Parasomnia

PARASOMNIA

One of the worst films I’ve ever seen, Parasomnia (from 2008) has such a ridiculous and convoluted premise that it’s difficult to summarize concisely.  Essentially, a fellow named Danny kidnaps (from a hospital) a girl named Laura who suffers from a condition that causes her to sleep most of the time.  Danny’s actions provoke the wrath of a serial killer hypnotist who wants to possess Laura.

Parasomnia’s script is absurd, and the special effects (specifically those in Laura’s dream sequences) look like poor live-action/cartoon hybrids.  Seriously, if the folks at Cinematic Titanic ever opt to riff on recent movies, Parasomnia would be a fine choice.  The script presents a wholly unrealistic tale in which the following events occur: Laura wakes up outside of her hospital room and grants consent for Danny to take her to his home.  The serial killer (Byron Volpe) communicates with Laura in her dreams.  Volpe also can hypnotize people and compel them to commit murder with just a glance.  Danny continues to obsessively protect Laura even after she kills a cop right in front of him.  Danny and Laura proclaim their love for each other after having known each other ever so briefly.  There’s a subplot about Danny’s desire to own a rare piece of vinyl that has nothing to do with the primary story.  The tale ends with Danny and Laura (he comatose, she asleep) afloat in a tank full of liquid with breathing apparatuses stuck in their mouths while a doctor observes them and gushes exposition to a fellow who has no business knowing any of it.

If you crave crap in high-definition, check out the Blu-ray of Parasomnia.