Masters of Horror

Persistence paid off-- I was eagerly looking forward to this series. I have been a fan of horror as a genre for most of my adult life. The genre is so diverse-- ranging from low-brow slasher films to the deeply disturbing and the sublime. This one episode will shake you for a long time. It does have a few shocks which will scare you-- even in the comfort and safety of your own living room. But it also is deeply intense and disturbing in a sinister and cerebral way. Carpenter is a great director who, even when lending his talents to more colloquial fare (such as "Vampires"), still is able to deliver a satisfying film. This chapter in the series is phenomenal. It would not surprise me if this is the reason the series is remembered decades from now. A great horror short film and finally redeems the series and makes its premise true: Carpenter is a master of horror.

Watch this episode. In my area it is available "on demand."

I find that "Masters of horror" is a good continuation of the style of independent short horror stories that was the trademark of "Tales of the crypt" (among others). They share many similarities, one of which is the very irregular overall quality, with some remarkable episodes that are scary fun to watch many times, and others that are simply embarrassing to watch as episodes of a show that is supposed to bring you the best of horror by many film-makers who earned a reputation in this genre; but still, most have some redeeming quality, be it the irresistible campiness, a good story (though badly developed), or decent acting. There were few episodes which I personally found boring (having said this, I would advise anyone to stay away from "Chocolate").

Some episodes feel a little too long, while others ("Deer woman", remarkably) would have benefited from a good quarter of an hour more of running time. Most have at least some gore, many have varying degrees of dark humor, and there's a good amount of sexy contents, too. What stands out most and links this show to the aforementioned "Tales from the crypt" is that most episodes have this underlying feeling of poetic justice and that the "bad guys" get what they deserve, which is quite refreshing.

I just recently watched three episodes (I still haven't seen "jenifer" unfortunately) but I thought I would share my thoughts about the series like everyone else posted here. Big fan of most of these directors so i was really anticipating this show (can't wait for Dante's and especially Carpenter's).

"Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was an interesting take on the whole victim\victimizer story that turns the clichéd format on its' head by delving into some pretty heavy stuff concerning violence and its' traumatic affects on its' victims. Liked the subtle moments suggesting early into the episode that Ethan Embry's character is a racist tyrant psychopath. Well made. I give it an A.

"Dreams in The Witch House" is so both unsettling and amusing (that rat kills me). I always love how Lovecraft can make you question what we see as reality as opposed to the real unexplainable horror that exists everyday on this planet and how if things like this really happened, no one would believe you no matter the evidence. I guess the truth can be too horrible which lies at the center of this story. I don't think I have anything but high praise for this one. Another first rate adaptation by Stuart Gordon with some great performances. A+.

"Dance of the Dead", from what I read here, is the most divided among the fans but I think it's pure Hooper: Sick, Outrageous, and off the map. What always strikes me about Hooper's work is that for better or worse he always seems to be careening out of control which can be satisfying to horror fans (for his fearlessness to just go for it) or for a lot of people, grating. I did think that motion cam thing was a bit overused but other than that I was really impressed with this one. Although Englund has been good in other Hooper offerings, I would say this is the best of their collaborations overall. Some really funny and horrible things in here as well as an amusing commentary on our preoccupation with sex, drugs and "enteratinment" (we all kept watching didn't we?). Those dances on stage reminded me of Bumfights or boxing or any other form of twisted spectacle people can't get enough of. My kind of horror. B+.

"Jenifer" is reportedly based on a graphic novel by bruce jones and bernie wrightson. It tells the story of a Cop's obsession for a demonic woman with one messed up face. The actress is hot and there is a fair amount of T& A in this episode as well as one pretty twisted castration sequence. Like "Jenifer's" face this one's pretty messed up. B

"Chocolate" is so far the least satisfying in my opinion, chronicling a lonely, recently divorced man (Henry Thomas, who's pretty good in this), suddenly sharing the same experiences of a woman he's never met. Intriguing premise, some amusing bits but ultimately unsatisfying. The concept never seems to fully generate into anything mindblowing or eerie. It all just kind of seems bland. C

I like what I've seen here. I guess it helps if you're a fan of horror and these filmmakers. I myself have never been that blown away by the types of Horror pictures that just feature stuff jumping out at you. I'm much more interested in seeing original works that go a little deeper into the really sick and horrible facts of life.

When I saw "Cigarette Burns" it felt as though I was watching a great horror feature film.

This was definitely the best "Masters of Horror" episode. Just when I thought John Carpenter had "lost his eye" for the genre. This one is a classic.

I was totally creep-ed out by this one. The story was very involving and Udo Kier was fantastic as usual.

Thanks to Showtime for keeping this series going. I hope that it continues on with new episodes later this year. They've done a great job in getting the best horror directors and writers for the series.

When I learned of this series, I was thrilled. I'm a big follower of some of the directors involved, such as Tobe Hooper, John Carpenter or Dario Argento, and the idea that they would be given freedom and resources to direct one-hour self-contained horror stories made me shiver with anticipation.

The results, however, are a mixed bag. Don't take me wrong, most of the directors involved seem to be in good shape, and the stories have potential, but the writing and the acting are, with some notable exceptions, just by the numbers.

Anyway, if you like horror you won't mind spending a few hours with the lesser episodes. They're still above average, and the series has enough hidden gems to keep you wanting more.

My favorite episodes were, in no particular order: "Incident on and off a road mountain" (Don Coscarelli), "Cigarette Burns" (John Carpenter), "Deer Woman" (John Landis)and "Sick Girl", directed by Lucky McKee.

I just heard the series has been renewed for another season. All I can say is that I will keep watching it.