Curtains

Hidden somewhere in this dated and predictable horror is a potential classic of the genre looking to escape. Curtains is a early slasher movie that uses the template that has now become the boring norm. Yet, there are some genuinely good scenes and frightening moments. Unfortunately, they are submerged between clearly sign posted plot devices and oh so obvious build ups. It is a film that needed to be a bit more enigmatic and a lot less episodic. With a bit more imagination it could have been a film we were still talking about as an original and best. Instead it isn't. If not instantly forgettable it is certainly one that I doubt I'll long remember.

Some creepy moments and an atmospheric location, but "Curtains" is also ponderous and bloodless, which, for a slasher coming at the end of a cycle, is suicide. It seems to have been inspired by Soavi's "Stagefright", an excellent slasher, but it's too slight, too low key to make any impact. The plot, if you can call it that, focuses on women auditioning for a part in a horror film. They don't get the part, they get killed. The Australian "Nightmares" (by John Lamond) bears some resemblance to this, but uses its theatre setting to better effect. The poster art depicting a deformed doll and a curtain was striking and raised expectations, but director Jonathan Stryker seems incapable of pacing the narrative and is finally undone by is refusal to let the blood run free.

CURTAINS is a grim and dark Canadian slasher movie from 1983. The plot, about a number of young actresses auditioning for a film director at a bleak and remote mansion, is nothing special, and the constant storytelling really does nothing for the movie apart from slowing the pace down and making it pretty boring to watch. The too-dark cinematography means that all of the crucial death scenes are hard to see and might as well take place in pitch blackness. No, the only thing interesting about this movie is the presence of Hollywood notables like John Vernon and Samantha Eggar, with Linda Thorson and a youthful Michael Wincott alongside them; the rest is merely sleep-inducing.

I guess that "Curtains" is slightly better than the average slasher flick, mainly because they have a MacGuffin*. Otherwise, it has the sorts of things that one would expect in such a movie: nudity, screaming, etc. Usually, I wouldn't expect to see John Vernon in a horror film - especially after "Animal House" - but he has one of the more interesting roles that I've seen in this genre, approximately as cold as the roles with which he's most often associated. So, if you're looking for a mildly better slasher flick, this might be just the one. Granted, you can tell that the one woman isn't a real skater and that the other woman isn't a real dancer, but everything else makes up for that. An OK film. Also starring Samantha Eggar. *In case you've never heard of it, a MacGuffin is a red herring, something that throws you off. You'll realize what it is as the movie progresses.

"Curtains" is a pretty good slasher.It's well-made and genuinely creepy.The scene with the killer coming across the ice with the sickle is extremely scary!The film isn't as good as Bob Clark's brilliant "Black Christmas"(1974),but still it has some very suspenseful moments.The killer wears an ugly mask which makes him/her even more menacing.There is not enough gore for my liking,but I'd still recommend this little gem to horror fans!