Curtains
February 28th 2007 09:44
Curtains tells the slight tale of several women vying for the coveted title role of Audra in egocentric director Jonathon Stryker’s (the very hammy John Vernon) latest cinematic opus. He is staging his auditions in his wintery mansion, and has been joined by his old flame and ex-muse, Samantha (Samantha Eggar).
But someone is taking extreme exception to the casting process and is offing the hopefuls before they can deliver the goods to Stryker. The killer hides behind the mask of an old hag. Who can it be?
The cast is an intriguing bunch. Some faces that you’d recognize from other Canadian features, but looking a tad younger here. The question is what happened to most of these actors? They seemed to have slipped between the cracks. The always watchable Michael Wincott is utterly wasted here and doesn’t even get one line of dialogue, although to be fair, apparently several scenes were cut which may have added more weight to some of the characterizations.
The other memorable scene is very atmospheric and impressive in maintaining suspense and an almost expressionist visual sense. Tara (Sandra Warren) is being steadily stalked by the killer through the claustrophobic surrounds of a backstage setting complete with mannequins and hanging costumes, as well as the odd hanging ballerina. Those creepy shots where you are nervously waiting to see the killer appear round the corner always work a treat.
It’s a pity Curtains wasn’t a little longer (a curious thought, since most slashers shouldn’t by more than 90 mins), so that the competing actors could have had more time to play (pun intended). Or maybe I just wanted to spend more time with one in particular, Laurian (Anne Ditchburn) the ballerina, as she was very cute. But then the leggy and busty Tara had my undivided attention too.
Sheesh, I must be clutching at straws. It appears Curtains has a little cult following, which might have something to do with pure nostalgia and the fact that due to film rights wrangling the movie is currently not available on DVD. It certainly commands a mood, a few nifty camera angles (as well as a contrived “curtain” wipe between certain scenes), a half decent score, and has a genuinely surprising reveal of the killer, but the deaths aren’t dramatic enough and Michael Wincott didn’t even get to say one bloody word in his sumptuously deep husky voice.
And so the curtain falls on Curtains.
Here's the original trailer ... amuse yourself, knock yourself out:
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Comment by David
Love the still of 'shithead' in the toilet ...
It'd be worth watching the film just to see that, I reckon ...
David ...
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
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Comment by charles
ZCars
Ponderous
Charles.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I haven't seen curtains but by the sounds of things I didnt miss much. Wasnt Jonathon Stryker a charcater in Flying High?
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Stryker, that's what I thought too, I just can't get over how the filmmakers totally wasted Michael Wincott as an actor ....
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Just looked up imdb.com the character is Ted Styryker in Flying High (Aeroplane)...close though.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile