The movie follows a man struggling with clear mental health problems who is released from an institution and returns to his violent habits, eventually making his way to Florida to find some relatives. “Nightmare” (1981) delivers intense psychological horror, similar to "Don't Go in the House" (1979), but it’s presented as a slasher film. The storyline of a dangerous individual escaping from an asylum with the intention of harming family members brings “Halloween” (1978) to mind; however, this movie is considerably more graphic and features strong female characters, including Danny Ronan (Kathy), Sharon Smith (Susan), among others. There are moments where it feels slow-paced, but I found it enjoyable overall for what it is. Some viewers find the film perplexing, which they attribute to the artistic approach of the Italian director/writer, but the story itself isn’t complicated. The plot—as described earlier—is quite straightforward and becomes clear by the end once you connect a few dots. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour, 37 minutes and was filmed in locations like Manhattan and Times Square, though most of the shooting took place in Florida, including Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, Cocoa, and the Orlando Airport. GRADE: B-/B

Source on TMDB