After the financial success of Prom Night, the film’s producer, Peter R. Simpson, had the idea to create an “adult” slasher film. After three trying years, he was finally able to finish Curtains, which was met with a universally negative reception from both audiences and critics. In spite of this, the movie has developed into something of a cult classic due to the fact that it was shown on cable for a number of years and was unavailable on DVD for an even longer period of time. The team at Synapse Films has come to the conclusion that the original print has to be restored so that it can be given a new lease on life with improved visuals.
While I do recall watching the “Curtains” trailer on one of my earlier visits to a video store, I don’t think I ever actually rented the movie to watch on my own. Instead of going out and having fun, I spent much of my free time watching scary movies like “Halloween” and “Friday the 13th.” Essentially skipping a pretty good movie by noy renting it.
Initially, I was concerned that Curtains might go in a direction that was completely unanticipated. Because the movie devotes a significant portion of its running time to establishing Samantha’s predicament in the institution, I was terrified that she would wind up being incarcerated there at some point in the story, which would have been a very unfortunate outcome. Around twenty minutes into the play, Samantha makes her getaway and unexpectedly appears at the audition without any sort of introduction. This has the effect of effectively ending the plot as it had been developing up until that point. In spite of the fact that this is a lost opportunity, things pick up the pace as the auditions start and the adrenaline starts pumping.
The identity of the killer is not revealed until the final scene of “Curtains,” as it is in “Prom Night” and “My Bloody Valentine,” respectively. The film begins with an iconic director, played by the late and great John Vernon, playing the role of an actor and committing his leading lady to a mental institution. It has come to light that she is a method actor who believes that playing a character who is confined to an institution with other people suffering from mental illness will make her performance more credible. The director is a jerk who commits her to a mental institution without providing any explanation for his actions. After discovering that he is holding a casting call with five other ladies for the role that she was originally cast in, she is able to escape with the help of a friend who was also participating in the casting call. It’s as if whoever or whatever is responsible for the killings of women appeared out of nowhere.
Even if the movie doesn’t really make any sense, you should still watch it because it is an entertaining slasher, and it is highly suggested that you do so. The perpetrator of the crime will frequently use a doll as a lure to entice the victim. The woman who committed the murder is concealed by a mask that gives the impression that she is both stylish and dangerous. Even though they are included in the movie, the scenes that take place at the mental institution are not utilized nearly enough, but they are still really interesting.
Curtains (1983) is available to stream on various platforms for free such as Tubi, Peacock, Vudu, Filmrise and even Roku TV.
Curtains FACT
The film’s production began in 1980, but it was fraught with difficulties. For nearly a year, it sat in limbo while it underwent rewrites, reshoots, and at least one recasting. In 1983, the movie hit theaters after being in production for several years.
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