Good concept, poorly executed.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

American Nightmare is a very unusual movie. It's not like your usual slasher where it's some guy in a mask killing a bunch of high school kids. But the movie plays out kind of like a slasher. This is sort of a cross over between a slasher and a mystery. A young girl goes missing and her older brother starts looking for her but the only people who can help him are a group of strippers (who are shallowly thought of as degenerates) who shared an apartment with her. The strippers start to get picked off one by one until the older brother, a girl named Louise, and a whole lot of red herrings are left standing.For such a low budget movie, American Nightmare is actually really good. I would even say it tops the more popular B-movies from this time such as Hell Night and maybe even Terror Train. The acting in this movie isn't too bad, I think the only person who is really that bad would be the killer when their identity is revealed. Another thing is that American Nightmare is pretty scary. The murders are pretty violent and suspenseful, and the creepiest part is some people you think are going to survive end up being murdered. There are two really good chase scenes in the middle and the end of the film between Louise and the killer between an apartment complex and a huge office building. For anybody who enjoys a slasher movie, a horror, or simply just a mystery this is obviously a huge recommendation.

A pianist is searching for his sister who has become a prostitute.A sadistic killer is preying on prostitutes.He kills his victims with a razor.Police hunt for the girl and the killer."American Nightmare" by Don McBrearty is a Canadian giallo with some slasher elements.The look of the film is dirty and grimy and there is enough sleaze and nudity to satisfy even the most demanding smut-peddlers.There is one extremely surprising twist involving the pianist's father that truly knocked me out of my seat.It's nice to see Michael Ironside in a small role as the cop.He was really believable as the killer in another overlooked Canadian slasher "Visiting Hours".Finally I must say that the killings are fairly brutal and effective for example one stripper is drowned in a bath-tub and the killer cuts her wrists.The water becomes red with her blood.So if you are a fan of Canadian exploitation cinema you can't miss "American Nightmare".7 out of 10.

"American Nightmare" is one of the better eighties slashers out there, featuring a funny, enjoyable cast, good suspense, and a fun, if not predictable take on the generic stalk-and-slash scenario. After the disappearance of a young girl (played by a young Alexandra Paul), the girl's brother (Day) comes to town looking for her, only to find out she was a dancer and hooker at a strip club. With the aid of his sister's roommate and co-worker (Staley), they begin the search for his sister. Meanwhile, the beret-wearing, razor-toting man who did in the sister begins stalking the other girls she worked with, one by one. A real sense of sympathy is felt for the unfortunate victims, who are good-hearted characters, regardless of their poverty or unfortunate lifestyle. The rich people in the movie are the loathsome characters. Slasher movie veteran Lenore Zann is quite likeable as the lovely 'Tina', and has a great chase sequence with the killer, while Aubrey supports comic relief as the hilarious wise-cracking transvestite 'Dolly'....great movie...check it out!

Despite what the title states, the movie actually takes place in Toronto. Though like most Canadian movies, it is hesitant to say where it's actually taking place - you have to look for clues, such as seeing part of the CN Tower in the background during the final sequence.As for the movie itself, it's pretty poor overall. It's relentlessly padded, with only a few turns in the story itself. Much of the movie consists of people talking, or to showcase the abundant nudity. Though that latter element may sound like it makes the movie worth watching, it's actually drearily presented, without it being the least erotic.In fact, every location in the movie comes across as degenerate and filthy - never have I seen Toronto bathed in such an unflattering light. Actually, it's a change of pace for a Canadian movie, and with the movie taking place in a sleazy part of society, it seems somewhat appropriate. Though I'm sure this wasn't intentional, because this was a really low budget movie (only a $200,000 budget - Canadian dollars!), and the production values certainly show it, most notably the lack of adequate lighting.To be fair, the slasher sequences aren't that bad - the squalid locations and the dark lighting actually give them some atmosphere, and the direction of these sequences show a little imagination (unlike the hopeless direction elsewhere.) And the movie does give B movie fans a chance to see Michael Ironside in not just an early role, but one that gives him the rare opportunity to play a good guy. Aside from those things, the movie is probably only of interest to people interested in Canadian tax shelter movies of this era.