Nightmare Asylum is the first of many Todd Sheets movies on the Decrepit Crypt of Nightmares box set. This is the third film from that set and very frustrating. It features my least favorite kind of film character- the cackling, taunting, laughing, never-shut-upping insane murderous psycho, in this film there's a couple of them with the big dude in clown makeup being especially annoying. They come off as a angel dusted amalgam of Beetlejuice and Chop Top. I hate TCM 2 and Chop Top is the main reason. I also sold an LP of the movie's soundtrack to the actor on eBay. The cackling antagonists here aren't the only problem, the film is completely disjointed and plotless and I understand it's supposed to be a nightmare but even at just under 70 minutes it gets old quickly.
The film does have some positives, I kind of liked the music which alternated between the same pounding Enochian Key tune during the intense attack scenes and what I'm pretty sure was Mars, Bringer of War from Holst's Planet's suite. I liked the music but it could have used more than two alternating songs. The gore is pretty awesome at times here like most of Sheets' films including a pole stuck up a bum and coming out the mouth. The movie takes place in a real haunted house (they fortunately weren't called haunts or the equally annoying haunted attraction back when this was made) which adds to the fun and nightmarish atmosphere. The acting is of course atrocious and there's a predictable and lame ending twist. Todd Sheets has done much better.
