You are here:

Nightmares Come at Night

Name: Nightmares Come at Night
Director: Jesús Franco
Released: 1973
Duration: 83 min

Representation Score

7.5/10

Good

1973

Not Rated

Director

Jesús Franco

Runtime

83 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Jesús Franco’s thriller places female subjectivity at the forefront, disrupting traditional power dynamics. The protagonists actively navigate their psychological descent, offering a fresh perspective compared to typical male-dominated horror narratives. However, the film's diversity is constrained by its era and genre. The absence of clear LGBTQ+ identities and a predominantly European cast limit its scores in these areas. Additionally, the handling of mental health issues leans more towards atmosphere than deep empathy. Overall, the film explores psychological ambiguity, trading straightforward moral lessons for a complex, personal examination of the human mind.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Nightmares Come at Night have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film focuses on a passionate relationship between two female dancers. Although it doesn't label their orientation, the strong emotional connection hints at a break from traditional heterosexual norms.

How does Nightmares Come at Night portray gender?

Good

The story challenges traditional gender roles by putting women's ability to drive the story front and center. The main characters shape the plot through their professional achievements and inner conflicts, rather than being passive figures.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Nightmares Come at Night?

Limited

The cast seems mostly European, with a Mediterranean presence through Soledad Miranda. There isn't much indication of diverse racial backgrounds or a move away from the casting norms of the 1970s.

How does Nightmares Come at Night represent religion and culture?

Good

The film adopts a secular, modernist stance by mixing dreams with reality. It questions objective truth and institutional morality, focusing instead on complex, personal experiences.

Does Nightmares Come at Night include disability representation?

Fair

Psychological instability and recurring nightmares play key roles in the plot. However, the portrayal might use mental health issues more as a stylistic tool than a detailed look at neurodivergence.

Present on Screen

Female characters take charge of the narrative through their professional and psychological journeys.
The film challenges traditional gender roles by emphasizing women's ability to drive the story.
It offers a complex, secular approach to morality that prioritizes personal experience over institutional or religious norms.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks racial and ethnic diversity, sticking to the casting norms of the 1970s.
There's a risk that mental health issues are used more as a stylistic element than a nuanced portrayal of neurodivergence.
The film doesn't specify the characters' LGBTQ+ identities explicitly.

Official Synopsis

Diana Lorys, Collette Jack and Soledad Miranda star in this sexy thriller about two alluring dancers, Cincia and Anne, who embark on an erotically charged partnership. But when Anne starts to have nightmares that feature her as a murderous killer, she begins to lose her grip on reality. Or is reality merely rearing its ugly head in her dreams? She's determined find out what's causing this turmoil before something deadly happens.

How are these scores produced? →