Frightening Face-Off Unmasks Nightmare Man

Read Time:2 Minute, 58 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Nightmare Man
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Genre: Comedy, Horror, Thriller
Year Released: 2006, 2022 Ronin Flix Blu-ray
Runtime: 1h 27m
Director(s): Rolfe Kanefsky
Writer(s): Rolfe Kanefsky
Cast: Tiffany Shepis, Blythe Metz, Richard Moll
Where To Watch: available to purchase here www.roninflix.com

RAVING REVIEW: Okay, so if you were born in the 80s, you got to experience a crazy shift in the horror genre, and the early 2000s straight-to-video style was a precise moment in that evolution. Step into the time machine and in the realm of NIGHTMARE MAN, a carnival of chills and thrills orchestrated by Rolfe Kanefsky. Our ill-fated protagonist, Ellen Morris, portrayed by Blythe Metz, is unwittingly plunged into a haunted world by a mask – a piece of mail she'd likely wish she'd returned to sender.

As the fear factor escalates, Bill stays remarkably composed (almost to a fault,) brushing off his wife's fear as nothing more than psychological stress. The story takes a dark detour when the ominous Nightmare Man takes advantage of an inconvenient car breakdown during a trip to get help. Ellen seizes the opportunity to sprint into the shelter of a remote cabin, which also happens to be home to a group of unsuspecting friends who find themselves unwittingly caught up in the mystery surrounding the existence of the Nightmare Man. The havoc that follows is a clear tribute to the goosebump-inducing horror slashers of the 80s.

Donning this eerie mask, she summons a sinister force, the 'Nightmare Man,' who proceeds to take her on a joyride of terror, making the road between her dreams and reality a spine-tingling horror trip. As Ellen's terror ramps up, her situation is dismissed as figments of an overactive imagination as she delicately teeters on the edge of paranoia and the paranormal.

The ordinary lives of Ellen and her doting husband William, played by Luciano Szafir, form the core on which the dreadful events of NIGHTMARE MAN are painted. The mask shows a domino effect of events in its wake. The final face-off finally uncovers the frightening features of the 'Nightmare Man,' casting Ellen into an abyss of despair.

NIGHTMARE MAN juggles its storytelling, transitioning from a standard slasher into a realm of supernatural horror. Despite being grounded by a slow-burn start and some cliched plot points, the narrative finds its footing when Ellen finds sanctuary in the cabin. This twist infuses new life into the storyline. It segues the film from a typical standard early 2000s thriller to an affectionate throwback to the gory spectacles of horror cinema's golden era.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:
Feature presentation in 1080p High-Definition Widescreen (1.78:1)
5.1 Surround DTS-HD Master Audio
NEW There's Something Out There: The Making of Nightmare Man featurette
Creating a Nightmare: The Making of Nightmare Man
Extended Scenes
Tiffany's Behind-the-Scenes
Flubbing a Nightmare Gag Reel
Stills Gallery
Promo Reel
NEW Film Score Audio-Only Track
Audio Commentary with director Rolfe Kanefsky, producer Esther Goodstein, and cast member Tiffany Shepis

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[photo courtesy of RONIN FLIX]