STAGEFRIGHT
Directed by Michele Soavi | 90 min | 1987 | Italy | Rated 18+
Starring: David Brandon, Richard Barkeley, Barbara Cupisti
*Screening as part of NWFearFest Retro ’80s Slasher Night
While a group of young actors rehearse a new musical about a mass murderer, a notorious psychopath escapes from a nearby asylum. But when the show’s director locks his cast in the theatre overnight, the madman is accidentally locked inside as well. Now, a killer—with acting in his blood—has gone berserk for the blood of actors (producing several scenes that EuroHorror fans worldwide consider to be the most violent of the decade). The stage is set for one unforgettable evening of shock, suspense, and unstoppable carnage.
STAGEFRIGHT marked the stunning directorial debut of Dario Argento’s protégé, Michele Soavi, and instantly sealed his reputation as the leader of Italian horror’s new generation of filmmakers. Cap off your ’80s slasher movie night with one of the absolute best slashers of the decade, uncut and on the big screen!
Screens with the short film: The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much, a loving ode to the Italian giallo cinema of the ’70s!
Rated 18+, frequent gory violence.
*Patrons under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Feature film preceded by the short film:
THE SEEING EYE DOG WHO SAW TOO MUCH
Directed by Eric Jackowitz | 17 min | 2025 | USA
In 1975, Italian director Enrico Januzzi began filming this presumed “lost” giallo about a blind violinist who finds herself stalked by a black-gloved killer. The only witness: her seeing-eye dog. Rediscovered and painstakingly restored by WBAZ Films in 2025, this surviving fragment is presented for the very first time!