As a child, Janet (Jennie Linden, Old Dracula) witnessed an unbearable horror – her insane mother stabbing her father to death. Now a young woman, Janet suffers from recurring nightmares that have her convinced that she’ll follow her mother to the asylum. Accompanied by her schoolteacher, Miss Lewis (Brenda Bruce, Peeping Tom), Janet retreats to the home of her guardian (David Knight, The Devil’s Agent), who has hired lovely Grace (Moira Redmond, A Shot In The Dark) as a companion to help calm his troubled ward. But Janet’s nightly terrors, magnified by the eerie, creaky old house, bring all her fears chillingly to life. Are Janet’s problems all in her head … or is there a sinister force at work?
For thoughts on Nightmare, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.
Video Quality
This new Blu-Ray from Scream Factory rescues Nightmare from a dated master with a stunning new 2K scan of the interpositive in an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. The film has a very pleasing grain structure that preserves the filmic look of the picture, showcasing subtle details in the production design from the interiors of the boarding school to the house where Janet returns to face her fears. The practical effects of the stabbing and other odd moments hold up well under the scrutiny of high definition. Highlights appear natural and consistent throughout the runtime. The beautiful black-and-white photography shines brightly in high definition with a delicate balancing of shadow and light. Black levels hold up really well with some admirable depth to the image. The white levels are extremely solid with no instances of blooming. The print damage has all but been eradicated with this new transfer outside of some really faint vertical lines. Scream Factory has done a great service for fans of the film who have been anxiously awaiting this one to be treated with care.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that captures this story flawlessly. The activity taking place outside on school grounds or during the paranoia-drenched nights provide some excellent ambient details. All of the various sounds in the mix seem accurately rendered so that nothing ever feels off. Dialogue sounds perfectly clear without sound effects or the score trouncing on important information. The screams, crashes and other sounds stemming from the nightmare sequences are given the appropriate weight within the mix. The atmospheric score from Don Banks comes through beautifully without trodding over the other more subtle elements. This is a well-done, balanced mix that should not disappoint anyone.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary #1: Film Historian Bruce Hallenbeck provides an immensely informative commentary track in which he discusses the careers of the talent involved, where this fits into the Hammer Films catalog, the troubles the popped up during production, the star who very nearly starred in the film, the tone of the feature, the portrayal of women on screen, the direction of the picture and more. This is a great track to listen to if you want to appreciate the film even more.
- Sleepless Nights – Reflecting On A Nightmare Movie: An excellent 17-minute exploration by Author/Film Historian Kim Newman in which he drills down into the inspiration for the film, the history of the title and how it impacted the legacy, the careers of the creatives involved, what phase of Hammer Films this fell into, the aesthetic of the film, the film’s legacy and more.
- Slice and Fright – Jonathan Rigby Remembers Nightmare: A nearly 26-minute interview with Author/Film Historian Jonathan Rigby in which he details the film’s production, how the film utilized an unexpected snowfall, the script from Jimmy Sangster, the production design, leaps in logic you have to accept, the work of Freddie Francis and more.
- Nightmare In The Making: A 27-minute featurette hosted by Author Wayne Kinsey and features interviews with Actress Jennie Linden, Writer Jimmy Sangster, Art Director Don Mingaye and more. This piece details the landscape in which Nightmare was developed, how Linden was cast in the lead role, the collaboration of the crew, the lighting of the film, the distinct halves of the picture and more. It is incredibly satisfying to hear directly from some of the talent involved.
- Jennie Linden Memories: A 14-minute interview with Linden featured in parts in the previous supplement is provided in full here. It is great to get this completely uninterrupted with loads of tidbits.
- Madhouse – Inside Hammer’s Nightmare: A 14-minute series of interview with Film Historians Jonathan Rigby, Kevin Lyons, Alan Barnes, And John J. Johnson which details the production of the film and the state of Hammer at this time in history. Many of the points are reiterated in other places on the disc, but there is still a lot of great stuff to consume in this one.
- Reliving the Nightmare: A 16-minute collection of interviews with Actress Julie Samuel, Continuity Person Pauline Wise, And Focus Puller Geoff Glover in which they share memories of Jennie Linden, discuss shooting in winter, the direction of Francis, the cinematography of the film, general impressions of the picture and more.
- Theatrical Trailer: The minute-long trailer is provided here.
- Still Gallery: A collection of images from the film is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Nightmare is a really great exercise in conjuring atmosphere and maintaining tension throughout an entire feature. The narrative is nimble and twisty as it diverges from the expected at distinct points and keeps you guessing about what is actually going down. On top of the strong central performances, the direction proves to be one of the strongest from a Hammer effort at this point in time. The standard title may make it hard to remember, but it deserves a place among the best from the studio. Scream Factory has released a Blu-Ray featuring a top-notch audio/visual presentation and a wonderful array of special features. Fans who have been waiting for this one should be thrilled by what this company has delivered. Recommended
Nightmare (Collector’s Edition) will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on March 15, 2022.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
