Masters of Horror: Cigarette Burns (2006)

For his first whack at Showtime's Masters of Horror series, John Carpenter served up another satisfying trip into insanity with Cigarette Burns, a bloody, thought-provoking piece from one of the genre's most beloved filmmakers of old. Whether knowingly or not, the hour-long entry also proves to be one of the director's most topical films, unleashed upon a world whose tolerance of horrific images shrinks less and less in the Videodrome-like world of reality television and the ever-widening Internet. With a delectable script by film buff Drew McWeeney (aka Moriarty from Ain't It Cool News) and writing partner Scott Swan, Carpenter provides a solid canvas for their deliberate tale to unfold. While somewhat slow in its early pace, the ante is successfully raised as the film progresses to its highly gruesome finale. Actors are all spot-on, with Norman Reedus holding his own against the always outrageous Udo Kier, who successfully pulls out all the delicious stops with yet another unforgettable performance. One would wish for more visual flourishes from the acclaimed director, though much of that could be attributed to the televised nature of the product. While Cigarette Burns doesn't quite tap into the heavy scare territory, its love for the gore and fascinating explorations of filmmaking taboos add up to create a solid slice of horror entertainment that has more on its mind than inventive kills and hot young starlets. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide