Scream Dream (1989) (Blu-ray Review)
DIRECTED BY: Donald Farmer
STARRING: Melissa Moore, Carol Carr, Nikki Riggins
RATED: UR/Region: O/1:33/1080P/NUMBER OF DISCS 1
AVAILABLE FROM Visual Vengeance
There are “bad movies,” there are “so bad they’re good” movies, and then there’s Scream Dream, directed by Donald Farmer. This is one of those glorious shot-on-video relics that feels like it was made with more enthusiasm than money… and by “more,” I mean all enthusiasm and almost no money.
Let’s not kid ourselves—Scream Dream is bad. Like, objectively bad. The acting is wooden, the dialogue sounds like everyone got their scripts five minutes before filming, the effects are exactly what you’d expect from a late-’80s backyard horror production, and the production values are held together by duct tape and sheer determination. If you’re looking for polished filmmaking, you’ve wandered into the wrong VHS shelf.
And yet…
I had a great time.
Because here’s the thing: I like this sort of stuff.
There’s a sincerity to Scream Dream that’s impossible to fake. Donald Farmer wasn’t trying to make the next Oscar winner—he was trying to make a horror movie with whatever resources he had, and there’s something incredibly charming about that. Every awkward line delivery, every bargain-bin gore effect, every hilariously earnest attempt at suspense just adds to the experience rather than taking away from it.
Shot-on-video horror has its own unique flavor, and Scream Dream embraces every bit of it. The washed-out video look, the homemade atmosphere, the unmistakable late-’80s aesthetic—it all combines into a wonderfully cheesy time capsule. It’s the cinematic equivalent of finding an old haunted house attraction in someone’s garage and realizing you’re having way more fun than you probably should.
Thankfully, Visual Vengeance understands exactly who this release is for. The disc is packed with genuinely worthwhile extras, including interviews and behind-the-scenes material that provide plenty of insight into the making of the film and Donald Farmer’s career. Honestly, the supplements alone make this release worth picking up if you’re a fan of regional and shot-on-video horror.
As for the transfer? Temper your expectations. This isn’t some miraculous restoration that suddenly makes a 1989 shot-on-video production look like it was filmed on 35mm. In fact, video quality-wise, I’d be hard-pressed to say it looks noticeably better than the old SRS Cinema DVD. That’s less a knock on Visual Vengeance than it is the reality of the source material. You can only polish a VHS-era production so much before you’re just admiring the grain.
So yes, Scream Dream is bad by just about every conventional filmmaking metric. But it’s also funny, charming, nostalgic, and endlessly entertaining if you have a soft spot for shot-on-video horror. And I absolutely have a soft spot for shot-on-video horror. Sometimes technical perfection is overrated—sometimes you just want to watch a group of passionate filmmakers make the best horror movie they possibly could with almost nothing. Scream Dream is exactly that, and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Extras
- SD master version from original tape elements
- Commentary with Producer/ Director Donald Farmer
- Heavy Metal Horror Primer – Video Essay with Justin Decloux and Adam ‘Riot’ Thorn
- Actor Nick Riggins Interview
- Actress Jesse Raye Interview
- The Art of the Scream: Special Effects Artist Rick Gonzales Interview
- Behind the Scenes Image Gallery
- Donald Farmer Theatrical Q&A Excerpts
- Trailers
- Visual Vengeance trailers
- Reversible sleeve featuring original VHS art
- Folded mini-poster
- ‘Stick Your Own’ VHS sticker set – FIRST PRESSING ONLY
- Limited Edition O-Card – FIRST PRESSING ONLY
- Limited Edition Scream Dream Guitar Pick – FIRST PRESSING ONLY
