395:
UniSave advertisement. Louise is met by Tony, who reveals himself as the killer, murdering anyone who may have knowledge of his boss's secret incestuous affair. Tony chastises Louise and her friends for being dregs of society, and stalks her through the building with a knife. The two end up on the building's rooftop, where Eric spots them as he arrives in the parking lot. Eric reaches the roof and saves Louise, throwing Tony over to his death.
378:
Meanwhile, Louise auditions for an advertisement acting job for UniSave, unaware of Eric's father's connection to the organization. Tina, another stripper who worked with
Isabelle and Louise, ends her shift at the club that night. As she prepares to leave the club from her upstairs dressing room, she
357:
Late one night, Louise is accosted by a strange man in an upstairs hallway of the apartment building and flees, only to be met by Eric outside. A frightened Louise leaves with Eric, and the two drive to the strip club. There, Dolly informs them she plans on leaving the city, as she is worried she too
349:
Eric locates the strip club where
Isabelle worked and speaks to her coworkers, including dancers Louise and Andrea, who live in the same apartment building. Finding no answers, Eric goes to the police station to file a report with Sgt. Skylar, who is dismissive of a missing prostitute. Later, Andrea
394:
Eric goes to find Louise at her apartment, but finds she is not home. While searching the building, he locates Dolly's corpse in the basement, and notices a UniSave pin clutched in her hand. Eric flees to the Blake
Industries headquarters, where Louise has arrived for a callback audition for the
366:
in the streets, prompting the two of them to return to Eric's hotel, where they have sex. As Louise sleeps, Eric sneaks out to the cheap hotel that
Isabelle's calls came from; he strong-arms a hotel manager for information. The manager tells him of a man known as "The Fixer", who
354:, though Louise disbelieves this. Meanwhile, Hamilton's right-hand man, Tony Shaw, asks Eric to play the piano at his father's UniSave Fundraiser, but Eric refuses. By tracing numbers in Isabelle's apartment telephone, Eric and Louise see several calls made to a cheap hotel.
29:
383:. In the darkened club, Tina hears a stranger whispering to her, before she is tackled by the assailant, who slashes her throat. Meanwhile, Eric reviews The Fixer's videotapes, and is shocked to find that one of them reveals Isabelle and Hamilton having
345:
for abused and endangered children. Eric asks for his father's help in finding
Isabelle, but Hamilton refuses, dismissing Isabelle for her "degenerate" lifestyle. Once Eric leaves, Hamilton pulls a photo of his daughter out of his desk to fondle.
596:, also gave the film a positive review, stating, " is one I definitely recommend. How this one passed by without getting noticed, I'll never know…but I'm very happy to have this flick proudly posted on the shelf with all my other favorites!"
607:
is a uniquely
Canadian perspective on the depravity of . While the message may be a tad too pessimistic, and the overall feeling of the film may be gritty, dark and depressing, it is nevertheless a quality motion picture. The
612:
film in Europe was a way for filmmakers to comment on the physical and moral decay of its city streets, and has done something brave in reviving the fundamentals of the genre to offer a similar critique on
America."
391:, which Hamilton confesses began shortly after their mother’s death. Eric leaves in disgust, and threatens to expose him with the tape, leading a distraught Hamilton to commit suicide.
1092:
379:
hears strange noises downstairs, and initially attributes them to Wally, a bouncer. When the noises continue, an unnerved Tina goes to investigate, arming herself with a decorative
362:
act in the club while Eric looks on. When Dolly departs the club that night, she is accosted in an alleyway by the killer, who brutally stabs her to death. Eric saves Louise from a
350:
is murdered in her bathtub by the assailant, who slashes her wrists before drowning her. As the killer exits the building, he is briefly spotted by Dolly. Andrea's death is ruled a
337:
using the pseudonym "Tanya". Dolly tells Eric that
Isabelle has been missing for several days. Eric visits Blake Industries, where his estranged father Hamilton Blake is
1107:
290:$ 200,000. The film initially received a small theatrical release in March 1983 in Canada before appearing on television in the United States the same year.
266:
492:
murders that occurred in London in the late-19th century. Film scholar André Loiselle identifies the film as a North
American variation on the Italian
318:. The man exits the bathroom wearing only a towel and the gloves, and violently kills her, slashing her throat multiple times with a straight razor.
1112:
1082:
1142:
1067:
1072:
1057:
979:
960:
894:
496:
film that "uses the pretext of a righteous investigation into the sleazy underworld to indulge in graphic displays of sex and violence."
1147:
1132:
866:
1117:
1152:
1097:
998:
557:. It subsequently aired on television in the United States on May 10, 1983. U.S. distribution was handled by Manos Films Limited.
