Review of Nightmares in Red, White and Blue (2009) by Brian S — 02 Feb 2011
The best-produced, most intelligent and insightful documentary about horror cinema I have ever seen. It discusses the evolution of American horror films in the context of changes in society from the earliest American horror film (Thomas Edison's version of Frankenstein) through the films of the new millennium, such as Saw and Hostel. The interviews with George Romero, John Carpenter, Roger Corman and Brian Yuzna provide some great glimpses into the motivations behind the works of these horror pioneers. At the same time, "Nightmares" provides a window into what draws people to horror beyond the pat reasons one usually hears. Politics, war, and all sorts of changing social mores are dissected and reflected through the lens of every sort of cinema nasty, making this as much a study in sociology as it is in cinema. Where else will you find a well-considered discussion of the relationship between Freddy Krueger and Ronald Reagan?
If you're a fan of American horror film, or if you know someone who is and can't for the life of you figure out why they are, I highly recommend watching this flick. Despite being a lifelong aficionado of the sub-genres it covers, I feel like I learned something new about many of the films and about fear flicks in general.
This review of Nightmares in Red, White and Blue (2009) was written by Brian S on 02 Feb 2011.
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue has generally received positive reviews.
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