A Disappointing Continuation

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

In Zagreb, the striper Anna de Istria (Diana Lorys) works in a sleazy cabaret. She is seduced by the blonde Cynthia Robins (Colette Jack) that invites her to move to her house. Ana is disturbed by nightmares, where she kills a man with a spear, and Cynthia calls Dr. Paul Lucas (Paul Muller) to treat Ana. Meanwhile, a couple that lives in the next door house spies the movement in Cynthia's house. "Les Cauchemars Naissent la Nuit" is a boring and dull exploitation by Jess Franco with a predictable and disappointing story. To make it worse, the DVD released in Brazil by Continental Distributor is awfully dubbed in English and there are dramatic scenes that become laughable. My vote is three.Title (Brazil): "Pesadelos Noturnos" ("Nocturne Nightmares")

Sexy, but troubled stripper Anna de Istria (a convincingly distraught performance by lovely and well-built brunette Diana Lorys) gets involved with the aloof and domineering Cynthia Robins (an effectively icy portrayal by yummy buxom blonde Colette Giacobine). Anna suffers from disturbing nightmares. Is Anna going crazy? Or is someone trying to drive her mad? Writer/director Jess Franco relates the absorbing story with his usual singularly languid, yet engrossing style: the seething erotic content (Anna's seemingly endless lethargic striptease act in a seedy nightclub in particular is simply priceless), deliberate pace, and meandering flashback-ridden narrative combine together to create a strangely hypnotic dream-like atmosphere. Naturally, we also get a plethora of tasty distaff nudity and a smidgen of sizzling lesbian soft-core sex. This film further benefits from sound acting by the capable cast: Lorys and Giacobine do excellent work in the lead roles, Paul Muller lends sturdy support as sympathetic psychiatrist Dr. Paul Lucas, Jack Taylor has a stand-out cameo as Cynthia's amorous and charismatic lover, and the striking and mesmerizing Soledad Miranda makes a strong impression in the regrettably small part of a flighty and impatient tramp. Jose Climet's roving and restless cinematography boasts a wealth of wonky zoom-ins as the camera goes in and out of focus throughout. Bruno Nicolai's groovy score hits the get-down funky spot. The surprise downbeat ending packs one hell of a punch. Well worth a look for Franco fans.

Strip-tease artist Anna(Diana Lorys of Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll)is having disturbing nightmares where she's forced against her will, it seems(..possibly under hypnosis by lover Cynthia? We do see her lips moving without words uttered as she stares towards the screen as if giving orders right before the off-screen murders occur), to murder people she doesn't even know. Her nervous cries to psychiatrist Dr. Paul Lucas(Paul Muller)are resisted, as he seems to offer an ear, but often scoffs at the idea of her being crazy, suggesting that hospital care might be an option worth pursuing. Anna is convinced that her lover, Cynthia(Colette Giacobine)is behind what ills her...this stems from the fact that the nightmares really didn't start until after beginning their love affair. Meanwhile a couple(Andrés Monales & Soledad Miranda), neighbors who live across from Cynthia's home where Anna stays, are often shown spying on them awaiting their "pay day".To be honest, there are some major problems that keep Franco's mystery undermined. I think Lorys is good in the right role, but, to be honest, she's not really the archetypal heroine that leads a Jess Franco production. Lorys isn't ugly, but I'm afraid to say that she doesn't really have the beauty needed for this particular role. And, Lorys tends to take it a bit over the top, except one scene, my favorite, which is in a dream sequence where Anna has this moment of tranquility and peace(..and what truly enhances this dream sequence is Bruno Nicolai's melodic and serene score which only makes the final result of it even more tragic and sad)as a possibility of true love with a fling of Cynthia's(played by Franco regular Jack Taylor)only to end in tragedy. I think Lorys is at her best when the character is subdued with the turmoil and paranoia bubbling underneath the surface, not elaborated outwardly where she often descends into hopeless melodramatics. My favorite actor in Franco's "inner circle" is Paul Muller, and he doesn't fail me here, either. His character carries an appearance as of someone who cares about the plight of a patient, listening to what Anna has to say with a quiet observance, delicately offering advice and solemn treatment to her..I think, in portraying the doctor in such a fashion, the end result with him makes a greater impact. I don't think anyone ever doubted Cynthia was corrupt. Cynthia, almost from the get-go, is pointed out as a culprit behind Anna's trauma..the way she slaps her around when angry at Anna for behaving "out of line" or how she seems little bothered at the suffering her lover is going through. Fans who adore Soledad Miranda will be sorely disappointed, because her role in the film is minimal. This is Lorys film, and Franco's camera doesn't shy away from closing in on her face and naked flesh. Lorys, like many a Franco heroine, wears revealing, see-through gowns, or those types opened down the middle as she sprawls out on a bed either in a seductive pose or under a difficult mental(..or nightmarish)state. The DVD version I watched of Nightmares Come at Night was full screen and the technical aspects of a low budget show. The lighting in certain scenes was rather blah, making it hard to see certain actions(..like a sex scene between Anna and a couple she would murder)taking place. Still, I've seen worse films than this and it held my attention..any film which uses dreams and a troubled heroine inflicted by them will always have a place with me. I have to say this is one of the saddest and grim Franco films I've seen. Two scenes which didn't work for me were the longish strip-tease sequence with Anna(..when she meets Cynthia for the first time;perhaps, I just never found Lorys acceptable or convincing so the act didn't wash)and a love-making scene between her and Cynthia due to Franco's blurring the camera not allowing us to see what was taking place between them. I think the best aspect of the film is Nicolai's score..it perfectly accentuates the mood of the story and characters even if the cast doesn't always succeed.

