The Slayer (film)
| The Slayer | |
|---|---|
 Vipco video cover | |
| Directed by | J. S. Cardone |
| Produced by |
William R. Ewing Eric Weston Anne Kimmel |
| Written by | William R. Ewing |
| Starring |
Sarah Kendall Frederick Flynn Alan McRae Carol Kottenbrook |
| Music by | Robert Folk |
| Cinematography | Karen Grossman |
| Edited by | M. Edward Salier |
| Distributed by |
21st Century Film Corporation International Picture Show Continental Video Inc. Marquis Video Planet Video Inc. |
Release dates | October 1982 |
Running time | 80 min |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
The Slayer (also known as Nightmare Island) is a 1982 horror film directed by J. S. Cardone. The film gained notoriety and was classified in the UK as a video nasty in the 1980s.
Plot
Siblings, Eric (Frederick Flynn) and his surreal abstract artist sister Kay (Sarah Kendall), her doctor husband David (Alan McRae), her sister-in-law Brooke (Carol Kottenbrook) along with pilot Marsh (Michael Holmes) become stranded on a rugged isle. For thirty-something Kay her current situation is her worst fears realised, for she has been troubled since her childhood by recurring prophetic nightmares in which she is stalked and slain in a burning room by figure known as The Slayer. Now it seems this place may be in fact its dwelling and she is sure somehow that this so-called entity is lurking close by, biding its time until nightfall, where it will be drawn to Kay who (for whatever reason) dreams of its killings. But, then again, what is real or make believe? Not everything is what it seems in this place.
Cast
- Sarah Kendall as Kay
- Frederick Flynn as Eric
- Alan McRae as David
- Carol Kottenbrook as Brooke
- Michael Holmes as Marsh
- Paul Gandolfo as Fisherman
- Newell Alexander as Kay's Father
- Ivy Jones as Kay's Mother
- Richard Van Brakel as Eric (as a child)
- Jennifer Gaffin as Kay (as a child)
- Carl Kraines as The Slayer
- Alan McRae as Stripper
Release
Critical reception
Allmovie wrote "The Slayer boasts some effectively eerie atmosphere and a dark, downbeat attitude. Unfortunately, sluggish pacing eliminates the tension that might have been established between the minimal cast and the sinister deserted-island setting."[1]
Home Video
The film has been released on VHS and DVD format. The Slayer was released in the U.S. on double feature video format by Continental Video alongside another feature - Scalps. It was cut by five minutes or so, in order to make room for the second feature, but all the gruesome scenes and violence are intact.[2] The film has never been made available on DVD in the U.S.
In the UK, the film has had several releases. It was initially released in the UK on VHS uncut from Vipco before being banned when it became one of the several films to appear on the video nasty list in October of 1983. It remained on the list before being dropped in April 1985. It received a new release in 1992 by Vipco, with 14 seconds cut by the BBFC. However, in 2001 the film was released once again by Vipco for the first time on DVD and was passed uncut by the BBFC. The same DVD version was released in 2010, uncut by Cornerstone Media, but it is only the outer packaging that is new, the disc is from Vipco's release. The extras include trailers and filmographies. Both DVD's have an aspect ratio of 4:3 full screen.[3]
See also
References
- ↑ Fred Beldin. "The Slayer (1982)". Allmovie. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
- ↑ Ziemba, Joseph A (September 1, 2005)"The Slayer (1982) VHS review". bleedingskull.com. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
- ↑ "Re-Slayed...Recent re-release of the video nasty: The Slayer". melonfarmers.wordpress.com. Retrieved 5 November 2010.