On paper, Curtains heralded the directorial debut of Richard Ciupka, a cinematographer that had worked on various cult-movies throughout the seventies and was the main camera operator on the excellent Giallo, Blood Relatives from 1982. But in fact, the movie was shot in two parts, with the second half having to be be completed by producer Peter Simpson, after an artistic disagreement saw Ciupka leave the shoot. Simpson and his team were also behind the production, which marked their second joint venture into the then-popular territory of the slasher genre. Their participation explained the healthy budget and excellent back-drop and also the contribution of Paul Zaza, a highly regarded composer from the period.
It's no secret that Curtains suffered a nightmare production that was riddled with problems, which began when lead actress Celine Lamez was sacked halfway through the shoot. Reports have said that the producers were disappointed with her acting abilities and that she became awkward after two days on set. Linda Thornson was drafted in as her replacement, but footage had to be re-shot with the substitute actress, which stretched the budget and began a spiral of misfortune, which resulted in various script changes and eventually the mutual termination of Ciupka's contract. Peter Simpson would later note that he had set out to make an adult slasher movie, whilst Ciupka had set out to make an art film and with the two of them holding totally different cinematic visions, the collaboration was jinxed from the start.
Many scenes ended up on the cutting room floor, which explains the numerous stills that show screen-shots that never appeared in the final print. At one point, the film was rumoured to be 'un-releasable', but it eventually went public in 1983, three-years after shooting had begun. It sank without trace upon release and failed to become the follow up to Prom Night that many had predicted. Much like the fate that befell The Shawshank Redemption however, a second lease of life on VHS has made Curtains something of a cult-classic and it is now considered to be one of the better entries from the peak-period.
Six actresses head up to a secluded mansion in the Canadian Rockies to audition for the part of Audra, a highly regarded script from renowned director Jonathan Stryker. Only five arrive however as it becomes apparent that a masked psycho-killer has targeted the production with a bizarre vengeance against the stars.
Curtains certainly has more than its fair share of noteworthy moments and has the benefit of being a highly authentic entry that shares no close resemblance to any of its genre brethren. It truly stands alone as an individual stalk and slash experience that demands respect for its ability to keep tension running. The awe-inspiring second killing ranks highly as one of the most creatively handled slaughters from the genre's peak period. The photography and planning for the scene is at times breathtaking and Simpson's work is reminiscent of Argento's.
The final chase sequence is equally as suspenseful and utilises a superb use of lighting and claustrophobic trappings to create a fitting finale to a competent offering. The dimly lighted prop-room location gives the director a chance to shine as he makes the most of some ingenious decor and creates a memorable collage of striking images. Curtains manages to build a truly spooky atmosphere and it's perhaps one of the creepier entries of the early eighties. Throw in a magnificent Paul Zaza's score and you're left with an outstanding, if slightly jumbled thriller.
Another bonus is the good work from the cast, which is filled with actors that have far more undiscovered talent than any kind of reputation or A-list credibility. John Vernon makes a competent - if a little theatrical – lead, never once pleading for audience-sympathy, whilst Eggar does a good job as the essential red herring (or is she?). But it's Lynne Griffin who really steals the show. The dynamic little Canadian actress delivers a fantastic portrayal, which sees her effortlessly switch between emotions of anxiety, fear, insecurity and anger. She even takes the time to include a stand up comedy routine no really!
A film with such an turbulent production is bound to have its share of flaws and Curtains is a case in point. Even though we're unable to tell exactly how much the shoot was affected by the unfortunate occurrences, the film having to be released under a director pseudonym proves that it certainly wasn't a smooth process. Some of the characters are laughably under developed and a couple even remain nameless. It's impossible to pick your choice for the surviving girl, because not one of the actresses has enough screen time to display their individual persona, which had a devastating affect on the mystery.
It is a surprise when the killer is revealed, but to be honest, it could have been absolutely anybody, because we're not offered any real clues or motives. What's really needed is a total rehash of the picture from the raw footage or the 'dailies' - so to speak. Then we could get a true look at how the feature was planned in the director's vision. The recent death of Peter Simpson, and the fact that Curtains is a combination of two vastly opposing cinematic visions has made this an even unlikelier task, but we can never give up hope.
