MovieChat Forums > Hammer House of Horror (1980) Discussion > 'Rude awakening'

'Rude awakening'

posted 16 years ago by smailliwmik
12 replies | jump to latest

I've been looking at the "favourite story's" thread... and I have to say that I am very surprised that "Rude awakening" is ranked 2nd...

because I have not long watched it, and I have to say it didn't do very much for me at all...

As I pretty much guessed from the pre-credits sequence that the majority of the episode would be one long dream, and I spent the rest of it waiting for the finale...

and I've gotta say it was a let-down for me, it didn't really make sense and felt like they'd just run out of steam and didn't really know how to finish it.

So he just woke up and killed his wife, is that it?... and are we supposed to summise from the necklace snatch at the end that the secretary and the detective where in cahoots and actually somehow he wasn't dreaming??... like I said it felt like a let-down and didn't make sense.

Now contrast this with the story "Visitor from the grave" which you all seem to hate... but I actually really liked, in VFTG I wasn't actually sure till right at the end if she was being set-up or not... and then when she came back to really haunt them I thought it was fantastic.

[–] WinstonNephron 16 years ago

Some fair points on both, so how about voting for your top 5:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080231/board/thread/66544157?d=95435482&a mp;a mp;p=7#95435482

If you were to vote Visitor From the Grave as your #1, it could move up a couple spots. In fairness, It should be noted that since we're voting for our 'top 5,' anyone's #'s 6 through 13 get zero points. So, for all we know, Visitor From The Grave could be 6 or 7 for most people, but just hasn't broken into too many folk's top 5, thus the low score. I don't hate it; I think it's a pretty good one, probibly in my top 7 or 8.

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/

[–] smailliwmik 16 years ago

I will vote for my Top 5 Winston in the appropriate thread... just a few things to add though...

I havn't actually seen all the story's, there are 3 I havn't seen yet... which are "Growing Pains", "Charlie Boy" and "The mark of satan"

And to be totally honest, other than one tale which is my definite no.1 (which isn't VFTG btw), I'm actually finding it very hard to pick a top 5, I guess "Visitor" would be in there... but other than that I really don't know.

[–] alexlarge 16 years ago

Definitely watch the other three before voting then, as Charlie Boy is a very strong episode (my personal favourite). It will also be interesting to see if you agree with the almost universal (on here) dislike of Mark of Satan/Growing Pains.

As for Rude Awakenings, I know what you mean. It's a very odd one in the series - almost comedic and Benny Hill in places. Then again, that variety is one of the beauties of the show. It's by no means the only very odd episode in the series and it's fun to watch.

Out of interest, what is your definite favourite so far? My money's on Silent Scream.

[–] IokFromTheCrypt 16 years ago

I remember seeing Rude Awakening when it first aired and being really freaked out by it (and being impressed by teh boobehs!)

The thing about Mark of Satan is it's a real grower and I think it actually stands up to more successive viewings. There's also the ambiguity to it that makes it so interesting in the same way Rude Awakening has the same weird dream logic.

Phoo Are My World!

[–] icequeen_vienna 15 years ago

I remember first seeking 'Rude Awakening' when I was at school and we were all confused because we didn't know when he was awake and when he was dreaming. They could have made the ending a little clearer.

Not one of the best episodes.

[–] bigal_a 9 years ago

I remember first seeking 'Rude Awakening' when I was at school and we were all confused because we didn't know when he was awake and when he was dreaming. They could have made the ending a little clearer.

Not one of the best episodes.

The Matrix before its time. I really liked it in my late teens and still do.

The restitution of life is no great feat. A variety of deaths may well enter into your punishment

[–] WinstonNephron 16 years ago

Please do see all of them first,...and don't let other posters, either here or elsewhere, influence your choices.

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/

[–] Brenapp 11 years ago

I thought Rude Awakening wasn't too bad, but there were a couple of things about it that bothered me. Exactly what was the significance of the old country mansion that the guy kept being drawn back to, and the old woman he met there who it turned out was a ghost? And at the end, when the police detective tells him that his wife's sister found her dead body, and he casually remarks that his wife doesn't have a sister....What was that about? Apart from that though, not bad.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] LaPfieffer92 11 years ago

VERY confusing ending. i will admit that secratary was the hottest little piece of ass, i mean JEE all those sexy outfits! denholm elliot, who ive mainly from tradeing places and the indiana jones movies, it was great to see him in this. but i honestly didnt get the ending. the fact his wife didnt have a sister, and the necklace snatch at the end, and that mysterious phonecall at the end, leads me to believe that it was a dream again, although not such an outlandish dream like the others. they leave it open i guess.

however the old woman who was a ghost said that she believed in psyshic stuff and she said the first dream could have been a of the past and then of the future, so maybe he was haveing pshycic premonitions of what would happen to him. the necklace snatch could simply have been the little secretary just grabbing the jewelery out of greed, or it could have bee because of the dream. i honestly cant say i will ever fully understand that episode.

Realism, Remakes and Unnecessary Sequels are ruining movies!

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] Woodyanders 7 years ago

I thought it was a fun episode. Denholm Elliott was a hoot in the lead and Lucy Gutteridge looked super hot in all those different outfits and hairstyles.

I've been chasing grace/ But grace ain't easy to find