[Film Review] Stagefright (1987)

I like a horror film that starts as it means to go on, and from the minute a killer in an oversized owl mask leaps onto the stage and breaks into a dance routine in Stagefright (1987), you know exactly what sort of movie you’re getting into. 

Set during rehearsals for a low-budget musical based on the bird-headed killer and his victims, Stagefright follows what happens when a real killer takes over and the murders are no longer scripted. Our leading lady, Alicia (Barbara Cupisti), is trying her best to impress overbearing director, Peter (David Brandon), but a persistent ankle injury is causing her some problems. Wardrobe mistress, Betty (Ulrike Schwerk), suggests they sneak out of rehearsal to a local hospital, to ensure Alicia doesn’t injure herself any further. 

It’s not until the women arrive at the hospital that Alicia realises it’s a psychiatric hospital. After a brief argument with the receptionist, and some flirting on Betty’s part, a doctor agrees to look at Alicia’s ankle. However, the hospital just so happens to be housing Irving Wallace, (Clain Parker), a local actor turned murderer who is awaiting his sentence. Unbeknownst to Alicia and Betty, Irving breaks out of his cell and hitches a ride back to the theatre in Betty’s car.

While Alicia is inside being fired for skipping off work, Betty returns to her car to turn the lights off and is Irving’s first victim. Her body is quickly discovered, and even though the police know who they are looking for, they think the theatre is safe enough after a brief search, and only leave two cops behind to stake the place out. Peter orders a number of his main actors to stay behind, so he can rework the play to capitalise on the Irving Wallace story and the media coverage that will surely come after Betty’s death. To ensure the actors stay focussed, he has the place locked down and asks another actor to hide the keys.

I’m sure you can guess that Irving ends up locked inside with the theatre troupe, and after stealing the owl mask and costume for himself, he begins terrorising the actors and crew. While the set-up is a tad on the unbelievable side, once everyone is trapped inside the theatre, Stagefright works brilliantly as a claustrophobic, one location horror movie. The characters’ tasks of trying to find a key or reach the police outside seem relatively simple, but when you have a very cunning killer on the loose, they start losing their lives at an alarming rate. 

The death scenes in Stagefright are fantastic, with the killer frequently swapping his murder weapons at a moment’s notice. Knives, axes, chainsaws, drills - Irving and his owl mask know how to keep things fresh! Every death feels unique and exciting, with many of them eliciting a gasp or a cheer from me on this first-time viewing. There’s a lovely mix between shocks and gore, making Stagefright an enjoyable yet chilling slasher classic. 

One of my favourite elements of the entire film has to be the killer’s mask, which is so unique and expertly made that it stands out in the slew of forgettable masks we’ve been treated to in the slasher genre over the years. The huge owl head makes for a terrifying sight, which is made even more uncanny and unsettling by the human eye holes that lurk under the owl’s large eyes. The fact Irving was an actor himself before he turned to murder means he always knows the best ways to sneak around a theatre, making him an excellent villain. 

Sadly, I felt a little let down by our final girl, Alicia, who only really survives until the end of the movie because she falls down some stairs and is knocked out when the real bloodbath occurs. However, she manages to somewhat redeem herself in a tense and eerie scene where she has to confront Irving’s theatrical vision in order to retrieve the missing key for the front door. 

Like a lot of Italian horrors of the era, Stagefright has some weird dubbing choices, where it looks like the actors are speaking English, but some voices are very clearly dubbed over, to the point where it’s a little distracting. The dialogue is also painfully quiet in places, making it hard to hear what’s going on. This isn’t helped by the fact most of the external shots are filmed during a partially energetic thunderstorm, meaning any scenes set outside had me straining to hear what was being said. 

I’m sad that it has taken me so long to see Stagefright because it’s a standout in the slasher genre, with just the right mix of fun and murder to make it a film I’d want to revisit again and again. Not only is Stagefright enjoyable, it’s also beautiful to look at. The setting of the theatre lends itself well to a perfectly staged horror movie, and Irving has an artistic vision that works stunningly when he’s given enough dead bodies to work with.

If you’ve missed out on Stagefright until now, this new Blu-ray and digital release is the perfect way to view it for the first time, or revisit an old favourite if you’ve already experienced the owl killer in all his glory.

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