interesting camera angles... but the cheesy dream within a dream thing was, well, cheesy... but not good, fun cheesy. ***End Spoiler***
I wrote this while I watched the film... and it was filmed in a "Haunted House" called "The Devil's Dark Side Haunted House".
2 stars, for the interesting door opening sequence. Thanks!
Easily one of the worst films ever made...
dmsesquire16 August 2021
A woman is in an insane asylum, and we see her chased from the beginning, with zero back-story about why she or the others are there: The rest of the film looks like a horrible Rob Zombie production cut by MTV editors on speed; There is absolutely no plot, no suspense, just a lot of grotesquerie, and the Gustav Holst estate should sue for the film's blatant bastardization of THE PLANETS.
Awesomely Bad !
filmbuff19741 June 2009
"Nightmare Asylum" is part of a DVD collection called "Decrepit Crypt of Nightmares". I purchased the set with my eyes wide open, I knew the films in the collection were made by a group of East coast filmmakers who were trying to create an alternative b-movie industry and with limited resources. Most of these films are actually not bad. "Nightmare Asylum" on the other hand...
Yes, it was pretty bad. I only endured the whole thing because I don't like not finishing something. I started to watch it and was determined to view it to the very end. Strangely enough, once I had accepted that this was a badly made film with horrendous acting, I actually found myself enjoying it somewhat.
Yes, it was pretty bad. I only endured the whole thing because I don't like not finishing something. I started to watch it and was determined to view it to the very end. Strangely enough, once I had accepted that this was a badly made film with horrendous acting, I actually found myself enjoying it somewhat.
The gore and haunted house location save it
milkhole21316 November 2021
Nightmare Asylum is the first of many Todd Sheets movies on the Decrepit Crypt of Nightmares box set. This is the third film from that set and very frustrating. It features my least favorite kind of film character- the cackling, taunting, laughing, never-shut-upping insane murderous psycho, in this film there's a couple of them with the big dude in clown makeup being especially annoying. They come off as a angel dusted amalgam of Beetlejuice and Chop Top. I hate TCM 2 and Chop Top is the main reason. I also sold an LP of the movie's soundtrack to the actor on eBay. The cackling antagonists here aren't the only problem, the film is completely disjointed and plotless and I understand it's supposed to be a nightmare but even at just under 70 minutes it gets old quickly.
The film does have some positives, I kind of liked the music which alternated between the same pounding Enochian Key tune during the intense attack scenes and what I'm pretty sure was Mars, Bringer of War from Holst's Planet's suite. I liked the music but it could have used more than two alternating songs. The gore is pretty awesome at times here like most of Sheets' films including a pole stuck up a bum and coming out the mouth. The movie takes place in a real haunted house (they fortunately weren't called haunts or the equally annoying haunted attraction back when this was made) which adds to the fun and nightmarish atmosphere. The acting is of course atrocious and there's a predictable and lame ending twist. Todd Sheets has done much better.
The film does have some positives, I kind of liked the music which alternated between the same pounding Enochian Key tune during the intense attack scenes and what I'm pretty sure was Mars, Bringer of War from Holst's Planet's suite. I liked the music but it could have used more than two alternating songs. The gore is pretty awesome at times here like most of Sheets' films including a pole stuck up a bum and coming out the mouth. The movie takes place in a real haunted house (they fortunately weren't called haunts or the equally annoying haunted attraction back when this was made) which adds to the fun and nightmarish atmosphere. The acting is of course atrocious and there's a predictable and lame ending twist. Todd Sheets has done much better.
I still love Todd Sheets
BandSAboutMovies27 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Todd Sheets has disavowed this movie but it's still got its charms. Lisa (Lori Hassel) wanders through, well, a Nightmare Asylum for around an hour. There's a creepy family, some killers, a Leatherface-like big boss and a zombie pit at the end, all in a movie that was shot at various points with several different groups of people and then edited into whatever this is.
The star of the whole thing is The Devil's Dark Side Haunted House where this was made. It's already got some cool lighting and fog, plus you get to see some horror icons inside an SOV. Sheets is a big fan of Fulci and you can see the absolute movie idea from The Beyond in this, except that sound goes in and out so much and the video quality defines murky and this only dreams of the budget of the cheapest of Italian film.
But man, I do love Enochian Key's songs and Gustav Holst's "The Planets" which is super classy compared to what's happening inside the movie.
The good news is that Sheets really improved as a filmmaker without losing the strange energy that is all over the place here. That makes me so happy.
The star of the whole thing is The Devil's Dark Side Haunted House where this was made. It's already got some cool lighting and fog, plus you get to see some horror icons inside an SOV. Sheets is a big fan of Fulci and you can see the absolute movie idea from The Beyond in this, except that sound goes in and out so much and the video quality defines murky and this only dreams of the budget of the cheapest of Italian film.
But man, I do love Enochian Key's songs and Gustav Holst's "The Planets" which is super classy compared to what's happening inside the movie.
The good news is that Sheets really improved as a filmmaker without losing the strange energy that is all over the place here. That makes me so happy.
Watch Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job!
richard-pope-119 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
first of all i would like to say wow.. this film looked like it was filmed in a crappy local haunted house. I've never saw so much hamburger in one place. there is no plot and if you can understand the dialogue then please comment on it. there is more yelling than in a billy mays infomercial. the film never explains where the actors are or how they got there.the lead fat redneck villain and his sidekick ,(who looks like Jeff foxworthy) are amazing. as far as a comic duo, I've never seen better.the ending is just a cop out for not knowing how to end the film. if you want a good laugh then watch the fist 15 minutes and fast forward to the end and you wont miss a thing....Casio's rule
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