Beyond Dream's Door

Director - Jay Woelfel (Demonicus, Ghost Lake)

Starring - Nick Baldasare (They Bite, Road Meat), Rick Kesler (Slammer Girls, The Birthmark), and Susan Pinsky 

Release Date - 1989

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "It takes it's victims and hides them in your nightmares..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Like most genre fans, I fucking love 80s horror.  I know people often say that the 80s was the last decade to make good horror films.  I don't agree with that at all but there is something to the saying that rings true.  The 80s was the end of the practical effects driven horror films with computer generated visual effects becoming far less expensive in the 90s.  You still get some in 80s horror but it's not as predominate as it is in recent years.  Sometime back Vinegar Syndrome announced that they would be releasing a box set featuring three regional horror classics that has never made it's way to blu.  The set, Home Grown Horrors Volume 1, features one late 80s horror flick and two early 90s.  Obviously I had to start with the 1989 film Beyond Dream's Door.  

     The film follows Ben (Baldasare) who suffers from horrible dreams and has for some time.  He reaches out to a professor who might be able to help him where he hands him a transcription of his dreams.  The professor is well versed in the dream he is having and tries to help him but things take a dark and twisted turn once they investigate the dreams further.

     Beyond Dream's Door is an experience more than it is a movie you can just watch.  When I was in high school I was introduced to The Dead Next Door and it was the first time that I witnessed a movie you experience and not watch.  The soundtrack, the visuals, the story, they all pull you in and sticks with you for sometime.  BDD is not perfect and falls short in a lot of different ways but it's still a fun film that I can see myself tossing in several more times in the near future.  The acting in this one is solid for the most part but there is a few scenes where the cast missed their marks.  I don't know if it was from exhaustion or what but a couple scenes just lacked the charisma that we were given in most of the film.  The cast does have limited experience but for the most part they deliver exceptional performances but they are inconsistent.  The story for this one is a bit messy but it eventually comes around to explain itself.  At first the movie may feel a little confusing or overwhelming but if you stick with it and pay attention the last act puts all the pieces into place.  I'm a bit of an idiot so if I can understand it then I'm sure you will not have any issues.  Finally, the film focuses more on the story and the dream sequences over gore.  The creatures and monsters we get in these all look great and I really enjoyed the practical effects and make-up effects we see.  These add to the overall look and feel of the film which only solidifies the dream-like atmosphere the film is going for.  Overall, Beyond Dream's Door is a must see.  It may not be for everyone but if you are a fan of low budget 80s horror with great atmosphere and story then this one is for you.  I highly recommend it.