"Masters of Horror" Sick Girl (2006)

Director:

Lucky McKee

Writers:

Mick Garris (creator)
Sean Hood (teleplay) ...

TV Series:

"Masters of Horror" (2005)

Original Air Date:

13 January 2006 (Season 1, Episode 10)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

A story about an evil bug with the ability to change people's behavior, a commentary on the dangers of moving into a relationship too quickly.

Plot Keywords:

Insect | Flashback | Kitchen | Female Bonding | Cocaine

Cast

Angela Bettis	...	Ida Teeter
Misty Mundae	...	Misty Falls (as Erin Brown)
Jesse Hlubik	...	Max
Marcia Bennett	...	Lana Beasley
Mike McKee	...	Professor Malcolm Wolf
Chandra Berg	...	Betty, the Ladybug

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

USA:TV-MA | Germany:16 | Argentina:18 | Norway:15 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-15 (TV rating) (self applied) (2008) | Finland:K-18 (DVD) (self applied) (2007)

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

British Columbia Production Tax Credit

Trivia:

Roger Corman was going to direct Sick Girl but was replaced by Lucky McKee.

Quotes:

Ida Teeter: Hello there, ladybug. Give me some skin.

Movie Connections:

Features The Big, Weird Normal (2002)

a novice "Master" produces one of the series' better episodes

There is a certain unease to the supplements on the 'Sick Girl' DVD. Director Lucky McKee is strangely reserved in divulging the details of his life and career, as are the collaborators interviewed for the 'Working with a Master' featurette. It's not hard to see why; as many others (even "Masters of Horror" creator Mick Garris) have pointed out, McKee is a director with only one (publicly released) horror film to his name. Granted, that film is the stunning, oddly sad sleeper "May" (which even Roger Ebert awarded 4 stars), which contained a star-making performance from Angela Bettis (who truly lends professionalism and skill to an oft-derided genre). One should also keep in mind that McKee was added to the "Masters" roster when George Romero dropped out, and it is therefore not a matter of privilege, but necessity, that produced his entry, which plays runner-up only to John Landis' excellent 'Deer Woman.' As in "May," the director shows his knack for putting the veiled motives of human behavior and the complexities of relationships out in the open. 'Sick Girl' follows lonely lesbian scientist Ida (Angela Bettis) who is enamored of the mysterious Misty (Erin Brown, aka Misty Mundae, of "Duck!"), whom she becomes involved; Ida is in love with bugs, and when Misty is bitten by an 'aggressive' new addition, she gradually begins to lose her sanity. While the climax makes full use of the KNB FX budget, the episode is more engaging in the eccentric relationship these two women share, making the viewer truly care as things become increasingly weird. Save for a silly final scene, this is easily one of the best MOH episodes I've seen thus far.

6.5 out of 10