There are two movies named Frightmare. Both are enjoyable on their own merits, despite the fact that Prism re-released the 1974 film as a sequel to the 1983 one, which makes no sense. Whether you choose an older British cannibal or a movie star who seems to defy death, both films are quite entertaining. Consider the following the “tale of the tape” to determine which one best matches your filmgoing fancy!
| MOVIE | Frightmare (1974) | Frightmare (1983) |
| Directed by | Pete Walker (The Comeback, House of Whipcord, House of the Long Shadows) | Norman Thaddeus Vane (Shadow of the Hawk, The Black Room) |
| Alternate titles | Cover Up, Once Upon a Frightmare | The Horror Star, Body Snatchers |
| Stars | Sheila Keith (The Comeback, House of Mortal Sin) | Ferdy Mayne (Night Train to Terror, The Fearless Vampire Killers) |
| Who plays | Dorothy Yates, a recently released mental patient who ate at least six people in 1957 and may have had a relapse 19 years later. | Conrad Razkoff, a horror film star who fakes his death before seemingly existing beyond life and death as he wipes out a drama class. |
| Body count | 7 | 9 |
| Tag line | What terrifying craving made her kill…and kill…and kill? | There is no escape, not even death… |
| Movie within a movie | The hero and heroine go to see 1973’s La Grande Bouffe. | There’s a poster on the wall of Razkoff’s mansion for Fulci’s Zombi. |
| Dialogue | Edmund Yates: They said she was well again! They said she was well… | Razkoff’s favorite director: The world is rid of you and I am rid of you. Good night, sweet prince of ham! |
| Spoiler warning | Dorothy and Debbie eat Jackie’s (step-daughter and step-sister, respectively) boyfriend while the father, Edmund, watches. Then, they menacingly turn to her. | After killing nearly the entire cast, Razoff speaks directly to you, the viewer, to let you know how much he enjoys being in Hell. |
This article originally appeared in Drive-In Asylum issue 11. Grab your copy here.
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