Until then, what we're left with is a movie that could and should have been, but never was. It has its moments, a few of them outstanding, but just falls a few hurdles short of being recognised as a true classic. Definitely amongst the top-ten of the eighties' best slashers, but it's painful to think that it should have been in the top-three
It's no secret that Curtains suffered a nightmare production that was riddled with problems, which began when lead actress Celine Lamez was sacked halfway through the shoot. Reports have said that the producers were disappointed with her acting abilities and that she became awkward after two days on set. Linda Thornson was drafted in as her replacement, but footage had to be re-shot with the substitute actress, which stretched the budget and began a spiral of misfortune, which resulted in various script changes and eventually the mutual termination of Ciupka's contract. Peter Simpson would later note that he had set out to make an adult slasher movie, whilst Ciupka had set out to make an art film and with the two of them holding totally different cinematic visions, the collaboration was jinxed from the start.
Many scenes ended up on the cutting room floor, which explains the numerous stills that show screen-shots that never appeared in the final print. At one point, the film was rumoured to be 'un-releasable', but it eventually went public in 1983, three-years after shooting had begun. It sank without trace upon release and failed to become the follow up to Prom Night that many had predicted. Much like the fate that befell The Shawshank Redemption however, a second lease of life on VHS has made Curtains something of a cult-classic and it is now considered to be one of the better entries from the peak-period.
Six actresses head up to a secluded mansion in the Canadian Rockies to audition for the part of Audra, a highly regarded script from renowned director Jonathan Stryker. Only five arrive however as it becomes apparent that a masked psycho-killer has targeted the production with a bizarre vengeance against the stars.
Curtains certainly has more than its fair share of noteworthy moments and has the benefit of being a highly authentic entry that shares no close resemblance to any of its genre brethren. It truly stands alone as an individual stalk and slash experience that demands respect for its ability to keep tension running. The awe-inspiring second killing ranks highly as one of the most creatively handled slaughters from the genre's peak period. The photography and planning for the scene is at times breathtaking and Simpson's work is reminiscent of Argento's.
The final chase sequence is equally as suspenseful and utilises a superb use of lighting and claustrophobic trappings to create a fitting finale to a competent offering. The dimly lighted prop-room location gives the director a chance to shine as he makes the most of some ingenious decor and creates a memorable collage of striking images. Curtains manages to build a truly spooky atmosphere and it's perhaps one of the creepier entries of the early eighties. Throw in a magnificent Paul Zaza's score and you're left with an outstanding, if slightly jumbled thriller.
Another bonus is the good work from the cast, which is filled with actors that have far more undiscovered talent than any kind of reputation or A-list credibility. John Vernon makes a competent - if a little theatrical – lead, never once pleading for audience-sympathy, whilst Eggar does a good job as the essential red herring (or is she?). But it's Lynne Griffin who really steals the show. The dynamic little Canadian actress delivers a fantastic portrayal, which sees her effortlessly switch between emotions of anxiety, fear, insecurity and anger. She even takes the time to include a stand up comedy routine no really!
A film with such an turbulent production is bound to have its share of flaws and Curtains is a case in point. Even though we're unable to tell exactly how much the shoot was affected by the unfortunate occurrences, the film having to be released under a director pseudonym proves that it certainly wasn't a smooth process. Some of the characters are laughably under developed and a couple even remain nameless. It's impossible to pick your choice for the surviving girl, because not one of the actresses has enough screen time to display their individual persona, which had a devastating affect on the mystery.
It is a surprise when the killer is revealed, but to be honest, it could have been absolutely anybody, because we're not offered any real clues or motives. What's really needed is a total rehash of the picture from the raw footage or the 'dailies' - so to speak. Then we could get a true look at how the feature was planned in the director's vision. The recent death of Peter Simpson, and the fact that Curtains is a combination of two vastly opposing cinematic visions has made this an even unlikelier task, but we can never give up hope.
Until then, what we're left with is a movie that could and should have been, but never was. It has its moments, a few of them outstanding, but just falls a few hurdles short of being recognised as a true classic. Definitely amongst the top-ten of the eighties' best slashers, but it's painful to think that it should have been in the top-three