"Nightmares Come at Night" is one of the better erotic thrillers in Franco's filmography.**SPOILERS**Disturbed by weird nightmares, Anna de Istria, (Diana Lorys) starts to act crazy, and needs to be calmed down by her roommate Cynthia Robins, (Colette Giacobine) and Dr. Paul Lucas, (Paul Muller) her physician. When she gets to the point of identity crisis, he takes her under his care despite her cries of misunderstanding her and her dreams. Fearful that she will be taken away from Cynthia, as she begins reliving their life together and how the dream's first came together, her dreams start getting more and more violent. With her concept of fantasy and reality slowly slipping, she finally uncovers the real cause of her disturbing visions and takes drastic measures to stop it from happening.The News: This is one of the better films in Franco's career, and does a lot of his tricks very well. Most significantly, there's plenty of opportunity for nudity on display, and this one indulges every chance it has. From the strip-club flashbacks and lesbian cuddling to several different sex scenes and the short scenes where they're lounging in beds or out in the sun, this one takes every chance possible to show off the actresses, and the fact that they should be shown off is a great plus. The hypnotic spell woven around the film is quite apparent, mainly though in the film's best scene, a flashback to her stripper act that is one of the most erotic and spellbinding scenes ever shot. Using a reddish-orange glow that fills the whole screen and a fluid, romantic jazz underscore, the mood is captivating and not a moment is looking away allowed. Even before adding a one of the most seductive strip-acts ever, this is a winning scene, but to then factor that wonderfully seductive and mesmerizing sequence throws it beyond and is one of the highlights, not only of the film but of Franco's entire career as well. The voice-over is yet another bonus, and becomes just another factor in the scenes greatness. The inability to discern between fantasy and reality is nicely used here, giving this a wonderful waking-dream vibe that is hard to really ignore and is also useful in keeping the viewer guessing, as none of what happens conspires into a set time and place, making this a that much more spellbinding. The lighting even helps, creating plenty of memorable images including one of a buttocks rising in the middle of a blackened room, white as the moon in the middle of a clear night sky. The contrast is brilliant, pulling it off without making it seem more important than it really is. However, there are some slight problems that hold this one back. The biggest one is that there's no reason to include the subplot about the neighbors being there. They have no impact on the plot, don't even come into contact with any of the characters, and despite being there to add a body count to the film, it's never known which of the characters does the deed and the official demise isn't on-screen, panning away moments before the actual moment occurs and renders the entire thing useless and unnecessary. The only other part that can cause confusion is the fact that this doesn't really make any sense at all until the end. When it does offer explanations, there's really nothing offered until that point, giving the film the appearance of being just random scenes thrown together with nothing going on. It does have that feel to it, so that can be something to hold this down to some out there.The Final Verdict: An entertaining, erotic film with only a few problems, this is an excellent addition in the Franco cannon and in the Euro-sleaze genre as well. This is recommended viewing for Franco-philes and those who love the more erotic side of things.Rated UR/NC-17: Frequent Full Female Nudity, several Sex Scenes, Mild Violence and Language