Curtains (1983)

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

Director:

Richard Ciupka

Writer:

Robert Guza Jr. (screenplay)

Stars:

John Vernon, Samantha Eggar, Linda Thorson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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. Pendleton
Kate Lynch	...	Receptionist
Booth Savage	...	Amanda's Boyfriend
William Marshall	...	Attendant

Storyline

Samantha Sherwood has worked with the well-known director Jonathan Stryker on all his major films. She naturally assumes she has been given the title role in his latest venture, "Audra". He tells her that she nn needs to do some background research on the part, so arranges to have her committed to an asylum (as Audra is a former psychiatric patient). She goes along with this, not realising that he intends to leave her there indefinitely and audition six young women of various professions for the part instead. She finally manages to escape, and returns to the spooky old mansion where the auditions are taking place. But who is causing the disappearances of the young hopefuls?? Is it Samantha? Stryker? Or is one of the actresses willing to kill for the coveted part?? Just who is the killer behind the old-hag mask???

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Plot Keywords:

audition | mansion | asylum | mask | director | 

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Taglines:

The Stage is Set for the Final Act

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Genres:

Crime | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 March 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

A függöny

Filming Locations:

Muskoka, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 3,700,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Simcom Limited, Curtains Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The opening credits give John Vernon's fictional director Jonathan Stryker credit as the films director. Director Richard Ciupka decided not to place his name on the credits.

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Goofs

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

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Quotes

Jonathan Stryker: What makes you think your right for Audra?
Patti O'Connor: I'm as right as anyone else you got here... I mean GOD DAMMIT!, You haven't spent more then five minutes with me and now your telling me i'm no good for the part, WHY? because I don't have a staple to my navel like that center fold, or I wouldn't parrawet into bed with you and skate on your face. I mean what are you looking for anyways and what do you want from me? Who the fuck is Audra anyways?... Are you enjoying yourself?
Jonathan Stryker: I'm seeing a little bit of ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The credits are divided into acts like a play, due to the movie being centered around acting and scripts.

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Connections

Featured in Confessions of a Horror Baby: Curtains (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Save my Soul"
Courtesy of Burton Cummings & Shillelagh Music Co.

User Reviews

Forgotten Gem

Premise = Six actresses are invited to a cabin in the mountains to audition for the part of Audra. Well, all of these actresses are really good-looking (well or so they're supposed to be I guess) but one, there's someone running around in a hag mask killing people around the cabin. Anyone who gets in her way will die.

I watched this movie recently and found it very entertaining, quite different from the other slashers that came out during this era, and plus the acting is actually really good especially Samantha, there are many effective scenes like the ice skating murder scene which is really well done, the dream sequence with the doll at the beginning and the final chase scene which takes a rather unpredictable turn and last but not least the ending which has a bit of a twist which i never saw coming.

The killers mask is really creepy as well and the directing is rather sleek even though we know when the killer's going strike next. All in all this is a really entertaining slasher that deserves to be remembered.