{"id":69792,"date":"2021-02-24T13:08:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-24T20:08:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=69792"},"modified":"2021-02-27T21:02:20","modified_gmt":"2021-02-28T04:02:20","slug":"curtains-1983","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=69792","title":{"rendered":"Curtains (1983)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;If I&#8217;m going to play a madwoman, I&#8217;ve got to know what it&#8217;s really like!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Poster-190x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"190\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-69793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Poster-190x300.png 190w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Poster-648x1024.png 648w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Poster-81x128.png 81w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Poster-171x270.png 171w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Poster.png 727w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAn actress (Samantha Eggar) and her director-husband (John Vernon) agree Eggar should check herself into a mental asylum under false pretenses, to prepare for an upcoming role as &#8220;Audra&#8221; &#8212; but when she learns that Vernon planned to leave her in the asylum and audition six other actresses (Deborah Burgess, Lynne Griffin, Linda Thorson, Anne Ditchburn, Sandra Warren, and Lesleh Donaldson) for the part of Audra, she vows revenge.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Actors and Actresses<\/li>\n<li>Horror<\/li>\n<li>Mental Illness<\/li>\n<li>Mistaken or Hidden Identities<\/li>\n<li>Revenge<\/li>\n<li>Samantha Eggar Films<\/li>\n<li>Serial Killers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nWhat would people &#8220;kill&#8221; for? Landing a coveted role in a high-profile show might evoke such urges in disturbed actors, as we&#8217;ve seen play out (metaphorically) in films such as <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=16770\"><em>All About Eve<\/em> (1950)<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2220\"><em>Mephisto<\/em> (1981)<\/a>. However, this Canadian slasher flick takes the sentiment to its literal bloody conclusion, with the entire screenplay centering on numerous young women unknowingly putting their lives at risk for a role. At first the movie seems to be flirting with the dangerous territory covered in Sam Fuller&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=27388\"><em>Shock Corridor<\/em> (1963)<\/a>, as a &#8220;sane&#8221; woman (Eggar) foolishly commits herself to a mental asylum (not a good idea!!!!).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Asylum2-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Asylum2-1-1024x573.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"358\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69799\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Asylum2-1-1024x573.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Asylum2-1-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Asylum2-1-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Asylum2-1-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Asylum2-1-1536x859.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Asylum2-1-483x270.png 483w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Asylum2-1.png 1851w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>But we fairly quickly shift to a more serious variation on <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=9541\"><em>Murder By Death<\/em> (1976)<\/a>, with a group of individuals all invited to a big, dark house for a specific purpose. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Dinner.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Dinner-1024x573.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"358\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Dinner-1024x573.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Dinner-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Dinner-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Dinner-768x430.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Dinner-1536x859.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Dinner-483x270.png 483w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Dinner.png 1829w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;re kept in reasonable suspense about the identity of the killer, and there are plenty of unnerving twist and turns. As described in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.canuxploitation.com\/review\/curtains.html\">the Canuxploitation review<\/a>: <\/p>\n<blockquote><p>By the time animated curtains fall on the final bookend scene &#8212; a performance in front of a handful of drooling asylum inmates &#8212; the film has supplied enough black-gloved killings, whodunit red herrings, terrorized beauties and theatrical set pieces to qualify it as more of a snowy <em>giallo<\/em> than anything else.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A clever screenplay with some effectively handled chills<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Hag-Skating.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Hag-Skating-1024x565.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"353\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69795\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Hag-Skating-1024x565.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Hag-Skating-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Hag-Skating-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Hag-Skating-768x424.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Hag-Skating-1536x848.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Hag-Skating-489x270.png 489w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Hag-Skating.png 1820w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>John Vernon as Jonathan Stryker<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Vernon.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Vernon-1024x577.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"361\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Vernon-1024x577.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Vernon-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Vernon-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Vernon-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Vernon-1536x866.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Vernon-479x270.png 479w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Curtains-Vernon.png 1819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, but fans of the genre will want to check it out. Listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0085385\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.canuxploitation.com\/review\/curtains.html\">Canuxploitation Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/horror\/curtains-1983.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/communistvampires.com\/horror\/Curtains.htm\">Communist Vampires Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;If I&#8217;m going to play a madwoman, I&#8217;ve got to know what it&#8217;s really like!&#8221; Synopsis: An actress (Samantha Eggar) and her director-husband (John Vernon) agree Eggar should check herself into a mental asylum under false pretenses, to prepare for an upcoming role as &#8220;Audra&#8221; &#8212; but when she learns that Vernon planned to leave her in the asylum and audition six other actresses (Deborah Burgess, Lynne Griffin, Linda Thorson, Anne Ditchburn, Sandra Warren, and Lesleh Donaldson) for the part&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=69792\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=69792"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69792\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69920,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69792\/revisions\/69920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=69792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=69792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=69792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}