Watch Deadtime Stories

Deadtime Stories is a horror-comedy anthology movie from 1986 that tells three different stories with dark twists and grim endings. Directed by Jeffrey Delman, the film stars Scott Valentine, Nicole Picard, and Matt Mitler and features practical effects and tongue-in-cheek humor. The first story is about a boy named Timmy who hates his babysitter, a rude and selfish woman who ignores him and watches TV all the time. One day, Timmy's fairy godmother appears and tells him that he can have three wishes. Timmy uses the first wish to turn the babysitter into a human-sized ragdoll, but soon realizes that his second wish, which is to undo the first wish, won't be enough to stop the ragdoll from seeking revenge. The story is short and quirky, with some dark humor and a few suspenseful moments.

The second story, "The Nightmares," is about a young man named David who visits his grandfather at a nursing home. David is struggling with nightmares and confides in his grandfather, who tells him a frightening tale about an evil witch who lives in the woods and feeds on the fears of children. David dismisses the story as nonsense, but as he falls asleep, he enters a nightmare realm where he must face the witch and his deepest fears. The story is longer than the first and has more suspense and creepiness, as well as a twist ending that ties it to the other stories.

The third story, "Penthouse," is about a playboy named Jodie who seduces women and then dumps them. Jodie's latest conquest, a mysterious woman named Yvonne, invites him to her penthouse for a night of passion. However, Jodie soon realizes that Yvonne is a vampire who wants to turn him into a vampire too. Jodie tries to escape, but Yvonne's servants and minions are everywhere, and his fate seems sealed. The story is the longest and goriest of the three, with plenty of violence, nudity, and grotesque creatures.

Overall, Deadtime Stories is an uneven but entertaining movie that pays homage to classic horror anthologies like EC Comics and Tales from the Crypt. The tone and style vary from story to story, with the first one being more lighthearted and cartoonish, the second one being more surreal and dreamlike, and the third one being more visceral and erotic. However, all three stories share a sense of dark humor and irony, as well as a twist ending that subverts the expectations of the audience.

The performances are decent but not outstanding, with Scott Valentine (who later played Nick on the TV series Family Ties) being the most memorable as the cocky and doomed Jodie. Nicole Picard is also notable as Yvonne, the seductive vampire who has a tragic backstory that explains her motivations. Matt Mitler, on the other hand, plays two different roles (Timmy and David) and is serviceable but not very expressive.

The direction by Jeffrey Delman is competent but not exceptional, with a few creative shots and sequences (such as the nightmare sequence in "The Nightmares") but also some clumsy editing and pacing issues. The special effects by Ed French and his team are practical and inventive, especially in the third story, which features some impressive makeup and creature designs.

The music by Jim Manzie and Steven M. Stern is catchy and atmospheric, with some synthesizer-driven themes that enhance the mood of each story. The cinematography by Thomas L. Callaway is functional but not remarkable, with a mostly static and straightforward style that emphasizes the dialogue and the action.

In conclusion, Deadtime Stories is a fun and quirky horror-comedy anthology that may not be for everyone but has its charms and merits. It's not a masterpiece of the genre, but it's a good example of how to mix scares and laughs in a low-budget movie. If you're a fan of horror anthologies or '80s B-movies, you might enjoy this one.

Deadtime Stories is a 1986 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 23 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.7.