Nightmares Review (2004)

Promo Disc courtesy of Darren Ward at Giallo Films
Overall Rating: 7 out of 10
Gore Meter: 4 out of 10

If you are not familiar with Darren Ward’s Giallo Films oufit, you’re missing out. Based in England, Darren and company are poised to turn the English film industry inside out. The moniker is not a simple gimmick either, these guys know what made the Italian giallo films of years past so brilliant. And they are not going to compromise their vision to make their films commercial.

Nightmares tells the story of an unnamed, very messed up serial killer. The killer recounts, to the viewer, the horrible murders he has committed, while being haunted by apparitions of the victims. We are treated to brilliantly filmed flashbacks to the killings. The first slaying was a hired hit job, while the second was a robbery attempt gone wrong. The killer broke into a woman’s house and she caught him. He took it upon himself to rape her and while doing this, murder her. The only motive we are hinted to is the murder of the killer’s sister when he was younger. Is torture and murder the only thing that gives the killer comfort? This short ends with another killing, but this one is not a flashback.

Unlike Darren’s previous film, Sudden Fury, Nightmares is kind of light on the gore factor. The uneasy feeling and sense of paranoia come mainly from the wonderful job of editing, lighting and the sound effects this time. This short is so beautifully filmed that it has to be seen to be believed. Very few indie films capture the look and feel of Nightmares.

The only problem I had with Nightmares was that the psyche of the killer was just not really explored in the way I thought it should have been, but it’s only an 11 minute film. The short serves as a prelude to Darren’s planned feature film. Hopefully, he can get it filmed, because I really liked Nightmares and am dying to see where it’s going.

For more information on Nightmares and Giallo Films, go to http://www.giallofilms.com/

Lee