Curtains (1983)

Samantha Sherwood (Samantha Eggar) has worked with the well-known director Jonathan Stryker (John Vernon of Animal House fame) – a womanising arrogant fellow – on all his major films. She naturally assumes she will be given the title role in his latest venture, Audra (especially since she bought the rights for him in the first place).

Insisting that she do some background research for the part, he arranges to have the ageing star committed to an asylum (as the character of Audra is a former psychiatric patient).

She goes along with this, not realising that he intends to leave her there indefinitely, and audition six younger women for the part instead.

She finally manages to escape and returns to Stryker’s spooky old snow-covered Gothic mansion in the woods where the auditions are taking place.

But who is causing the disappearances of the young hopefuls – including a professional ice skater, an anorexic modern dancer, a stand-up comedian and a popular singer – who run around in tights and pyjamas?

Is it Samantha herself? Is it Stryker? Is it Matthew the caretaker (Michael Wincott) with his stoopy shoulders, curled lip and limp? Or is one of the actresses willing to kill for the coveted part? Just who is the killer behind the old hag mask that breathes like Darth Vader?

The slayings are unsettling, but the plot is even more so – Scenes open and close with chintzy black cartoon drapes, a brutal rape is revealed to be play-acting by two bored lovers, and a grisly murder is actually a dream.

Early on – when the movie promises to be more than it is – there is some rather arty camera work from Robert Paynter. He gives us stark colours, straight lines, and hot white lightning alternating with shadowy darkness.

The film is nice to look at for about 20 minutes and the camera work keeps us from realising there is very little story here, despite endless arty discussions of the complex metaphysical relationship between illusion and reality, endless lumbering up exercises, and a touch of unerotic lesbianism.

It’s just bad enough to be entertaining and just creepy enough to provide a little scare. The only really redeeming feature the movie really has is a fairly surprising ending.

This Canadian-produced film began shooting in 1980, but the production was plagued with problems. The project was shelved for over a year, during which re-writes, re-shoots, and at least one re-casting took place. The film was finally completed and released in 1983.

Jonathan Stryker
John Vernon
Samantha Sherwood
Samantha Eggar
Brooke Parsons
Linda Thorson
Laurian Summers
Anne Ditchburn
Patti O’Connor
Lynne Griffin
Tara DeMillo
Sandee Currie (as Sandra Warren)
Christie Burns
Lesleh Donaldson
Amanda Teuther
Deborah Burgess
Matthew
Michael Wincott
Monty
Maury Chaykin
Secretary
Joann McIntyre
Dr Pendleton
Calvin Butler
Receptionist
Kate Lynch
Amanda’s Boyfriend
Booth Savage
Actress
Diane Godwin
Stroker
Janelle Hutchison
Screamer
Virginia Leight (as Virginia Laight)
Thief
Kay Griffin
Tickler
Bunty Webb
Roommate
Daisy White
Inmates
Sheila Currie
Frances Gunn
Katya Ladan
Suzanne Russell
Jenna Louise
Anna Migliarese
Elaine Crosley
Mary Durkin
Angela Carrol
Julie Massie
Patricia Carroll Brown
Theresa Tova
Janice Nicholson
Killer
Jo-Anne Hannah

Director
Richard Ciupka