Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981)

one of my absolute favorites!

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

This is a very dark and serious slasher is and slight above average in terms of low budget b-movie slashers. In fact, I'm not even sure if you would call it a slasher. It's just a very dark toned horror film.Susan Tyrrell was remarkably good as the mental Aunt Cheryl. Bo Svenson was also very convincing as the homophobic detective who is determined to convict those he thinks guilty for a recent murder(i.e. homosexuals) regardless of evidence to the contrary. These two characters lend the film a very menacing tone and make it quite and uncomfortable watch. Although this film is somewhat better made than most b-movie horrors and has some very good performances, it lacks the humour that other slashers have and so it's a bit of an uncomfortable watch rather than a fun one.

This film has a reputation that is really greater than the sum total of the film itself. While it is quite an unusual take on a pretty standard plot idea of a young man who was raised by a domineering mother-figure with a fair amount of sexual tension in the relationship, it doesn't really stand out in any particular way. The unique nature of the film is that the young man, typically the twisted character in other films of this type, is the most normal character here, and other characters around him are more than peculiar.But, other than that, the rest of the production is pretty average, meaning the acting, direction, plot development, effects, editing, etc, are all rather pedestrian and not really interesting. What will keep your interest is the gradual revealing of the main plot point of: What really was the boy's history?Of particular offense is the police character as played by Bo Svenson, a dogmatic, gay-bashing moron, who is less sympathetic than the actual killer, but who gets his just rewards at the end. The final 'epilogue' gives the viewer a feeling that this was based on a true story. It wasn't.Also of note, Julia Duffy, as the boy's girlfriend, has a topless scene, perhaps the only one she's ever done on film.

I remember seeing the TV trailer for this film when it was known back then as "Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker" and remembering how much I wanted to see it. The film disappeared into obscurity and resurfaced under the title "Night Warning". I got it off ebay (for a hefty price mind you) and was very disappointed. The movie stinks. Don't watch it. For being a piece of 80's horror.....well....just skip it. If you're gay like me, the only salvation the film has is a very young and very cute Jimmy McNichol who parades around in some scenes in tight shorts and/or without a shirt. That's pretty much it. The story's plot is putrid, the gore f/x aren't all that great and it's pretty much a waste of time. Go check out something else.

The strongest of horror films always seems to be those whose victims are sympathetic and whose villains are mercilessly frightening. Night Warning is a testament to just that!Young man becomes the unhealthy obsession of his aunt, who raised him, which leads him into a web of madness and murder!Night Warning is a relatively unknown film, which is a shame because it is a truly effective and fairly original thriller. The story is very intriguing, full of mystery, suspense, and some solid shocks. A big part of the originality factor of this film is the fact that the story dares to explore subjects very rarely touched upon by most genre pictures, such as incest, homosexuality, and the question of what morally right really is. It is a complex and emotionally strong tale, that's gripping in a way that few thrillers ever are.The excellent cast is another strong feature of this movie. Bo Svenson is solid as a homophobic police detective. A young Jimmy McNichol is touching as an attractive teen desperately trying to have a normal life. The greatest of all though is Susan Tyrrell as one of the most demented villains you'll ever see! Also among the cast is a young Bill Paxton in one of his earliest roles.Night Warning is a terrific shocker that seems to have been lost over time, but for those seeking a truly jarring genre picture it is well worth finding a copy of!**** out of ****