The Nesting (1981)

User Rating:

2.8/10   

Director:

Armand Weston

Writers:

Daria Price (writer)
Armand Weston (writer)

Release Date:

May 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The terror that hides inside your mind.

Plot:

A writer suffering from agoraphobia rents an isolated house so she can concentrate on her writing. She doesn't know that the house is a former brothel, and is inhabited by the ghosts of dead prostitutes.

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Prostitute | Agoraphobia | Nudity | Massacre

Cast

Robin Groves	...	Lauren Cochran
Christopher Loomis	...	Mark Felton
Michael David Lally	...	Daniel Griffith
John Carradine	...	Col. Lebrun / narrator
Gloria Grahame	...	Florinda Costello
Bill Rowley	...	Frank Beasley
David Tabor	...	Abner Welles
Patrick Farrelly	...	Dr. Webb
Bobo Lewis	...	Catherine Beasley
June Berry	...	Saphire
Ann Varley	...	Gwen
Cecile Lieman	...	Helga
Ron Levine	...	Leland LeBrun
Bruce Kronenberg	...	Young Abner
Jim Nixon	...	Young Frank

Also Known As:

Massacre Mansion (USA) (reissue title)
Phobia

Runtime:

104 min | Sweden:99 min (heavily cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:R | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Trivia:

Gloria Grahame's last movie.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 6 (1999) (V)

Rule no. 3954 in horror movies - never rent a house from John Carradine!

Not to be confused with the Corman cockroach classic THE NEST, this is semi-effective ghost story. Writer Lauren Cochran (Robin Groves) suffers from agoraphobia and, in a bid to overcome her ailment, she rents a stately mansion in the country from Colonel Lebrun (John Carradine). Turns out the old place used to be a brothel where some prostitutes were murdered after WWII and Cochran has a mysterious connection to the place.

Director Armand Weston spent most of his time doing X-rated stuff and this is his only attempt into legit films with mixed results. One on hand, the film benefits from some great atmosphere, thanks mostly to the run down house. There are also several effective ghost attack sequences. On the downside, the film runs way too long (nearly 2 hours) with some overly talky bits that dragggggg. Lead Groves, who reminded me of Patty Duke circa MATCH GAME, is an interesting choice for the lead but she makes the mania look realistic. Former MGM leading lady Gloria Grahame plays the part of the ghost madame and this was her last film.