Masters of Horror: A Retrospective (Season 1, Part 3)

To conclude my quickie takes on Season One of the Masters of Horror series from Showtime.  By the way, if you decide to go ahead and splurge on the entire 13 episodes, they come in this neat little mausoleum vault.






FAIR HAIRED CHILD

Directed by William Malone

"A teenage outcast is kidnapped by a strange couple and locked in a basement with their son, who has a dark secret."

My take:  A somewhat predictable tale, and not very horrific IMHO.  Bury it.

SICK GIRL

Directed by Lucky McKee

"A female insect enthusiast starts a relationship with another woman, but then also finds herself involved with a rather predatory and aggressive insect."

My take:  This one got to me.  Then ending had me both laughing and screaming.  Rent it.

PICK ME UP

Directed by Larry Cohen

"Two serial killers (one who kills hitchhikers, another who kills anyone who gives him a ride) clash over their latest victim."

My take:  Just when you think you've come across a typical serial killer movie, it turns on you.  And then the ending bites you in the butt.  Rent it.


HAECKEL'S TALE

Directed by John McNaughton

"In the 1850s, a man on his way to his sick father in upstate New York, seeks shelter in a secluded cabin owned by a mysterious couple where he becomes involved in a grotesque orgy of the undead."

My take:  Gruesome, controversial, and will definitely haunt you long afterwards.  Buy it.

IMPRINT

Directed by Takashi Miike

"A 19th century American tourist gets much more than he bargained for while searching for a Japanese prostitute he fell in love with years earlier."

My take:  This one was never shown with the others during the series' run.  Instead it was finally released straight to DVD.  It's extremely controversial, but you might want to go ahead and rent it.  But be warned, and have a strong stomach.

Masters of Horror: A Retrospective (Season 1, Part 2)

To continue with my quick takes regarding Season One of the Masters of Horror episodes shown on Showtime from 2005-2006:

JENIFER

Directed by Dario Argento

"A police officer saves the life of a hideously deformed young woman, only to find himself drawn into a web of murder and self-destruction which he finds hard to break away."

My take:  Gives "Beauty and the Beast" a whole new meaning.  Rent it!

CHOCOLATE

Directed by Mick Garris

"A recently divorced young man begins experiencing the world through the senses of a woman he's never met after eating a sample of chocolate. But his quest to meet her face-to-face leads to drastic consequences."

My take:  Creepy with a strange ending.  I'll say rent it if you have absolutely nothing else better to do.

HOMECOMING

Directed by Joe Dante

"Political satire in which the reanimated corpses of soldiers killed in Iraq return in an attempt to sway the presidential election."

My take:  A fresh new look at zombies.  Rent it.

DEER WOMAN

Directed by John Landis

"A police detective investigates a series of brutal murders which are committed by an ancient creature in the form of a beautiful woman whom is spawned from a Native American mythology in this horror-comedy."

My take:  Beware the words "horror comedy".   Bury this one.

CIGARETTE BURNS

Directed by John Carpenter

"A man searches for the last surviving print of a rare film that allegedly drove the only audience that ever viewed it into a fit of homicidal frenzy."

My take:  A strange little film that left me uneasy.  Rent it and see if you don't agree.

Masters of Horror: A Retrospective (Season 1, Part 1)

Back in 2005-2006, Showtime began a new series of horror shorts called Masters of Horror.  The impetus behind this series was two-fold:

- Produce hard-core, uncut horror along the lines of those shown in theaters, but in one-hour formats
- Have these shorts directed by the Cream of the Cream in horror directors
With the likes of John Landis, John Carpenter, Larry Cohen, Joe Dante, and Tobe Hooper coming aboard, expectations were high.

My verdict overall is a solid 6 out of 10.  Some episodes were disturbing. Some were silly (as in ridiculous).  And some were... well...

Starting today, I'll be hitting both seasons with quick blurbs and a short 'yea' or 'nay'.  So if you've never had the chance to view any of these little gems, you might want to check out those that interest you.  However, I must add that these shows ran just short of an hour, so you might feel short-changed in paying full video rental price for them.
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INCIDENT ON AND OFF A MOUNTAIN ROAD
directed by Don Coscarelli

"A young woman matches wits with a deformed and sadistic serial killer on and off a remote mountain road."

My take: A terrific start to the series.  Think "Hills Have Eyes" out in the middle of the mountains.  This one doesn't give you a moment to breathe.

H. P. LOVECRAFT'S DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE
directed by Stuart Gordon

"A college student renting an old room in a boarding house discovers a plot by sinister, otherworldly forces to sacrifice his neighbour's infant."

My take:  I tried to like this one, but it was too rambling and too confusing to follow.

DANCE OF THE DEAD
directed by Tobe Hooper

"A teen girl living in a post-apocalyptic village befriends a group of rough punks who hang out at a sinister bar which reanimated corpses dance on stage."

My take:  A very sick episode once you think about it.  A dark futuristic tale that doesn't leave you with any warm fuzzies.  I didn't see the ending coming.