The Nightmare' was the visual equivalent to the 'Welcome To My Nightmare' album. It was aired on US Television (ABC 11:30 EST 25th April 1975) to great acclaim. It takes the form of a long form 'video' to tell the story of the album, the first film of it's kind. All the songs from the album are featured plus 'The Ballad Of Dwight Fry'. The film also features horror superstar Vincent Price, performing his role as 'The Curator'.
The version of 'The Ballad Of Dwight Fry' is actually the original instrumental track with a new, probably live, vocal by Alice.
The 1975 'Welcome To My Nightmare' television special won an Emmy for best video tape editing in 1976.
Around 1984 'The Nightmare' TV special was released on Warner home video, just when the home video market was starting to open up. Due to this it became eligible for a Grammy that year, and was indeed nominated, but lost out to Duran Duran who were the current big thing. Alice attended the awards ceremony that year and presented with Grace Jones (Feb. 28th 1984). Original VHS copies quickly disappeared became extremely rare.
The film wasn't officially available again until August 2017, when it was finally re-released on DVD, coupled with a slightly edited version of the 'Welcome To My Nightmare' Wembley concert film ('Department Of Youth' is cut from the live film, although it's still listed on the back cover and on the DVD menu!).
The Show Producer, David Winter, went from arranging lavish TV productions for Rachel Welch and others to arranging even more lavish Alice Cooper stage shows.
.. was watching 'The Nightmare' from '75 last night, and wondering why Coop sings different words to 'Devil's Food', 'Some Folks', 'Only Women Bleed', etc. I'm talking totally different lyrics. Was it edited for T.V.?
From TV Guide April 25th 1975: