NIGHTWISH {1989}

MORE LIKE NIGHTWACKY!!!  How do I begin to review this?!?!?  On the surface, it's a terrible movie with a good deal of wooden acting and a disjointed, confusing style.  However, since almost all the movie takes place in a sort-of dreamworld, this is actually appropriate.  A couple years before FLATLINERS, NIGHTWISH features dream experiments where subjects are encouraged to dream their own deaths.  Or something.  Bruce R. Cook's script (he also directed) never makes anything quite clear.  Which is OK, if the direction can shape and demonstrate these things strongly.   And sadly it doesn't.  I think the film suffers most from poor direction. 

Cook only directed one other film and there's probably good reason for that.  Another more skillful director might have taken the delirious script and made it more emotionally resonant whereas Cook's direction leaves one cold and often bored.  WIth such wacky goings-on, that's pretty damning for the direction.  There is also notable fun effects work from the early days of the KNB EFX Group.  Jack Starrett is quite loopy as the mad scientist who puts all these experiments into play and this sadly was his last film.  Brian Thompson is also memorable as a typical meathead.   NIGHTWISH is probably one of those films you either hate or love.