26 December 2024
Fade to Black (1980)
102 min.
Directed by Vernon Zimmerman.
With Dennis Christopher, Linda Kerridge, Tim Thomerson, Norman Burton, Eve Brent Ashe, Gwynne Gilford, Morgan Paull, James Luisi, Marya Small, Mickey Rourke.
Dennis Christopher plays Eric Binford, a young man whose obsession with movies...verges on unhealthy.

He lives with his mean Aunt Stella, and works at a dead end job at a film supply company where his boss treats him like garbage. Most of his work colleagues think he's just plain weird. Eric feels alone, outcast, and marginalized.

Finally, he just breaks. Pushed too far, he goes after his various tormenters by dressing up as some of his favorite movie monsters and cinematic villains, and re-enacting scenes from his favorite films.

Sort of a variation on Vincent Price's Theatre of Blood, this one is a keeper. The enthusiastic Christopher, who made such a mark in Breaking Away the year before, is sympathetic as the lead.

Low on gore...but a good premise well-executed and engaging.

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