Deadly Dreams (1988)

Dreams have always been a popular device in horror films but they were a particularly hot commodity in the 80's. The most obvious example being Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and its ensuing sequels, however before Freddy Krueger became a pop culture icon there were other genre films centered around the concept of dreams. The homicidal urges of the main character in the exceptionally bleak Italian backed Nightmare (1981) were set in motion due to a reoccurring decapitation based dream and the same year also saw the release of Stephen Sayadian and Francis Delia's avant adult classic Nightdreams (1981), a film which certainty crosses over into horror territory. The following year saw The Slayer (1982), who's main surrealist artist character is haunted by dreams of a murderous supernatural entity that soon become reality. Post-Elm Street dream based horrors included the likes of Dreamaniac (1986) and its offbeat mixture of heavy metal and succubi. One of the more explicitly Elm Street inspired films, more specifically Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), would be Bad Dreams (1988) which even features Jennifer Rubin of Elm Street 3 in the lead. Standing out in the crowd of 80's dream horror is Deadly Dreams, which saw the feature debut of director Kristine Peterson, one of the most underrated Roger Corman protegees, and a film which puts a unique twist on the idea of dream vs. reality.

As a child, Alex Torme witnessed the murder of his parents when Perkins, a disgruntled businessman whom Alex's father recently put out of work slaughters the Torme's right in front of Alex's eyes. Now in college, Alex is plagued with reoccurring nightmares of being chased down and murdered by a shotgun wielding man wearing hunting gear and a wolf mask, the same worn by Perkins on the night of Alex's parents deaths. Despite reassurance from his brother Jack, best friend Danny and new girlfriend Maggie, that the dreams are just that, dreams, Alex fears otherwise and as the dreams become more intense, Alex's concept of what's real and what's not becomes more obscured as he begins to see visions of the hunter while in a constant state of fearing for his life.

Considering its title and 1988 release, it would be too easy to dismiss Deadly Dreams as yet another Elm Street wannabee which is what several reviewers who either aren't too bright or didn't bother to watch the film have done because the film is far from a Freddy rip-off. Sold as a slasher, Deadly Dreams is a far more psychologically ambitious film than most would give it credit for. While there are some slasher elements to be found, they don't factor in until later in the film. For the most part, Deadly Dreams is concerned with the horrors of the mind and explores them in a refreshing manner. Following an distressing opening that is somewhat reminiscent of a scene out of William Friedkin's Rampage (1987), Peterson wastes very little time in getting inside Alex's head and very quickly lets it be known that anything can be construed as a dream which, as the film progresses, allows for the film to become even more of a mind-trip when the perceptions of other characters, not just Alex's start to become questionable. What's pretty incredible is that despite being Peterson's first film, she masterfully manipulates the audience when it comes to certain character motivations with some cruel and clever twists which wouldn't feel out of place in a giallo. The films imagery is what really makes it stand out, with the wolf mask worn by Alex's tormentor being rather unsettling and the hunting aspect giving way to some unusual visuals such as a dead dear in a bathtub.

Interestingly, one year after completing Deadly Dreams, Peterson returned to her first job as an assistant director working as the 1^st AD on A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child and later was the 1^st second unit AD on Tremors (1990) before directing her own features full time, following up Deadly Dreams with the Roger Corman backed erotic potboiler Body Chemistry (1990) and the masterful psycho thriller Lower Level (1992). She also happened to direct an episode of the steamy USA television series Silk Stalkings in 1992 and coincidentally it happened to be during the previously mentioned Stephen Sayadian's tenure as production designer. The cast of Deadly Dreams is also worth noting, with Maggie being played by genre vet Juliette Cummins who had Friday the 13^th: A New Beginning (1985), Psycho III (1986) and Slumber Party Massacre II (1987) on her resume and Xander Berkeley in the role of Jack would go on to appear in William Freidkin's The Guardian (1990) and Candyman (1992). Despite the eye catching cover art on the original VHS release, its seems as if Deadly Dreams is yet another more than worthy horror title that's fell by the wayside over the years. While it will no doubt frustrate those who prefer their horror to be predictable and one-note, those who appreciate films that attempt something different should find plenty to admire about Peterson and Deadly Dreams.  