1087:
573:
style... done quite well, with a few stylistic flourishes here and there." Film critic and writer Scott Aaron Stine deemed
1102:
1077:
1122:
1137:
592:
will impress some and turn off others, but its decaying and seedy aspects are undeniable". Jacob
Helgren, writing for the
465:
257:
in her feature film debut. It tells the story of a successful pianist investigating the disappearance of his sister in an
1062:
1127:
526:(1980); its producer, Ray Sager, had also served as a producer on Lynch's film, as well as the Canadian slasher films
1052:
534:
831:
629:
750:
338:
522:
342:
278:
265:. The screenplay by John Sheppard, based on a story by John Gault and Steven Blake, was influenced by the
517:
303:
273:
577:
a "seedy murder mystery" that will "undoubtedly interest fans of '70s sleaze more than '80s horror or
554:
405:
164:
1047:
488:(2002) that, though not explicitly stated, the film's screenplay borrows several elements from the
375:
and forces him to reveal the videotapes’ location. Eric finally retrieves the tapes from a locker.
372:
311:
453:
447:
417:
429:
411:
384:
1021:
994:
975:
956:
939:
890:
929:
856:
730:
645:
441:
299:
250:
99:
28:
513:
489:
287:
223:
641:
471:
307:
254:
325:, arrives at her apartment, prompted by an incoherent letter she sent him. Isabelle's
1041:
905:
578:
435:
242:
42:
570:
528:
334:
238:
906:"Canadian Horror, American Bodies: Corporeal Obsession and Cultural Projection in
423:
326:
258:
246:
94:
805:
569:(2004), film writer Jim Harper notes that the film is "handled in traditional
459:
943:
745:
725:
380:
368:
315:
131:
298:
In the dead of winter in a large unnamed American city, Isabelle smokes a
1032:
861:
624:
was originally released on home video in the United States and Canada on
550:
330:
262:
1015:
934:
306:
finishes showering in the bathroom. At the sink, the unseen man puts on
1026:
509:
371:. After spending hours searching for The Fixer, Eric locates him in an
363:
359:
358:
will soon become a victim. After their conversation, Louise performs a
351:
322:
283:
493:
388:
991:
They Came From Within : A History of Canadian Horror Cinema
637:
625:
640:
by Scorpion Releasing, a home video label specializing in
310:. Isabelle makes an oblique reference to the man about a
887:
Legacy of Blood: A Comprehensive Guide to Slasher Movies
734:. March 18, 1983. p. 34 – via Newspapers.com.
567:
Legacy of Blood: A Comprehensive Guide to Slasher Movies
787:
785:
754:. May 10, 1983. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
972:
The Gorehound's Guide to Splatter Films of the 1980s
369:
videotapes prostitutes having sex with their tricks
219:
211:
203:
193:
170:
160:
137:
127:
119:
111:
81:
73:
56:
48:
38:
21:
387:. Eric confronts his father with the evidence of
516:$ 200,000. The film was executive-produced by
329:neighbor Dolly informs him that Isabelle is a
321:Isabelle's brother Eric, a successful concert
1093:Films about prostitution in the United States
8:
806:"Horror Reviews - American Nightmare (1983)"
588:gave the film a favorable review, writing: "
953:Jack the Ripper: The Murders and the Movies
486:Jack the Ripper: The Murders and the Movies
261:as a serial killer targets prostitutes and
27:
18:
955:. London, England: Reynolds & Hearn.
933:
974:. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland.
889:. Manchester, England: Critical Vision.
700:
688:
245:and starring Lawrence Day, Lora Staley,
657:
269:throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.
869:from the original on November 8, 2012.
776:
712:
676:
664:
484:Writer Denis Meikle notes in his book
302:on a cheap hotel bed while one of her
1108:Films about security and surveillance
791:
764:
267:rising crime rates in American cities
7:
584:Brett H. of the horror film website
272:The film was executive-produced by
14:
904:Loiselle, André (January 2013).
1113:Films directed by Don McBrearty
1083:English-language Canadian films
855:Jane, Ian (November 3, 2012).
555:Pan-Canadian Film Distributors
282:(1980). Filming took place in
276:, who had previously directed
165:Pan-Canadian Film Distributors
1:
1143:English-language horror films
1068:Canadian mystery horror films
1073:Canadian LGBTQ-related films
1058:1980s English-language films
993:. Arbeiter Ring Publishing.
970:Stine, Scott Aaron (2015).
341:and overseer of UniSave, a
1169:
1148:1980s mystery horror films
1133:LGBTQ-related horror films
553:on March 18, 1983 through
1118:Films scored by Paul Zaza
989:Vatnsdal, Caelum (2004).
