American Nightmare (film)

American Nightmare
Theatrical poster
Directed byDon McBrearty
Screenplay byJohn Sheppard
Story by
  • John Gault
  • Steven Blake
Produced byRay Sager
Starring
CinematographyDaniel Hainey
Edited byIan McBride
Music byPaul Zaza
Production
companies
  • Mano Films Limited
  • Manesco Films
Distributed byPan-Canadian Film Distributors
Release date
  • March 18, 1983 (1983-03-18)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
BudgetCA $200,000

American Nightmare is a 1983 Canadian slasher film[1] directed by Don McBrearty and starring Lawrence Day, Lora Staley, Lenore Zann, Michael Ironside, and Alexandra Paul in her feature film debut. It tells the story of a successful pianist investigating the disappearance of his sister in an urban decadence as a serial killer targets prostitutes and sex workers. The screenplay by John Sheppard, based on a story by John Gault and Steven Blake, was influenced by the rising crime rates in American cities throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.

The film was executive-produced by Paul Lynch, who had previously directed Prom Night (1980). Filming took place in Toronto, Ontario in 1980 on a budget of CAD $200,000. The film initially received a small theatrical release in March 1983 in Canada before appearing on television in the United States the same year.

  1. ^ Harper 2004, pp. 63–64.