The Nightmare

Rodney Ascher follows his intriguing rumination on Stanley Kubrick's The Shining in Room 237 with this underwhelming study of sleep paralysis. Admitting to suffering from a condition that subjects the victim to night terrors while in a seeming state of wakefulness, Ascher opts not to delve into scientific theory, but to ask eight sufferers to describe what they have experienced and illustrate their testimony with eerie re-creations. Each speaker is chillingly credible in their recollection, whether they have seen "shadow men" or aliens in their room or been subjected to rape or castration. One even claims to have been converted to Christianity by spirits that subsequently left her in peace. Evocatively designed and moodily lit, the vignettes are deftly edited by Ascher to Jonathan Snipes's lowering score to unsettle the audience. But, without expert input, they merely feel like a collection of creepy campfire tales rather than insights into a disconcerting phenomenon.