Beyond Dream's Door

I honestly think there are a few good ideas and worthwhile moments to enjoy in "Beyond Dream's Door", and I know for a fact that there was a lot of spirit and goodwill from writer/director Jay Woelfel and his entire cast & crew. So, hence, I can't bring myself to be harsh in my rating and comment.

The plot revolves around a young man, named Ben, who suffers from continuous and petrifying nightmares involving slimy monsters, being trapped in a sort of facility with a large basement, and a little kid (his brother?) whose eyes are popping out his skull. Whenever Ben seeks help, though, from doctors or professors at the Ohio university, these people are sucked into the story of Ben's nightmares and the horror manifests itself while they are awake.

Sounds vaguely familiar? Sure, whenever you read about dreams and then dying in real life, you automatically think about "Nightmare on Elm Street" and its sequels, but I can assure you "Beyond Dream's Door" doesn't feel like a rip-off. The script is too convoluted for its own good, the acting performances are hammy, and there were several times when I really didn't have a clue about what was going on, but the film also has good elements worth mentioning. It's very gore, albeit often with very cheap and cheesy looking effects, and the monsters designs look admirably H. P Lovecraftian.

College student, Ben, has been having problems with his frightening dreams, but they only get worse and start to take over his entire life and the lives of those around him.

For a low budget, regional horror film without a lot of resources, Beyond Dream's Door is jaw-droppingly well made with an almost David Lynch-ian quality at times with some really great creature and makeup effects. The acting is a mix of good, bad, and lobotomized, but it's the script that's the film's biggest downfall and kills a lot of goodwill built up by the imagination on display elsewhere. The narrative does feel like a dream in the sense that nothing really ever gels and things just happen without any explanation. It's intriguing for 20 minutes or so, but after that, you start hoping there might be a little bit more to it.

I found this to be pretty enjoyable. I could see how people might be frustrated by the uneven monster and gore effects. Sometimes they're pretty good, and sometimes (particularly when they show too much) they're pretty cheesy. Given how much of the movie is composed of nightmares, or nightmares intruding into reality, the way things look can be blamed on the dreams.

The story isn't clear from the start, since the movie starts off with a dream within a dream (or maybe even a layer or two beyond that). It becomes clear that the main character, Ben Dobbs, is a college student who after years of not remembering his dreams, is now having a series of nightmares. Each one picks up where the previous left off, more or less. He finds that when he tells people about his dreams, they start seeing them too, even when they're awake.

There's one dream sequence involving someone going into a basement, and finding a figure facing the wall in a corner, and then the camera retreating in a shaky hand-held fashion that I wonder if it influenced a certain other movie....

The video box claimed the movie was inspired by H.P. Lovecraft (though not based on anything by him specifically). I can sort of see that, with some of the stories of his that deal with dreams, and also his poetry. There's a poem recited in the movie from which the title comes.

I liked it and I'd be curious the see the DVD which may be coming out this year.

Hopefully Jay will get this film re-released. I personally very much enjoy it. It has a certain quality that most modern horror films do not have--the ability to watch it more than once or twice and still have it perk your interest. A film doesn't have to have dazzling modern special effects or top Hollywood actors in it to be good. What I look for in a film is an interesting story and an overall enjoyable viewing experience. This film certainly meets that criteria. I came across this film in an independent video store that (sadly) has closed down a few years ago because they were bought out by a large chain. Support your local independent video stores and support independent film!

Made in Ohio for very little money, BEYOND DREAM'S DOOR is a sometimes goofy, somewhat shabby, eerily entertaining film from the 1980's. All logic is tossed out in favor of nightmare imagery and an apocalyptic atmosphere.

This is a small project with a big, black heart. So, don't expect multi-million dollar special effects or A-list actors. Instead, expect a decent movie with just as many brilliant moments as cheeezey ones.

If you enjoy demons, ghouls, and / or the supernatural, then you'll probably like this. Especially gorehounds!...