504:Principal photography of
26:
1153:1983 LGBTQ-related films
1098:Films about social class
836:www.hysteria-lives.co.uk
630:Media Home Entertainment
628:format in June, 1984 by
179:March 18, 1983
1088:Films about pornography
951:Meikle, Dennis (2002).
922:Brno Studies in English
751:Philadelphia Daily News
549:opened theatrically in
512:in 1980 on a budget of
286:in 1980 on a budget of
1103:Films about striptease
1078:Canadian slasher films
632:. On November 6, 2012
1123:Films shot in Toronto
1138:1980s Canadian films
885:Harper, Jim (2004).
857:"American Nightmare"
832:"AMERICAN NIGHTMARE"
1063:1980s slasher films
935:10.5817/BSE2013-2-8
746:"Prime Time Movies"
535:My Bloody Valentine
373:adult movie theater
237:is a 1983 Canadian
1128:Films about incest
1028:American Nightmare
1017:American Nightmare
908:American Nightmare
810:Oh, the Horror.com
726:"Cineplex Cinemas"
634:American Nightmare
622:American Nightmare
605:American Nightmare
590:American Nightmare
575:American Nightmare
547:American Nightmare
506:American Nightmare
444:as Sergeant Skylar
343:nonprofit outreach
234:American Nightmare
149:Mano Films Limited
22:American Nightmare
16:1983 Canadian film
1053:1983 horror films
981:978-1-476-61132-7
962:978-1-903-11132-1
896:978-1-900-48639-2
667:, pp. 63–64.
599:Rhett Miller of
561:Critical response
474:as Isabelle Blake
462:as Hamilton Blake
314:that was used as
230:
229:
33:Theatrical poster
1160:
1004:
985:
966:
947:
937:
900:
871:
870:
852:
846:
845:
843:
842:
828:
822:
821:
819:
817:
801:
795:
789:
780:
774:
768:
762:
756:
755:
742:
736:
735:
731:Edmonton Journal
722:
716:
710:
704:
698:
692:
686:
680:
674:
668:
662:
636:was released on
601:Canuxploitation!
468:as Motel Manager
442:Michael Ironside
284:Toronto, Ontario
251:Michael Ironside
186:
184:
100:Michael Ironside
31:
19:
1168:
1167:
1163:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1158:
1157:
1038:
1037:
1012:
1007:
1001:
988:
982:
969:
963:
950:
912:American Psycho
903:
897:
884:
880:
875:
874:
854:
853:
849:
840:
838:
830:
829:
825:
815:
813:
803:
802:
798:
790:
783:
775:
771:
763:
759:
744:
743:
739:
724:
723:
719:
711:
707:
699:
695:
687:
683:
675:
671:
663:
659:
654:
619:
594:Hysteria Lives!
586:Oh, the Horror!
563:
544:
502:
490:Jack the Ripper
482:
477:
406:Lawrence S. Day
401:
296:
259:urban decadence
196:
189:
182:
180:
173:
156:
155:
142:
140:
107:
69:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1166:
1164:
1156:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1055:
1050:
1040:
1039:
1036:
1035:
1024:
1011:
1010:External links
1008:
1006:
1005:
999:
986:
980:
967:
961:
948:
928:(2): 123–136.
901:
895:
881:
879:
876:
873:
872:
847:
823:
796:
781:
769:
757:
737:
717:
705:
703:, p. 165.
693:
691:, p. 125.
681:
679:, p. 157.
669:
656:
655:
653:
650:
618:
615:
562:
559:
543:
540:
520:, director of
508:took place in
501:
498:
481:
478:
476:
475:
472:Alexandra Paul
469:
463:
457:
451:
445:
439:
433:
427:
421:
415:
409:
402:
400:
397:
295:
292:
255:Alexandra Paul
228:
227:
221:
217:
216:
213:
209:
208:
205:
201:
200:
197:
194:
191:
190:
188:
187:
176:
174:
171:
168:
167:
162:
161:Distributed by
158:
157:
154:
153:
150:
146:
145:
143:
138:
135:
134:
129:
125:
124:
121:
117:
116:
113:
112:Cinematography
109:
108:
106:
105:
102:
97:
92:
89:
85:
83:
79:
78:
75:
71:
70:
68:
67:
64:
60:
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
40:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1165:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1045:
1043:
1034:
1030:
1029:
1025:
1023:
1019:
1018:
1014:
1013:
1009:
1002:
1000:1-894037-21-9
996:
992:
987:
983:
977:
973:
968:
964:
958:
954:
949:
945:
941:
936:
931:
927:
923:
919:
917:
916:American Mary
913:
909:
902:
898:
892:
888:
883:
882:
877:
868:
864:
863:
858:
851:
848:
837:
833:
827:
824:
811:
807:
800:
797:
794:, p. 27.
793:
788:
786:
782:
779:, p. 64.
