A group of college kids/fright flick fans, among them Stu (whom I mention because he’s played by the legendary Jeffrey Combs of Re-Animator and From Beyond to name but a few), get a wild hair up their collective asses to steal the corpse of their idol, actor Conrad Radzoff (Ferdy Mayne, who would go on to appear in Philippe Mora’s infinitely brilliant… and those that know me will attest that I say that completely sincerely… Howling II: … Your Sister Is a Werewolf… but including that, the man had an amazing career), right from his tacky tomb.
They then proceed to have themselves (an at times obnoxious and questionably horny) dinner party/dance sesh/photo op with the body after which they vow that they’ll return Radzoff’s remains in the morning… though his absence is noted quickly…
Couple of things here… in life the grandiose Radzoff was like a murderous Christopher Lee… so absolutely committed to homicide that he offs one rival from his fuckin’ deathbed… so his ghoulish fate isn’t completely unwarranted narrative-wise… and two, the thespian’s grieving widow, Etta (Barbara Pilavin, who would go on to play many an old woman if IMDb is to be believed… including in 2005’s Constantine) goes into such a conniption fit about her hubby being heisted that she resurrects him from the dead with the help of Medium Mrs. Rohmer (Nita Talbot who has been in things as varied as Hogan’s Heroes and Puppet Master II… oh, and Hogan’s Heroes’ General Burkhalter, Leon Askin, appears as well).
Our heroes in no way appreciate that one, as Etta has commanded that her now Satanically-powered beloved go absolutely ape-shit on those that stole him from his eternal resting place… and he is more than happy to give that the ol’ wicked whirl to effects various and gory!
I’m not going to mince words, I fucking love Frightmare… writer/director Norman Thaddeus Vane (who would also bring us 1988’s Elvirasploitation vehicle Midnight, starring Lynn Redgrave surprisingly enough… ) gives us a fun horror yarn presented in the E.C./Tales From the Crypt manner!
To that end, we get a story featuring folks making morally dubious choices getting a violent comeuppance from beyond the grave… but the added twist is that the instrument of unholy vengeance was a real piece of shit as well!
Speaking of that piece of shit, Radzoff as portrayed by Mayne is suitably over-the-top and completely mesmerizing… my dude struts around sporting the look of Zandor Vorkov’s portrayal of Count Dracula from Adamson’s Dracula vs. Frankenstein, with a personality alternating between supernatural menace to Satanically suave Lothario to hammy scene-chewer artiste… it’s a character piece showcase that demands theatricality that plays all the way to the cheap seats, and Mayne is more than up to the task!
Equally of top-shelf quality are the copious imaginative and practically realized gory death sequences… hell, one even features a deadly floating coffin, so you know this shit is top-shelf… as well as some truly breathtaking shots courtesy of Cinematographer Joel King.
As fate (or whoever authored this release) would have it, we get far more than just the feature presentation…
Special features present here include a completely ridiculous intro from Lloyd Kaufman and Debbie Rochon, followed by two audio commentaries (one an archival, telephone-recorded affair with director Vane, the other an info and anecdote-packed, highly listenable, often hilarious chat featuring legendary (and prolific) cult/fright flick flick director David DeCoteau (Creepazoids, Puppet Master III: Toulon’s Revenge… additionally he produced the aforementioned Puppet Master II) and cult film historian/journalist David Del Valle (who worked on the Frightmare set and briefly appears in the film)… it’s archival as well if you’re keeping score at home… you aren’t…).
Next comes… well, another commentary… even though it’s not labeled as such… this time examining the film from the fan’s perspective courtesy of (most of) the hosts of The Hysteria Continues podcast.
Also included are the film’s trailer, an art gallery of promotional images, an interview with the previously mentioned Joel King, and the usual assortment of Troma odds n’ ends from Uncle Lloyd’s video junk-drawer.
Equal parts fun and gory, Frightmare is a nice slice of camp horror mania that shouldn’t be missed!
