Macabre…ish Horror Review: A Night of Horror: Nightmare Radio
A Night of Horror: Nightmare Radio, 2019/ 1 hr 34 min
In the dark woods, was a dark house and dark room was a dark woman with a dark soul, so dark that neither love nor light could penetrate it. But she is invisible. But all she wants is light, love and a life. So she fashioned a skin for her invisible self from a bride she encountered in the forest and stole that woman’s life. Together with the groom, they had an infant, who was also dark like her and invisible. She sought forgiveness from the child’s father but he finally saw who she was when the skin was ripped from her back and he hunted her down and ended her dark days.
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That was the first story on Nightmare Radio.
During a storm, the show goes on and as the host, Rod Wilson (James Wright), waits for the first calls, he tells the story of the first time he saw a dead body. And it leads to his next story about a family who’s trade is in death mementos.
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A child fell from a horse and Mary (Stella Charrington) and her mother arrive to take mourning portraits of the deceased child, also named Mary. Her remains stand in her coffin, with coins on her eyes and drawing flies. Their job is to make the corpses look alive. So Mary takes the coins from the eyes and put them in the mouth.
The photo is taken and afterward the corpse starts to fall and Mary, scared, runs from the room. When she returns, the child’s remains are in a chair with a violin. She’s been repositioned for another photo. Mary uses a spoon to open and position the eyes. When she looks through the camera, the corpse smiles. When she looks again the chair is empty. Mary and her mother has a secret that makes the corpses look alive.
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Finally, a call comes in to the station and tells the story of a woman who has a date with the man of her dreams. After she’s unable to find a hair dryer she used a microwave to dry her hair and cooked her head.
It reminds the host of another story about a vain woman who is a super star and her hair stylist, Silvio, who is known for his hair extensions, has decided she deserves none of it, including her hair. He’s unhinged and decided to relieve her of her life and her hair, by ripping her scalp from her head.
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The next caller, Jules Kiefer, is a troll who listens to his show but hates it because his stories are fiction. So the host tells a true story, The Case of William Bingham.
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Will is scheduled to have his hand surgically removed because he killed a woman. He prefers execution but the state insists his punishment be surgery. Surviving family members decide how far the surgeries will go and they get to watch.
Another part of his punishment is to go to schools as a cautionary tale. In March, they remove his right arm and left leg. And then he was exhibited at state run high schools. His third surgery will remove his other leg and arm, his mental health is deteriorating and still he is paraded at schools and more and more as a spectacle.
Then he gave up a kidney and lung, which provide as part of the income for the prison.
Five months later Mr Bingham was neutered. He never cried or spoke after that day. The final surgery removed his ears, nose, the tip of his tongue and the rest of his body was rendered hairless by laser. That all happened years ago but to this day on the last week of every month he is still taken to the high schools as a cautionary tale.
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Then someone calls in who claims to be a child (Kera O’Bryon) and is begging for help and gives his address as the radio station’s address. So the host writes it off as a prank but something feels wrong. I wonder what it is…
These are only a few of the tales in this anthology. This movie very well done, well paced and well framed by the host. The physical effects are very good and where it is not graphic, the narration more than makes up for it. The monster effects are also very nicely done. Also, not every tale is in English but there are subtitles. There are adult scenes, jump scares and violence. Some bloody and graphic moments. I really enjoyed this!