Based on what he achieved until now, William Malone doesn't really deserve to be called a "Master" of horror. "House on the Haunted Hill" and particularly "FeardotCom" annoyed the hell out of many devoted genre fans (yours truly included) and his 80's movies ("Creature" and "Scared to Death") are the total definition of cheesy garbage. I guess if it were up to the public to select the directors for the "Masters of Horror" project, Malone would never have made the list. But I bet no one is complaining about Malone's contribution to the series now, as his little movie is one of the absolute highlights of the first season and unquestionably his best work to date! "The Fair-Haired Child" is a macabre fairy-tale that offers a constantly unsettling atmosphere as well as several genuine shock-moments and great visual effects! The desperate couple Judith (a splendid Lori Petty) and Anton made a pact with the devil to bring their teenage son back from the dead after a terrible accident. The service in return, however, demands that no less than 12 innocent have to die before Johnny is his old self again. The plot follows the last victim Tara, as she's abducted by Anton and locked up in the cellar with Johnny still in his "monstrous"-phase. Unlike, say, Tobe Hooper's segment, "The Fair-Haired Child" is both genuinely creepy AND bloody and the story is also a lot more coherent and easier to follow. Malone puts a lot of effort into the character drawings and it pays off, as Tara is a truly likable heroine and even the motives of the "evil" parents are understandable. The "Child" is an engaging monster creation, sinister & nightmarish yet not overly grotesque or ridiculous. The acting is superb (who is this adorable Lindsay Pulsipher and why isn't she a major star yet?) and Malone's directing is skillful like that of a true master. Great horror!
Review of The Fair Haired Child