778:
773:
770:
767:, p. 26.
766:
761:
758:
753:
752:
747:
741:
738:
733:
732:
727:
721:
718:
715:, p. 63.
714:
709:
706:
702:
701:Vatnsdal 2004
697:
694:
690:
689:Loiselle 2013
685:
682:
678:
673:
670:
666:
661:
658:
651:
649:
647:
643:
639:
635:
631:
627:
623:
616:
614:
611:
606:
602:
597:
595:
591:
587:
582:
580:
576:
572:
568:
560:
558:
556:
552:
548:
541:
539:
537:
536:
531:
530:
525:
524:
519:
515:
511:
507:
499:
497:
495:
491:
487:
479:
473:
470:
467:
464:
461:
458:
455:
452:
449:
446:
443:
440:
437:
436:Page Fletcher
434:
431:
428:
425:
422:
419:
416:
413:
410:
408:as Eric Blake
407:
404:
403:
398:
396:
392:
390:
386:
382:
376:
374:
370:
365:
361:
355:
353:
347:
344:
340:
336:
332:
328:
324:
319:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
293:
291:
289:
285:
281:
280:
275:
270:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
244:
243:Don McBrearty
240:
236:
235:
225:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
192:
178:
177:
175:
169:
166:
163:
159:
152:Manesco Films
151:
148:
147:
144:
136:
133:
130:
126:
122:
118:
115:Daniel Hainey
114:
110:
103:
101:
98:
96:
93:
90:
87:
86:
84:
80:
76:
72:
65:
62:
61:
59:
55:
52:John Sheppard
51:
49:Screenplay by
47:
44:
43:Don McBrearty
41:
37:
30:
25:
20:
1027:
1016:
990:
971:
952:
925:
921:
915:
911:
907:
886:
860:
850:
839:. Retrieved
835:
826:
814:. Retrieved
809:
799:
772:
760:
749:
740:
729:
720:
708:
696:
684:
672:
660:
646:indie movies
633:
621:
620:
609:
604:
600:
598:
593:
589:
585:
583:
574:
566:
565:In his book
564:
546:
545:
533:
529:Terror Train
527:
521:
505:
503:
485:
483:
466:Paul Bradley
456:as The Fixer
454:Mike Copeman
448:Larry Aubrey
420:as Tony Shaw
418:Neil Dainard
393:
377:
356:
348:
320:
308:latex gloves
297:
277:
271:
241:directed by
239:slasher film
233:
232:
231:
195:Running time
172:Release date
104:Larry Aubrey
88:Lawrence Day
66:Steven Blake
777:Harper 2004
713:Harper 2004
677:Meikle 2002
665:Harper 2004
532:(1980) and
430:Claudia Udy
424:Lenore Zann
412:Lora Staley
385:intercourse
327:transsexual
263:sex workers
247:Lenore Zann
123:Ian McBride
95:Lenore Zann
91:Lora Staley
74:Produced by
39:Directed by
1048:1983 films
1042:Categories
841:2019-02-02
804:H, Brett.
792:Stine 2015
765:Stine 2015
652:References
617:Home media
603:, wrote, "
523:Prom Night
518:Paul Lynch
500:Production
460:Tom Harvey
335:prostitute
279:Prom Night
274:Paul Lynch
199:88 minutes
183:1983-03-18
139:Production
63:John Gault
944:0524-6881
812:. Brett H
432:as Andrea
414:as Louise
381:pitchfork
316:blackmail
226:$ 200,000
141:companies
132:Paul Zaza
120:Edited by
77:Ray Sager
1033:AllMovie
867:Archived
862:DVD Talk
816:25 March
579:splatter
551:Edmonton
538:(1981).
480:Analysis
450:as Dolly
331:stripper
312:sex tape
212:Language
128:Music by
82:Starring
57:Story by
878:Sources
571:slasher
542:Release
510:Toronto
438:as Mark
426:as Tina
364:mugging
360:cabaret
352:suicide
323:pianist
215:English
204:Country
181: (
997:
978:
959:
942:
914:, and
893:
610:giallo
494:giallo
389:incest
253:, and
220:Budget
207:Canada
304:johns
300:joint
1022:IMDb
995:ISBN
976:ISBN
957:ISBN
940:ISSN
891:ISBN
818:2016
644:and
642:cult
399:Cast
333:and
294:Plot
1031:at
1020:at
930:doi
638:DVD
626:VHS
581:."
339:CEO
288:CAD
1044::
938:.
926:39
924:.
920:.
910:,
865:.
859:.
834:.
808:.
784:^
748:.
728:.
648:.
514:CA
249:,
224:CA
1003:.
984:.
965:.
946:.
932::
918:"
899:.
844:.
820:.
185:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
