Bad Dreams (1988): Cast, Box Office & Plot
Bad Dreams is a 1988 horror thriller directed by Andrew Fleming, starring Jennifer Rubin as Cynthia, Philip Granger and Evan MacKenzie. It runs 1 hour 26 minutes and earned $9.8 million worldwide.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 26m (86 min)
- Director
- Andrew Fleming
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- No Frills Film Production
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Bad Dreams About?
The premise of Bad Dreams without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Cynthia survived the 1970s “free love” cult Unity Field’s infamous mass‑suicide, spared by sheer luck while the others perished in the fire. Decades later, the horror resurfaces as friends begin killing themselves and she is haunted by visions of the charismatic leader Harris, forcing her to finally confront the buried nightmare before it consumes her.
Bad Dreams Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- cult
- encouraged to commit suicide
- sole survivor
- coma
- 1970s
- 1980s
- borderline personality disorder
- hospital
- visions
- masochist
- stabbing oneself
- formaldehyde
+38 more Show fewer
- rooftop
- ledge
- revolver
- cult leader
- knife
- gore
- female protagonist
- female psychiatric patient
- electronic music score
- nightmare
- fire
- atonal music score
- cult film
- drugs
- storm
- falling from height
- flashback
- explosion
- suicide
- coffee
- scar
- drowning
- wheelchair
- prologue
- psychiatrist
- blood
- elevator
- blood splatter
- anger
- television set
- tire swing
- fireman
- thunder
- smoking
- hit by a car
- fire alarm
- falling out a window
- locker room
Bad Dreams Cast & Characters
Jennifer Rubin leads the cast as Cynthia, with Philip Granger as Unity Member #4 and Evan MacKenzie as Unity Member #10. Directed by Andrew Fleming; 46 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Andrew Fleming
- Jennifer Rubin as Cynthia
- Philip Granger as Unity Member #4
- Evan MacKenzie as Unity Member #10
- Kristina Loggia as Unity Member #5
Also Starring in Bad Dreams
· 42 more- Coleen Maloney Unity House Nurse
- Darnell Gregorio Unity Member #11
- Patricia Veselich Unity Member #6
- Tim Trella Unity Member #3
- James Bolt Unity Member #9
- Julianne Dallara Unity Member #8
- Lee Waddell Unity Member #2
- Elizabeth DuNah Unity Member #7
- Caroline Walter Unity Member #12
- Richard Lynch Harris
- Bruce Abbott Dr. Alex Karmen
- Harris Yulin Dr. Berrisford
- E. G. Daily Lana
- Susan Ruttan Miriam
- Louis Giambalvo Ed
- Susan Barnes Connie
Show all 46 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Dean Cameron Ralph
- James Purcell Paramedic
- Damita Jo Freeman Gilda
- Sy Richardson Detective Wasserman
- Charles Fleischer Ron the Pharmacist
- Romy Rosemont Nurse #3
- Michael Lindström Nurse
- Julianna McCarthy Nurse #1
- Randy Oglesby Cynthia's Policeman
- Sarina C. Grant Nurse #2
- Ellaraino Reporter #2
- Harry Johnson Reporter #5
- Steven Anderson Reporter #1
- Ben Kronen Edgar
- John Scott Clough Victor
- Don Sparks Policeman at Fire
- Brian Katkin Physical Therapist
- Melissa Francis Young Cynthia
- Charles Bouvier Ralph's Policeman
- Maria Melendez Reporter #4
- Anthony Cecere Fireman
- Jon Menick Night Guard Anthony
- Annie Waterman Unity House Nurse
- Steve Whiteford Reporter #7
- Sheila Scott Wilkinson Hettie
- Diane Zolten Wiltse Reporter #6
More from Andrew Fleming
More films directed by Andrew Fleming, best-rated first: Ideal Home, Dick, Hamlet 2 and The Craft.
Bad Dreams Plot Summary
What happens in Bad Dreams from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In 1975, the cult Unity Fields drives its followers to a mass suicide by fire under the command of its deranged leader, Franklin Harris, Richard Lynch. Only one young survivor remains: Cynthia Weston, Jennifer Rubin, a child at the time of the blaze who wakes from the flames to find thirteen years have passed. She lingers in a hospital coma until a sudden return to consciousness pulls her into a world that feels both alien and dangerous, filled with memories that won’t stay buried.
Full summary
The whole story of Bad Dreams, scene by scene
Bad Dreams Box Office
Bad Dreams grossed $9.8 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$9.8M
- US & Canada
- $9.8M
How Well Do You Know Bad Dreams?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What traumatic event does the film open with in 1975?
Cars in Bad Dreams
5 cars on screen, including the 1968 Cadillac Ambulance and the 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado.
-
1968 Cadillac Ambulance Minor role -
1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado Minor role -
1981 Chevrolet Malibu Minor role -
1986 Mercedes-Benz S-Klasse W126 Minor role
Bad Dreams Also Known As
13 alternative titles, including “La pesadilla mortal” and “Visiones”.
- Also known as
-
- La pesadilla mortal
- Visiones
- 13 años después
- Panics
- 悪夢の惨劇
- Vivere nel terrore
- Плохие сны
- Vision der Dunkelheit
- Lidérces álmok
- 恶梦初醒
- 악령의 분신
- Nocne Koszmary
+1 more Show fewer
- Zlé sny
Seen Bad Dreams?
Movies Like Bad Dreams
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including In Dreams, Nightmare and Nightmare.
Bad Dreams FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of Bad Dreams, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Bad Dreams?
Bad Dreams runs 1 hour 26 minutes (86 minutes).
When was Bad Dreams released?
Bad Dreams was released on April 8, 1988.
Who directed Bad Dreams?
Bad Dreams was directed by Andrew Fleming.
More films by Andrew Fleming Who is in the cast of Bad Dreams?
Bad Dreams stars Jennifer Rubin as Cynthia, Philip Granger as Unity Member #4 and Evan MacKenzie as Unity Member #10, among 46 credited actors.
How much did Bad Dreams make at the box office?
Bad Dreams grossed $9.8 million worldwide.
Does Bad Dreams have a post-credit scene?
No. Bad Dreams has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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