Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker

"She was lonely. He was all she had. No one would take him from her…and live."

1981 1h 36m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 167

ThrillerHorror

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Rejected by her lover, the only man left in Cheryl's life is the orphaned nephew she has raised as her own son. She'll stop at nothing to keep Billy with her. When her plans misfire, she is swept up into an insane frenzy that means death to anyone who comes between her and her obsession. But the investigating detective is convinced that Billy is the real killer - and determined to prove it. Madness and fanaticism work together to drag all concerned into a terrifying vortex of blood-letting that adds a nightmarish twist to the classic Oedipus story.

“She was lonely. He was all she had. No one would take him from her…and live.”

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Cast

Jimmy McNichol
Billy Lynch
Susan Tyrrell
Aunt Cheryl
Bo Svenson
Detective Joe Carlson
Julia Duffy
Julie
Marcia Lewis
Margie
Steve Eastin
Coach Tom Landers
Britt Leach
Sgt. Cook
Caskey Swaim
Phil Brody

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: William Asher
Writers: Alan Jay Glueckman, Alan Jay Glueckman, Steve Briemer
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 / 7

ERA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by William Asher, shot by Jan de Bont. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Jimmy McNichol and Susan Tyrrell and Bo Svenson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "She was lonely. He was all she had. No one would take him from her…and live.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0082813 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

William Asher directs. Jan de Bont behind the camera. Bruce Langhorne scores. Ted Nicolaou cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

145 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by William Asher, shot by Jan de Bont. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Bruce Langhorne. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Ted Nicolaou shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Jimmy McNichol and Susan Tyrrell and Bo Svenson carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "She was lonely. He was all she had. No one would take him from her…and live.".
7IMDB entry: tt0082813 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 16 themes, including "child abuse", "jealousy", "police", "homophobia".

The technical file

Cinematography: Jan de Bont
Original score: Bruce Langhorne
Editing: Ted Nicolaou
Makeup / hair: Erica Ueland
Stunt coordinator: Tommy J. Huff
Runtime: 96 min · 1h 36m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981)

Also by

William Asher

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2024-11-23
★ 6/10
A teen guy, his crazy aunt, Julia Duffy and Bo Svenson An orphan lives with his peculiar aunt (Jimmy McNichol and Susan Tyrrell) while seeking a basketball scholarship and pursuing a winsome blonde (Duffy). When someone ends up dead, it draws the attention of a narrow-minded detective (Svenson). The oddly titled "Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker" (1981) comes from the novel on which it was based. The author got it from the old rhyme about three men in a tub and, specifically, the line ‘The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker.’ The flick’s also known as “Night Warning.” There are some bits reminiscent of “Psycho,” but it mixes in a lot of droll humor, which is genuinely amusing, not to mention politically incorrect (which works for me). The last act is over-the-top with hammy acting and loads of blood that influenced future movies like “Scream” and Tarantino films. Duffy is a highlight in her pre-Newhart days. She has a brief top nude scene (just a heads up). Some of the characters are kind of sketchy, so you have to read between the lines; the book provides details, if you want ’em. Bill Paxton has a side role as the protagonist’s rival at school. I suppose it’s a ‘bad move,’ but it’s entertaining enough as a throwaway flick. It runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles. GRADE: B-/C+

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