SXSW premiered the documentary “The Nightmare” and it may be the scariest thing you’ve ever seen!
Think of all of your perceptions of fear manifested by Hollywood horror and forget them. At SXSW a documentary about sleep paralysis premiered titled “The Nightmare” and it has people terrified. With an in depth analysis of sleep paralysis and real life encounters explained by actual victims, even this trailer will bring chills down your spine. Take a look at the trailer below.
What brings about fear is not Hollywood special effects and flair, it’s human imagination. When hearing these people describe their specific accounts of sleep paralysis and the horrid visions they produce, it lets the fear run free in your own mind. “The Nightmare” seems to play to your own imagination and with it being a documentary, it blends your deepest fears with reality which could be the most terrifying cinematic experience yet. From what I’ve seen this appears to be a documentary and not a gimmick to promote a mockumentary style film.
Director Rodney Ascher, best known for “Room 237,” does something that’s never been done before. Instead of creating a mockumentary style horror film, he’s created a horror style documentary film. By recreating these people’s own personal accounts through horrific reenactments, Ascher creates a documentary that brings horror to life. He breaks the barriers of reality and crosses over into the unknown by combining the science of sleep paralysis with supernatural reenactments of people’s imagination. From what I’m told, there are even religious ties in the film as people seek comfort through prayer to rid these demons that plague their mind.
While I am someone who is rarely scared or startled, this may be the first approach to a cinematic experience where I may grip the covers a little bit tighter as I fall asleep.