A Gun For 100 Graves (1968)

AKA Una pistola per cento bare (A Pistol For One Hundred Coffins)

Not unlike his fellow Italian horror maestro Lucio Fulci, Umberto Lenzi was already an industry veteran with a plethora of films to his credit by the time he made his debut in the genres with which he became synonymous, namely horror, giallo and Euro crime. In fact, Lenzi had helmed an incredible 21 features prior to his debut giallo Paranoia (1969). A jack of all genre trades, Lenzi's early films consist of everything from action/adventure films like Sandokan the Great (1963), Temple of the White Elephant (1964), Three Serpents of Bengal (1964) and Temple of a Thousand Lights (1965), a Maciste film that also doubles as a Zoro film in the form of Samson and the Slave Queen (1963), a peplum, Messalina vs. the Son of Hercules (1964), two James Bond influenced spy films, 008: Operation Exterminate (1965) and The Spy Who Loved Flowers (1966) and the colorful Fumetti neri adaptation Kriminal (1966). Lenzi also directed a war film, Battle of the Commandos (1969), which featured a writing credit for none other than Dario Argento. Given the era in which he was making these films, it was only natural that Lenzi dabble in the field of spaghetti western. Lenzi's debut western All Out (1968) was promptly followed up the same year by A Gun For 100 Graves, one of the finest the genre has to offer and a highlight of Lenzi's pre-giallo/horror days.

Following the end of the Civil War, Jim Slade (Peter Lee Lawrence) returns home to Arizona only to find both his parents brutally murdered. Setting aside his devout Jehovah's Witness belief in pacifism, Slade vows revenge. After quickly learning the identities and disposing of three out of the four culprits, the ring leader known only as Corbett remains elusive. After riding into Galveston, Texas, Slade has a run in with a member of a gang of bandits in town for a major robbery. Impressed with his handling of the situation as well as his shooting, the mayor offers Slade a cash reward to stick around and defend the town when the gang make their inevitable return. Slade refuses, that is until he learns the identity of the bandits leader, J. Texas Corbett, prompting Slade to agree to defend the town along with a fast shooing traveling preacher named Douglas and avenge his parents death.

Although the revenge angle and the idea of an enigmatic stranger defending a sleepy town from outlaws is fairly typical of western cannon, not unlike Sergio Martino's later spaghetti western Mannaja: A Man Called Blade (1977), there are certain things about A Gun For 100 Graves that make it a bit anomalous when compared to other spaghetti westerns with Lenzi peppering the film with the occasional peculiarity. The film wastes very little time getting right to the heart of the matter as it relates to Slade's vengeful plans with three out of his four targets taken out before the 20 minute mark in an almost stream of conscious fashion in the way Lenzi randomlly segues from one kill to the next. Once Slade enters Galveston the film settles into a more traditional narrative with the middle portion of the film devoting itself to Slade and Douglas' plans for defending the town. It's here where Lenzi throws a curve ball, taking the film into horror territory for about five minutes when out of the blue a group of lunatics escape from the local jail and terrorize the town. What's also interesting about the film is Lenzi's none to subtle jabs at religious hypocrisy, making Slade a devout Jehovah's Witness, punished by the military in the beginning of the film for refusing to fight, only to disavow his religious principles soon after in the name of revenge, even making a man dig his own grave, yet he hilariously refuses to drink whiskey throughout the film.

Its worth pointing out the number of clever plot twists that arrive late in the film. Again, the film was made before Lenzi began his string of giallo's, with Paranoia being the direct follow-up film and it seems that at certain points during A Gun For 100 Graves Lenzi was testing the waters in terms of plot twists that are typical of giallo films. Also interesting to point out that western staple John Ireland who plays Douglas was the lead in Lenzi's previous spaghetti western All Out. Leading man Peter Lee Lawrence made an all too brief but memorable career out of playing the hero in spaghetti westerns after having an unaccredited role in Sergio Lenoe's For a Few Dollars More (1965). He appeared in other types of films as well such as Hell in Normandy (1968), Tarzan and the Brown Prince (1972) and The Long Arm of the Godfather (1972) but westerns were his main payday before dying at the young age of 30 in 1974. Despite his popularity in westerns, some have criticized his casting in A Gun For 100 Graves, citing his boyish, unassuming good looks clashing with the dark turn his character takes, which is exactly what makes his casting just right as the film itself is rather unassuming on the surface only to reveal itself to be something a bit different in the crowded sea of spaghetti westerns.