Curtains (1983)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Richard Ciupka

Writer:

Robert Guza Jr. (writer)

Release Date:

4 March 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Behind Every Curtain, Someone Is Watching...Something Is Waiting

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Mansion | Audition | Murderer | Asylum | Mask

Cast

John Vernon	...	Jonathan Stryker
Samantha Eggar	...	Samantha Sherwood
Linda Thorson	...	Brooke Parsons
Anne Ditchburn	...	Laurian Summers
Lynne Griffin	...	Patti O'Connor
Sandee Currie	...	Tara DeMillo (as Sandra Warren)
Lesleh Donaldson	...	Christie Burns
Deborah Burgess	...	Amanda Teuther
Michael Wincott	...	Matthew
Maury Chaykin	...	Monty
Joann McIntyre	...	Secretary
Calvin Butler	...	Dr. Arthur Pendleton
Kate Lynch	...	Receptionist
Booth Savage	...	Amanda's Boyfriend Peter
William Marshall	...	Attendant

Runtime:

USA:89 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 | Australia:M | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Muskoka, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Simcom Limited

Trivia:

Shooting of the film started in 1980 but the production was plagued with problems. It was shelved for over a year during which re-writes, re-shoots, and at least one re-casting was done. The film was finally completed and released in 1983.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When Brooke is arguing with Monty the agent, there is a mic above Monty's desk in the first shot of him.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Skull of Pain (1997)

Little known slasher isn't half bad

A number of good Canadian horror movies have made their way to the USA, to become cult classics. Bob Clark's outstanding 1974 horror-thriller Black Christmas remains a staple of the modern "scary" movie. Beloved Jamie Lee Curtis came to horror fame through the likes of Prom Night (1980) and Terror Train (also 1980). However, you may not have heard of this interesting little shocker...

Curtains is a better-than average slasher, despite some of its reviews. The movie is about six actresses who go to audition at a director's country house, where it seems someone is willing to kill for the role! While this may sound cliché, the film has enough creativity on it's side for one not to really notice. It sets up some pretty good shock sequences. Anyone who has read about this film will surely have seen mention of the infamous "ice skating" scene, which is very memorable.

Curtains was a troubled production though. It was to be filmed in 1980 and ended up taking years before completion. So, any of the films "loose ends" are more likely a product of this problem. But it does hold together. The cast is quite good; Eggar, Griffin, and Thorson are in especially top-form. The direction is well done with a touch of style. Paul Zaza's music score is an effective one. Last, but not least, the story itself is a gripper!

For horror fans, Curtains is a rare treat that is well worth seeking out. It ranks with some of the better slashers of the early '80s.

*** out of ****