BUTCHER, BAKER, NIGHTMARE MAKER (1981) – Episode 286 – Decades of Horror 1980s

“Now, you said he touched your boobie. What else did he do?” Fixed the TV? Join your faithful Grue Crew – Crystal Cleveland, Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, and Jeff Mohr – as they view the bizarre family dynamics and bigoted police detective as portrayed in Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981).

Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 286 – Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981)

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Gruesome Magazine is partnering with the WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL (https://wickedhorrortv.com/) which now includes video episodes of Decades of Horror 1980s and is available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, and its online website across all OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.

An orphaned teenager finds himself being dominated by his aunt, who’s hell-bent on keeping him with her at all costs.

• Director: William Asher; Michael Miller (uncredited)
• Writers: Steve Breimer (as Stephen Breimer) and Alan Jay Glueckman  & Boon Collins
• Cinematographers: Robbie Greenberg, Jan de Bont (uncredited)
• Editor: Ted Nicolaou
• Selected Cast:
  • Jimmy McNichol as Billy Lynch
  • Susan Tyrrell as Cheryl Roberts
  • Bo Svenson as Detective Joe Carlson
  • Marcia Lewis as Margie
  • Julia Duffy as Julie Linden
  • Britt Leach as Sergeant Cook
  • Steve Eastin as Tom Landers
  • Caskey Swaim as Phil Brody
  • Cooper Neal as Frank
  • Bill Paxton as Eddie( credited as William Paxton)
  • Kay Kimler as Anna Lynch
  • Gary Baxley as Bill Lynch, Sr.
  • Vickie Oleson as Lady Police Officer
  • Clemente Anchondo as Jail Arrestee
  • Alex Baker as Police Officer Westcott
  • Randy Norton as Student Tony
  • Kelly Kopp as Student
  • Steve ‘Bunker’ de France as Lab Man (credited as Steve DeFrance)
  • Bill Keene as Radio Announcer (voice)
  • Riley Morgan as Chuck Strang

Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981) is a trip! The title, a variation on a nursery rhyme, can only refer to the film’s lead villain, Susan Tyrrell (Aunt Cheryl), who chews the scenery so magnificently, you can’t take your eyes off her. Director William Asher (I Love Lucy, Bewitched) does an unexpectedly fine job in a departure from his sitcom roots. Teen heartthrob Jimmy McNichol (Billy) and Julia Duffy (Newhart, 1983-90) make a believable teen couple despite the decade difference in their ages. Bo Svenson plays the easy-to-hate bigoted, homophobic Detective Carlson, who is countered by Britt Leach’s conscientious and tolerant police sergeant. The film also, to its credit, features a positive homosexual role model in Billy’s basketball coach (Steve Eastin). Finally, Bill Paxton makes an appearance as Billy’s nemesis and bully. The 80s Grue-Crew gives Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker high marks and wonder why this movie is not better known. Long live Susan Tyrrell!

At the time of this writing, Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981) is available to stream from Wicked Horror TV, Hoopla, Tubi, Shudder, and more, as well as multiple PPV sources. It is also available on physical media as a 2-Disc Collector’s Edition [4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray] and as Blu-ray only versions from Severin.

Every two weeks, Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s podcast will cover another horror film from the 1980s. The next episode’s film, chosen by Bill, will be Silent Rage (1982), featuring Chuck Norris, Ron Silver, and Stephen Keats. What? You say you didn’t know Chuck Norris made a horror movie? Neither did we. In fact, IMDb classifies Silent Rage as a dark comedy/slasher horror/crime/action/horror/sci-fi/thriller. Hopefully, the 80s Grue Crew will be able to narrow that down a bit.

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