History Film / AmericanNightmare

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->''"One night seven friends confess their fears... To a killer."''

'''''American Nightmare''''' is a 2002 DirectToVideo {{Psychological|Horror}} SlasherMovie starting Debbie Rochon.

On UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve, a group of friends gathers to listen to a radio show. The host implores his listeners to divulge their deepest fears. Our heroes do so, not knowing what will ensure. There's a madwoman listening in, plotting to bring their fears to life...

Not to be confused with the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode or [[Film/AmericanNightmare1983 the 1983 Canadian film of the same name]].
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!!This film contains examples of:

* AmericanTitle: Type 3. Named after the radio show that kicks off the plot.
* BigBad: Jane Toppan is killing everybody.
* BlackComedyRape: One character's phobia of gang rape by old women is PlayedForLaughs.
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Most of our heroes are dead. Jessie is tricked into killing her own sister. All the survivors are traumatized, and at least one is going to prison. Then we cut to our killer, taking some medication and bawling on her bed in an oddly sympathetic moment. Her father comes in and sings her a lullaby. End film.]]
* DeadlyDoctor: The BigBad was a nurse before taking up homicide.
* EvilLawyerJoke: One guy references his LouisCypher costume by quipping "Every attorney is a devil in disguise!"
* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday: Halloween.
* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Toppan escapes after killing half our heroes and psychologically traumatizing the other half.]]
* LovesTheSoundOfScreaming: Toppan puts a walkie-talkie in the coffin of a victim she BuriedAlive so she can hear the screams.
* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: There really was a serial killer named [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Toppan Jane Toppan]] in the late 1800s/early 1900s, though her favored method was simple poisoning, rather than the more elaborate murders in the movie.
* ShockJock: The host of "American Nightmare" is the kind of jock who jokes that "the spirit of Halloween is kids in the hospital."
* ShoutOut:
** Our heroes are introduced playing a movie quote guessing game, where ''Film/FromDuskTillDawn'', ''Film/Halloween1978'' and ''Film/FleshForFrankenstein'' are quoted.
** The callers on the radio show mention being terrified by ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' and ''Film/TheVanishing''.
* VillainOpeningScene: Toppan massacres a group of friends to capture the one who sold her out.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: The killings are themed based on the victim's phobias.

On UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve, a group of friends gather to listen to a radio show. The host implores his listeners to divulge their deepest fears. Our heroes do so, not knowing what will ensure. There's a madwoman listening in, plotting to bring their fears to life...

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Most of our heroes are dead. Jessie is tricked into killing her own sister. All the survivors are traumatized, and at least one is going to prison. Then we cut to our killer, taking some medication and bawling on her bed in an oddly sympathetic moment. Her father comes in, and sings her a lullaby. End film.]]

* LovesTheSoundOfScreaming: Toppan puts a walkie talkie in the coffin of a victim she BuriedAlive so she can hear the screams.

* VillainOpeningScene: Toppan massacring a group of friends to capture the one who sold her out.

* ADateWithRosiePalms: Toppan is the kind of loony who ''mastirbates with a knife!''

Not to be confused with the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode or the 1983 Canadian film of the same name.

** The callers on the radio show mention being terrified by ''Film/Psycho1960'' and ''Film/TheVanishing:'.

Not to be confused with the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode.

-->''"One night seven friends confess their fears... To a killer."''