Nick Cato/ Various Authors — Dark Dreams- An Obsessive Look At Romano Scavolini
Dark Dreams finds über-fan Nick Cato doing a deep dive into his favourite film of all time- the grim and sleazy 1981 slasher Nightmare( aka Nightmare In A Damage Brian). The just under A4-sized full colour book is released by the UK’s Headpress.
The book runs at one hundred and six pages, and from the off Cato’s long-lasting passion for the film is so clear, with the book wholly deserving its subtitle of ‘An obsessive look’.
Things kick off with a five and a half page introduction from Cato- with a mix of poster art, film stills, etc. Then we have a twenty-two-page in-depth film timeline breakdown of Nightmare. This is followed by a six-and-a-half-page look at the film's key character.
The third chapter is thirteen page interview with NYC-based actress Kathleen Ferguson, who played the role of Barbara in Nightmare. This features pictures of Ferguson and Cato- it’s a nicely informal, but informative interview, which does give one a good idea of what it was like to work on the film. The next chapter is another interview- this time with Bill Milling, who co-produced the film, and also played the role of the film's psychiatrist. This is shorter at two and a half pages, but again has its worth.
Chapters five and six look at the films' kills and reviews of digital releases Nightmare, tagged on the end of chapter six, we have a short interview with Michael Gingold- who wrote a novelisation of Nightmare.
The seventh chapter is entitled More Damaged Brains, which collects together guests' essays. I found this one of most interesting part of the book- highlighting’s in this chapter are Nightmare In A Damaged Brain: A Reminiscence, which finds Gary McMahon discussing his memories of the very bad quality bootleg of the film he saw in the 80’s. And I Am George Tatum…well, sorta, which finds Andrea Duza recalls going to see the film with his mother in the cinema at the age of eleven.
Chapter eight brings together the largely more negative reviews of the film when it was first released in the 80’s. The ninth chapter is entitled Incarceration by Mike Hunchback, and it’s again another highlight, as it focuses on David Hamilton Grant, who ended up being put in prison due to his involvement with film, and all the other rather dodgy pies he had his fingers in.
The tenth and final chapter brings together fourteen pages of VHS covers from around the world, stills, press kits, etc. Which are great to see- if always been a sucker for old VHS covers, and it’s always fascinating to see the different variants.
If you are a fan of Nightmare, sleazy/ nasty slashers, or video nasty titles/ related- then Dark Dreams is well worth picking up. Drop by Headpress here to buy direct.