Curtains

3/4/19831h 29m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ Behind every curtain, someone is waiting...something is watching. ~

Overview:

Six young actresses auditioning for a movie role at a remote mansion are targeted by a mysterious masked murderer.

Director:

Richard Ciupka

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

mask
murder
stalking
serial killer
slasher
murderer
maniac
killer
doll
audition

Cast

John Vernon

~ as ~

Jonathan Stryker

Samantha Eggar

~ as ~

Samantha Sherwood

Linda Thorson

~ as ~

Brooke Parsons

Anne Ditchburn

~ as ~

Laurian Summers

Lynne Griffin

~ as ~

Patti O'Connor

Sandee Currie

~ as ~

Tara DeMillo

Lesleh Donaldson

~ as ~

Christie Burns

Deborah Burgess

~ as ~

Amanda Teuther

Michael Wincott

~ as ~

Matthew

Maury Chaykin

~ as ~

Monty

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

Wuchak
Written 2 year(s) ago
6
Someone’s slaying wannabe actresses at an isolated manor in the wintry sticks

A demanding director (John Vernon) rejects his aging muse (Samantha Eggar) for the role of a mad woman in his next film and so has six young lasses vie for a role at his mansion in the snowy woods of the Northeast. The problem is, someone in an old-hag mask is killing ’em off one by one.

"Curtains” (1983) is an artistic slasher birthed from a troubled production. Shooting began in November, 1980, with original director Richard Ciupka wanting to make an arthouse thriller, which led to hostilities with producer Peter Simpson, who wanted a conventional slasher since they were in vogue. This caused Ciupka to abandon the project with most of it shot. The film was shelved for over a year with uncredited Simpson taking over; rewrites and reshoots were done (mostly the beginning and end), along with one recasting (the role of Brooke Parsons).

You might remember Vernon as Captain Fletcher in “The Outlaw Josey Wales.” He’s commanding here; very convincing as the arrogant director.

There’s enough good for those interested, with the skating sequence standing out, but it’s not as effective as the similar “StageFright” (1987), yet it’s not too far off. There are too many dull parts with not enough character development and the directors didn’t take advantage of the feminine resources (not talkin’ ’bout nudity or sleaze), not to mention some scenes are too dark. However, the climax is good and surprising.

If you’re going to view it, stay away from the lousy darker prints with washed out colors offered on some streaming channels. There’s a decent restored print currently available on Youtube.

The film runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and, was shot in the greater Toronto area, including Muskoka, Caledon and Forks of the Credit (the gas station scene) with studio stuff done at Commercial Studios in Scarborough.

GRADE: B-/C+