The Slayer

"She searched through the dark corridors of the unknown only to find ... The Slayer"

1982 1h 20m EN

😐

5.3

MID

★5.3TMDB · 87

Horror

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Siblings, Eric & his surreal artist sister Kay, her doctor husband David, her sister-in-law Brooke along with pilot Marsh become stranded on a rugged isle face off against a supernatural beast drawn to Kay who dreams of its killings.

“She searched through the dark corridors of the unknown only to find ... The Slayer”

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Cast

Sarah Kendall
Kay
Frederick Flynn
Eric
Carol Kottenbrook
Brooke
Alan McRae
David
Michael Holmes
Marsh
Sandy Simpson
Norman
Paul Gandolfo
Fisherman
Newell Alexander
Kay's Father

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: J.S. Cardone
Writers: J.S. Cardone, Bill Ewing
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

80 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

44 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by J.S. Cardone, shot by Karen Grossman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Robert Folk. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor M. Edward Salier shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Sarah Kendall and Frederick Flynn and Carol Kottenbrook carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "She searched through the dark corridors of the unknown only to find ... The Slayer".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0084694 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

J.S. Cardone directs. Karen Grossman behind the camera. Robert Folk scores. M. Edward Salier cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

180 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
244 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by J.S. Cardone, shot by Karen Grossman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Robert Folk. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor M. Edward Salier shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Sarah Kendall and Frederick Flynn and Carol Kottenbrook carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "She searched through the dark corridors of the unknown only to find ... The Slayer".
8IMDB entry: tt0084694 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 87 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 11 themes, including "island", "beach", "dreams", "nightmare".

The technical file

Cinematography: Karen Grossman
Original score: Robert Folk
Editing: M. Edward Salier
Production design: Lynda Burbank
Costume design: Patty Koehnen
Makeup / hair: Robert Short
Runtime: 80 min · 1h 20m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: The Slayer (1982)

Also by

J.S. Cardone

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2019-08-05
★ 7/10
Undeservedly obscure atmospheric coastal horror Two couples in their 30s take a vacation to a secluded isle off the coast when a storm hits and people mysteriously start dying one-by-one. Kay, a troubled artist (Sarah Kendall), says she sees everything in her nightmares before it happens. I suppose “The Slayer” (1982), aka "Nightmare Island," could be classified as a slasher flick, but it’s more accurately a mystery-horror with haunting remote island ambiance, sort of like “The Shuttered Room” (1967), but mixed with elements of moody coastal horror, such as “The Fog” (1980). “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer” (1998) took the stormy island setting to forge a more conventional slasher. The filmmaking is top-notch for the time period, including the superb score. Carol Kottenbrook as Brooke is a highlight, lookin’ good in tight jeans. Kendall shows her acting chops as the haunted protagonist. Meanwhile the titular character is diabolically hideous, but you barely get to see him. Yet there’s a twist and, even then, the movie’s an enigma wrapped in a riddle. The film runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot on Tybee Island, Georgia, and nearby Savannah. GRADE: B

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