Fade to Black (1980)

As a movie fanatic, it’s hard not to daydream about certain films and the characters within them. But what if a movie fan completely lost his grip on reality and began using those daydreams as weapons against those who have wronged him over time? That is the premise of 1980’s Fade to Black, a marvelously inventive but flawed movie about one such movie aficionado.

Dennis Christopher stars as Eric Binford, a socially awkward young man who dives into movies as an escape from the real world. Living with his overbearing, wheelchair-bound Aunt Stella (Eve Brent,) Eric spends most of his time in his room watching films on an old projector. Surrounded by movie memorabilia, he’s built a comfortable world for himself where he can hide from his aunt’s constant criticism. By day, he works at a film warehouse, delivering movie prints and promotional material to theaters. But even this dream job is disrupted by co-workers who bully and berate him for being “different.”

While at a local diner, Eric meets Marilyn O’Connor (Linda Kerridge,) an Australian model wannabe who looks exactly like Marilyn Monroe. Eric somehow manages to land a date with the attractive Marilyn. Unfortunately, she accidentally stands him up. This pushes his fragile psyche over-the-edge. Soon, Eric starts dressing up like his favorite movie characters and murdering those who have mistreated him. His murder spree begins with Aunt Stella. He pushes her wheelchair down the stairs, recreating a scene from Kiss of Death starring Richard Widmark.

Fade to Black features a fascinating performance from Dennis Christopher. He is, by far, the highlight of the movie. As Eric Binford, he convincingly transforms from an introverted movie fan into a wide array of personas, including Dracula, The Mummy, Hopalong Cassidy, and Cody Jarrett from White Heat. Christopher nails all of the nuances of a mentally wounded man while simultaneously going all-in on his over-the-top fantasy scenarios.

Vernon Zimmerman’s script is littered with countless references to movies and the film industry that will probably escape most viewers but — for those paying attention like Eric Binford would pay attention — they’re there to discover. Zimmerman also directed and I suspect that there is a lot of himself in the Eric Binford character. (At least being misunderstood for his love of movies and, hopefully, not the homicidal aspects.)

Unfortunately, Fade to Black falters in a few key areas. A major subplot involving a psychologist (Tim Thomerson) goes nowhere despite taking up a lot of screen time. Aside from providing some unnecessary exposition in the final reel, it just detracts momentum from the rest of the movie. (Admittedly, Thomerson’s cocaine-fueled harmonica scene is hilarious.) Also, the story’s conclusion feels predictable but yet unavoidable. That’s a shame since the film’s premise is so ingenious.

Still, Fade to Black is worth seeing for its unusual take on the slasher genre. The more you love movies, the more you’ll enjoy it.