This mid-eighties anthology offering is an entertaining excursion for those who prefer their chills ala cart. Dropping the usual wrap around story, we begin with a familiar tale based on an urban legend that has found its way into several other movies in one form or another. A woman, a car, a gas station attendant (here played by genre staple WILLIAM SANDERSON); hoary for sure, but it’s not without built in suspense. The second story has become the film’s calling card. EMILIO ESTEVEZ stars (along side CUJO’s BILLY JACOBY) as a video game addict whose quest to reach the 13th level of a game called BISHOP OF BATTLE leads him to a then impressive effects-driven showdown with digital enemies that spew out of the old school arcade game. Next up, LANCE HENDRICKSON is a priest who has lost his faith and is forced to relive the plot of DUEL with a black truck whose driver’s identity is only hinted at with an upside down crucifix in place of fuzzy dice. The final story brings two more familiar faces for horror fans, the always amazing VERONICA CARTWRIGHT (ALIEN) and RICHARD MASUR (J.C’s THE THING). This often bickering married couple have a young daughter (sadly deceased SAVANNAH SMILES starlet BRIDGETTE ANDERSON) who has been voicing concern about a growing rat problem and wondering what became of her beloved cat Rosie. Veronica brings on her usual hysterics and even an exterminator in the form of FAME’s Mr. Shorofsky (ALBERT HAGUE) but to no avail. Early glimpses of the oversized red-eyed menace are effective, but the final reveal of a blue-screened mouse begging for her deceased offspring busts a hole in the bubble. More a fun diversion than a full horror meal, NIGHTMARES still has its followers and not all of them favor EMILIO’s video adventure.

INDELIBLE SCENE(S):

• FEAR’s LEE VING makes a cameo
• Even the sexy whiles of MOON UNIT ZAPPA can’t distract our EMILIO!
• Hooray, one of the evil video monsters is an obvious homage to Centipede!
• The devil truck emerges from under the earth
• The rat rips apart all of the little girl’s stuffed animals EXCEPT the one that looks like a mouse. MRS. FRISBY represent!