Wednesday, August 11, 2010

DAY OF THE NIGHTMARE - Henri Price - "Hey Lady We're Closed" (1969)

"Day Of The Nightmare" is an interesting 60's romp about a cross-dressing artiste who is also a blood-thirsty killer! Pretty busy guy, really! That's a couple of full-time jobs, plus he has to try and hide the whole mess from his wife at the same time!! Woo-Woo!!

It starts off innocently enough as Jonathan Crane is working on some sketches in his apartment/studio, home away from home. His model, Lynne Lori doesn't know it, but she's on a fast track to the inside of a trunk!

Put on some mood music, and please don't play another Mitch Miller record! The soundtrack was created by Dungeon stalwart, André Brummer, working once again as Henri Price! All our favorites by Ray Dennis Steckler, "Thrill Killers," "Body Fever," "Rat Pfink a Boo Boo," and "The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies," Arch Hall's "Eegah" and Fredric Hobbs' "Godmonster of Indian Flats" all had soundtracks composed by André Brummer, and it just doesn't get much better than that!!

Groovy artist's studio and pad, with our hero, and one of the stars of this movie, Cliff Fields as tortured artist Jonathan Crane! It looks like this was Cliff's only starring role, as his other handful of roles were as Mail Clerk, Townsman, Banker or Student etc!!

Jonathan has got some serious issues, and back issues too!! Yeah, that's him, in the skanky outfit and shades! For being an artist, Jonathan's choice of fashion is open for discussion!

Right about this point in the flick you decide that this is just another cheapo 60's dirty little sex flick, but here's the real surprise, you're wrong this time!!

I don't know about those Grannie panities though, probably a good thing it's not just a sex flick! Jonathan's neighbors in his home away from home apartment complex are swinger's in more than one way!! Check out the poster on that cheapass paneled wall for the Monterey Jazz Festival!

And those swingers are having way too much fun to notice Jonathan, a big trunk being pulled down the stairs, and a missing model!

The streets of L.A. circa 1969 with cool cars including that classic Chevy Corvair, and who put the dent in that VW fender? I'm willing to bet a good part of why this film is so watchable is because the cinematography is by cult hero Ted V. Mikels, producer and director on classics "The Astro Zombies" and "The Corpse Grinders" and lots more, including a 2010 release of "Astro Zombies: M3 - Cloned!"

In steps supermodel Kathy Ireland's Dad, John Ireland, as Police Sergeant Dave Harmon just in time to start getting to the bottom of some of these shenanigans!! Pretty amazing how much Kathy looks like her Dad! John Ireland had 199 acting credits dating back all the way to 1945, and, believe it or don't, this probably wasn't the weirdest movie he was ever in! Here's just a few movies he's been in, "The Fast And The Furious," "Revenge For Revenge," "The Phantom Of Hollywood," "The House Of Seven Corpses," and "Satan's Cheerleaders." He also did a ton of TV including 11 episodes of "Rawhide" as Jeb Colby, and 39 episodes of "The Cheaters" as John Hunter!

Nah, I didn't hear or see anything, we were just havin' some fun!!

Jonathan continues to dig his own hole!!

So, what's up with Jonathan anyway, is he a lady's man or is he a lady? His wife Beverly Bain, as Barbara Crane watches on, because she has no idea what the Hell is going on because Jonathan is gone most of the time!!! This would be Beverly's only acting gig!

It's quite possible that Jonathan is just a little messed up in the head, so do you think his Father might have something to do with it?

Jonathan thinks his wife is onto him, so he decides he needs to get rid of her too!

Jonathan and Barbara have such a close relationship that when he attacks her, she doesn't even recognize him. You'd think his poise and sense of fashion would be a dead giveaway!

Barbara Crane spills the beans to Sergeant Harmon. If they only knew what I know, this case would me a lot easier, and this film would be a lot shorter!

Yet, another victim, but that microphone will be a lot of help to Sergeant Harmon this time!

Jonathan seems more than just a little smitten with himself!

At the finish line, Jonathan finds out the ugly truth, he's a freakin' FREAK!!! "Day Of The Nightmare" is half of a double feature dredged up by Something Weird Video that also includes "Scream Of The Butterfly!" Now that's a bargain for you!

7 comments:

  1. That Colombia record label takes me back!
    John Ireland did a number of Spaghetti Westerns in the 60s too..and played mexicans in a couple.

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  2. Kathy Ireland, what a girl!! I don't think Eegah!! has ever seen ALIEN FROM LA!..

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  3. Old movies are the best! "He's a freaking FREAK", classic :P

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  4. My favorite comment on this woebegone shocker is that the hero in drag resembles a Warhol superstar …

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  5. Do you know where i can find the sountrack you mentioned done by 'Andre Brummer," I'm planning to use it in one of my films.

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  6. No, don't know if there was ever an actual soundtrack release! Seems dubious at best!

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