Nightdreams
title: "Nightdreams" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1981-american-films", "1980s-english-language-films", "1980s-pornographic-films", "1981-science-fiction-films", "1981-directorial-debut-films", "1981-fantasy-films", "1981-films", "alt-porn", "american-avant-garde-and-experimental-films", "american-fantasy-films", "american-pornographic-films", "american-science-fiction-films", "films-about-dreams", "films-about-sexuality", "films-shot-in-los-angeles", "films-with-screenplays-by-jerry-stahl", "pornographic-film-series", "pornographic-horror-films", "english-language-science-fiction-films", "english-language-fantasy-films"] topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightdreams" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox film"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Nightdreams |
| image | Nightdreams 1981 video cover.jpg |
| caption | VHS released by Wonderful World of Video and Caballero Control Corporation |
| director | Francis Delia |
| producer | Stephen Sayadian |
| writer | Jerry Stahl |
| Stephen Sayadian | |
| music | Mitchell Froom |
| Wall of Voodoo | |
| cinematography | Francis Delia |
| editing | Pearl Diamond |
| studio | Caribbean Films |
| distributor | Wonderful World of Video |
| Caballero Control Corporation | |
| released | |
| runtime | 78 minutes |
| country | United States |
| language | English |
| budget | $60,000 |
| :: |
| name = Nightdreams | image = Nightdreams 1981 video cover.jpg | alt = | caption = VHS released by Wonderful World of Video and Caballero Control Corporation | native_name = | director = Francis Delia | producer = Stephen Sayadian | writer = Jerry Stahl Stephen Sayadian | screenplay = | story = | based_on = | narrator = | starring = | music = Mitchell Froom Wall of Voodoo | cinematography = Francis Delia | editing = Pearl Diamond | studio = Caribbean Films | distributor = Wonderful World of Video Caballero Control Corporation | released = | runtime = 78 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $60,000 | gross =
Nightdreams is a 1981 pornographic film with strong horror elements, directed by Francis Delia and written by Jerry Stahl and Stephen Sayadian (credited as "Herbert W. Day" and "Rinse Dream", respectively).
Plot
Two scientists use electric jolts to induce surreal and erotic dreams in a woman named Mrs. Van Houten. The dreams include a series of bizarre scenes, ranging from having sex with a man inside a Cream of Wheat box to a descent into the abyss of Hell. A surprise ending ultimately reveals the true identity of the woman receiving the electric shocks.
Cast
- Dorothy LeMay as Mrs. Van Houten
- Loni Sanders as The Demon's Slave
- Jennifer West as Doctor
- Kevin James as Heaven Man
- Fast Steppin' Freddie as Cream of Wheat
- Paul Berthell as Slice of Bread
- Ken Starbuck as The Demon
- Jacqueline Lorians as Brunette Cowgirl
- Danielle as Blonde Cowgirl
- Andy Nichols as Doctor
- Michelle Bauer as Chained Girl
Production
Producer Stephen Sayadian said in an interview: "We did it as a series of six or seven vignettes; we just sat down and hashed out the concepts. We’ll go to Heaven, we’ll go to Hell, we’ll have one in the Wild West. It was supposed to be like an old Vaudeville review." His studio also produced one sheets and promotional posters for horror movies such as Dressed to Kill and The Funhouse and the sets used in both movies' posters were also used in filming Nightdreams. It cost $60,000 to make.
Release
Reception
The film has received generally positive reviews. It was described by Playboy magazine as “the first avant-garde adult film…Fellini meets Eraserhead,” and by Velvet magazine as “the Citizen Kane of adult films.” Adult Video News, Adam Film World and Hustler all gave it ratings of between four and five stars in their reviews. Adam Film World said, "The film is outstanding for its superb and visually exciting cinematography and extraordinarily imaginative erotic fantasies.
Pornographic film historian Jim Holliday called it "the most unusual, unique and innovative adult film yet made" and said Nightdreams "pioneered a whole new subgenre within the industry" within five years of its release due to its "raunchy gritty sexuality…combined with truly new wave sets and the Miami Vice '80s look".
Box office
According to Sayadian "neither Nightdreams or Café Flesh were ever that successful as porn films. But they broke house records as midnight movies."
Home media
The film was subsequently released on VHS by Caballero Home Video, which re-released it in 2006 on DVD.
Accolades and awards
The film was voted into the XRCO Hall of Fame in 1992.
In 1986, Holliday placed it in 13th place on a list of the top 40 best adult films as selected by a consensus of industry experts. In 2001, Adult Video News placed it in 62nd place on its list of the greatest adult movies of all time. In 2007, AVN called it one of the "50 most influential adult releases of all time" for starting the alt-porn genre, which uses "MTV-inspired, rock-video schtick, hipster references and underground music."
Soundtrack
The soundtrack includes "Ring of Fire" as covered by Wall of Voodoo as well as renditions of "Ol' Man River" and Gymnopédies.
Sequels
Nightdreams was followed by Nightdreams II in 1989, and Nightdreams 3 in 1991. Both of these films were directed by Stephen Sayadian. The Mrs. Van Houten character also appeared in Sayadian and Stahl's 1989 effort Dr. Caligari.
References
Works cited
References
- Croll, Ben. (20 September 2013). "Etrange 2013 Interview: Stephen Sayadian Is 'The Most Interesting Man In The World'". ScreenAnarchy.
- (13 December 2013). "Soiled Sinema: Nightdreams (1981)". Soiled Sinema.
- (1981). "Movie Review: NightDreams". [[Adult Video News]].
- ''Nightdreams'', ''Adam Film World Guide 1984 Directory of Adult Films'', p. 66
- {{IAFD movie. Night+Dreams+1. 1981. Night Dreams 1
- [[Jim Holliday]], ''Only the best: Jim Holliday's adult video almanac and trivia treasury''. [[Van Nuys, CA]]: Cal Vista Direct, 1986.
- "The XRCO Hall of Fame", ''Adam Film World Guide 1993 Directory of Adult Films'', p. 279
- Mike Ramone, "The 101 Greatest Adult Tapes of All Time", ''[[AVN (magazine). Adult Video News]]'', Vol. 17, No. 7, August 2001, pp. 34–52.
- Mike Albo, Paul Fishbein, Mark Kernes, Mike Ramone, Jared Rutter, Peter Warren and Nelson X, "The 50 Most Influential Adult Releases of All Time: Groundbreaking Titles That Forever Changed the Industry", ''[[AVN (magazine). Adult Video News]]'', Vol. 23, No. 1, Issue 290, January 2007, pp. 62–93.
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