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The Nightmare Man Details

Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 432 members

Based on the 'Child Of Vodyanoi' novel by David Wiltshire. This drama centres on the arrival of a woman and the effect on the inhabitants of Inverdee. Read more

Starring James Warwick, Maurice Roeves
Director Douglas Camfield
Genres Drama

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The Nightmare Man

Based on the 'Child Of Vodyanoi' novel by David Wiltshire. This drama centres on the arrival of a woman and the effect on the inhabitants of Inverdee.

Starring James Warwick, Maurice Roeves
Director Douglas Camfield
Studio 2 ENTERTAIN VIDEO
Run time DVD: 1 hr 50 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 04 Apr 2005
Format DVD

  • Most helpful member's review of The Nightmare Man

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  • 8 out of 8 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    A good period piece...

    The Nightmare Man is a spooky thriller from 1981, adapted for television by Robert Holmes and directed by Douglas Camfield (both names being very familiar to followers of Doctor Who). It is near-impossible to say anything about the story without giving away its twist. Let's just say that the drama is at its strongest for the first three episodes before the true nature of the threat is known and we are simply presented with a stylishly told tale of a killer at large in a closed community (whose attacks we witness through a series of point-of-view camera shots). When the revelation comes in episode four, it is both welcome and disturbing, although not at the supernatural level that you were invited to consider. The performances are engaging enough, with James Warwick as a suitably square-jawed hero, Celia Imrie as his feisty fianc?e and Maurice Ro?ves as the cynical yet dependable face of the local constabulary. The Cornish coast doubles very nicely for the remote Scottish isle upon which the drama unfolds and, violence wise, the production pushes at the boundaries of what could acceptably be shown in its era (which isn't very much). Indeed, a comment that I often read in other reviews is how vintage television now seems 'dated' by today's standards. The simple fact is that The Nightmare Man is a solid story, well told enough for this reviewer to give a qualified recommendation in respect of this DVD?

      • Vengeful Hedgehog from London, England
      • Posted 24 May 2005 18:40

  • Most recent members' review of The Nightmare Man

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 2 stars

    Could've Told The Whole Thing In One Hour

    Strange that BBC dramas of the early nineteen-eighties exude a certain homeliness with all the manners and morality of a nineteen forties Ealing comedy. The Scottish island featured here is the familiar type, populated by craggy faced genuine rentaScots like Maurice Roeves and ‘och fiddledy-dee’, RADA Scot lites like Celia Imrie.

    Often referenced as an underrated horror classic, when actually viewed in one sitting, The Nightmare Man seems rather flat and perfunctory. Although the story of a mysterious creature roaming a small island and ripping people to shreds is a solid one, the execution is a little underwhelming and a surprising lack of genuine atmosphere hinders what could have been a very moody piece.

    The hero a dentist of all things leaps to bizarre conclusions with only the flimsiest of evidence – when faced with an unusual dental impression taken from a bite mark he posits that they may be dealing with a genetic experiment, yes that’s the likeliest explanation isn’t it?

    When the creature-cum-man-in-a-shiny-suit is finally revealed all traces of suspense have been well and truly chucked out of the window. Now that the BBC seems hell-bent on raiding the dusty old drama archives and slapping everything on DVD just to swell the groaning coffers, just make sure you invest in a pair of Eighties beer goggles and belief suspenders.

      • bridle79 from West Yorkshire
      • Posted 06 Jul 2005 12:51

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Rating breakdown

432 Member ratings
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34
  • 90
23
  • 80
67
  • 70
55
  • 60
96
  • 50
45
  • 40
48
  • 30
27
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27
  • 10
10

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      • Based on the 'Child Of Vodyanoi' novel by David Wiltshire. This drama centres on the arrival of a woman and the effect on the inhabitants of Inverdee....