Frightmare

Frightmare

Year: 1981

Runtime: 86 mins

Language: English

Director: Norman Thaddeus Vane

ComedyHorrorHorror the undead and monster classicsGory gruesome and slasher horrorCreepy chilling and terrifying horror

When a group of drama students attempt to honor their beloved horror icon by exhuming his corpse from its crypt for a farewell party, they unwittingly unleash a potent black magic. Their reckless act awakens the restless star, Conrad, who is far from making his final bow, and the students must confront the terrifying consequences.

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Timeline & Setting – Frightmare (1981)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Frightmare (1981). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Old mansion, cemetery tomb/crypt

An isolated old mansion serves as the main setting, its dusty halls hosting the drama students' dangerous encounter with Conrad. The tomb and crypt on the estate become the stage for Conrad's awakening and deadly games. The nearby cemetery grounds frame the final confrontation between the living students and the resurrected predator.

🏰 Mansion 👻 Supernatural 🪦 Cemetery

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:45

Main Characters – Frightmare (1981)

Meet the key characters of Frightmare (1981), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Conrad Radzoff (Ferdy Mayne)

A once-feared horror icon who manipulates others to satisfy his own sadistic desires. He fakes his own death, stalks and murders rivals, and returns from the tomb using dark tricks. His charm masks a calculating, murderous temper that drives the film's terror.

👹 Villain 🔪 Murderous 🧭 Manipulative

Meg (Jennifer Starrett)

A drama student who idolizes Conrad and inadvertently drags her friends into danger by reviving his rage. She is brave and determined but ultimately overwhelmed by the escalating horror. She serves as a moral center, trying to stop the escalation even as the danger closes in.

🎭 Protagonist 👀 Curious ⚠️ Fearful

Saint (Luca Bercovici)

One of the students who tries to keep the group grounded, he attempts to fix car troubles and think logically amid chaos. He becomes a sacrificial ally who helps Meg escape but is ultimately killed by Conrad in the crematorium.

🎭 Drama 🧭 Bravery 💀 Tragic

Bobo (Scott Thomson)

A dreamy, easily-influenced student who falls under Conrad's mind-control and wanders toward danger. He is the first to drift into the tomb's vapors and meet a fatal end.

🧭 Influence 💀 Tragic 🎭 Teen

Eve (Carlene Olson)

A curious student who is lured away by the spectral sounds of danger and becomes a target of Conrad's violence. Her fate is sealed in a brutal encounter.

👀 Curious 💀 Victim 🕯️ Haunted

Donna (Donna McDaniel)

Obsessive with her sexuality, she is caught in a deadly sequence with Oscar and then witnesses Conrad's violent acts, including Donna's own death by fire. Her end marks the collapse of the group's morale.

🔥 Victim 💀 Deadly 🎭 Human

Oscar (Alan Stock)

Confident and curious, he investigates the strange occurrences and suffers a brutal fate when Conrad rips out his tongue. His bravado collapses into terror as the horror overtakes him.

🗡️ Brutal 💀 Victim 🔎 Investigator

Stu (Jeffrey Combs)

One of the seven drama students who initially rallies the group but is swiftly decapitated by Conrad as the danger becomes fatal. His death marks the film's brutal escalation.

🎭 Drama 💀 Victim ⚔️ Fatal

Wolfgang (Leon Askin)

The obese director who tries to finalize Conrad's death arrangements and denounce him. He is murdered by Conrad with a pillow after a tense confrontation, illustrating the price of ambition and control.

🎭 Director 💀 Victim 🪦 Power

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:45

Major Themes – Frightmare (1981)

Explore the central themes of Frightmare (1981), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Obsession

Drama students idolize a horror film star, letting fame distort their judgment and push them toward reckless trespass and danger. Their fixation fuels the group's actions and blurs lines between admiration and peril. The story uses fandom to critique the costs of chasing celebrity.

☠️ Death & Necromancy

Conrad's return from the dead hinges on dark theatrics and manipulation, turning the mansion and its tomb into traps. The coffin and crypt become instruments of horror as victims fall to supernatural violence. The theme explores mortality and the seductive danger of necromantic power.

🕯️ Consequences

Trespass, deception, and murder escalate as the students ignore warnings and press on. The mansion's halls echo with danger, and the final reveal critiques disturbing the dead. The tale ends with a haunting reminder of the price of disrespecting the dead.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:45

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Frightmare Summary

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Frightmare Summary

Frightmare Timeline

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Frightmare Timeline

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