Search - American Nightmare (2001) on DVD

Tom C. (tc) from WALTHAM, MA
Reviewed on 8/7/2008...

As a fan of low-budget horror films, this is definitely one of the better flicks I've seen. Paying homage to some of the classics, most notably John Carpernter's Halloween, it's obvious the creators and cast have an affection for the genre. And Debbie Rochon is delightful in her role, going to the edge of psycho but never going to far.

Give this one a try.

2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Friday the 13th, Halloween, American Nightmare

senmar | Irving, TX United States | 02/06/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Reviewing a movie is always a fun task, don't start thinking I'm a professional. I'm not, just look at my grammar. But I enjoy reviewing movies as an avid movie fan, so that other fans like me get the "real scoop" on a movie not the scoop Pepsi wants you to know. So with that said and you have an idea of where I am coming from...So I watched American Nightmare after a friend told me to check it out. At first the acting was a little cheesy (first impression) Good use of lighting, it was actually creepy the way the director chose to use the lights, they fit right into the genre of movie. So even though the acting and the lines were somewhat cheesy at first I continued and oddly enough the lines and the acting fit into the theme and I couldn't stop watching. I felt myself understanding the characters more as if they were my friends, cause those cheesy lines...that's the same sh*& we say. I never really realized that movies portray to many punks, losers, hippies, surfers, jocks and cookie cutter geeks to the extreme form. My circle of friends consists of at least one or two of each of those and we all sound and talk "pretty much" the same, using the same words and phrases used in American Nightmare. So it wasn't really cheesy lines, it was an unexpected realism in a movie (imagine that!).The killing scenes were realistic but not ultra-blood, ultra cheese. As a matter of fact I was surprised at the lack of gore in the the movie. If your expecting a gore flick, then change your expectations and watch it anyway. This is a movie that was made to send shivers down your spine and make you want to sleep with the lights on. So you ask, then why the title of this review. I went back and rented the original Friday the 13th, Halloween, Phsycho and a couple other classics and guess what...very similiar. Maybe a little more gore in a couple of those however, they were made by production companies. The were all similiar in the way that they don't attempt to scare you with the villian so much as to you weren't sure what the villian was going to do next, maybe come after you not with showing what the villian could do to you with special effects.So here is the guts of my review. It's realistic, great lighting and sound and does a good job of making you think "what's going to happen next, do I need to turn on some lights". I have and will reccomend it to my friends, family and coworkers."

A welcome relief from the current spate of empty horror.

Mike Watt | Pittsburgh, PA | 03/07/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A sublime and subtle movie that brings out the chills rather than the gore. AMERICAN NIGHTMARE is a welcome change of pace from the hack-and-slash (which I also enjoy) that usually dominate the horror genre. First time director Jon Keeyes did his homework and learned from the directors and artists who came before him, putting the emphasis on mood and character rather than gouts of Kayro blood. By now, the plot has been well established - killer with an unknowable motive is stalking seven friends on Halloween, their deaths set to the tune of an amoral shock disc jockey. All the reasons to love this movie are the same reasons others will hate it. Those raised on a steady diet of gore - and trendy psychos spouting Henny Youngman's greatest one-liners - will think the movie tedious and that, as a few have written... The acting is terrific across the board, particularly, and she's been singled out in countless reviews, lead actress Debbie Rochon, who turns in a powerhouse performance as the mentally and emotionally gone Jane Toppan. She is present in every scene in the film, whether physically or as only a key element of menace.
Keeyes and company have added multiple layers of dread onto the narrative, resulting in near-claustrophobia. Occassionally, AMERICAN NIGHTMARE's modest budget allows the viewer to glimpse some seams, but all in all, this is a terrific film and well worth a couple of viewings. Highly recommended."

You better see this movie...

Jimmy Lane Lindsey | Marietta, Texas United States | 02/12/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"American Nightmare is one of the best small budget movies I've ever seen. The look, and feel, of the movie is as good as any big budget film you're going to come across. The Director, Jon Keeyes, obviously takes a great deal of pride in his work, which comes shining through from beginning to end. And all of the cast do an equally fantastic job with their characters, and make you wish you could get to know them better before they are sent on their way by psycho nurse Jane Toppan. All the way around this is a movie that you need to check out. You'll be glad that you did."