"Masters of Horror" Pelts (2006)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Mick Garris (creator)
Matt Venne (teleplay)
(more)

TV Series:

"Masters of Horror" (2005)

Original Air Date:

1 December 2006 (Season 2, Episode 6)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

A sleazy, desperate fur trader who haunts a local strip club, gets his hands on some priceless raccoon furs that might be more than just priceless but cursed.

Plot Keywords:

Fur | Raccoon | Fur Trader | Stripper | Trapper

Cast

Meat Loaf	...	Jake Feldman (as Meat Loaf Aday)
Link Baker	...	Lou Chinaski
Emilio Salituro	...	Sergio
Elise Lew	...	Sue Chin Yao
Shawn Hall	...	Bouncer
Sylvesta Stuart	...	Beefy Bouncer
Ellen Ewusie	...	Shanna
John Saxon	...	Jeb 'Pa' Jameson
Michal Suchánek	...	Larry Jameson (as Michal Suchanek)
Brenda McDonald	...	Mother Mayter
Melissa Gonzalez	...	Mira
Darren E. Scott	...	Agent
Chuck Duffy	...	Detective
Kelvin Lum	...	Cop
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Angela Case	...	Dancer In Hallway (uncredited)
Ildiko Ferenczi	...	Attractive Woman (uncredited)
Angela Fong	...	Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Dario Argento

Writing credits
Mick Garris		(creator)
Matt Venne		(teleplay)
F. Paul Wilson		(short story)

Produced by
Keith Addis	....	executive producer
Morris Berger	....	executive producer
Steve Best	....	associate producer
Ben Browning	....	co-producer
Stephen R. Brown	....	executive producer (as Steve Brown)
Andrew Deane	....	executive producer
Mick Garris	....	executive producer
Adam Goldworm	....	co-producer
John W. Hyde	....	executive producer
Lisa Richardson	....	producer
Tom Rowe	....	producer
Pascal Verschooris	....	line producer

Original Music by
Claudio Simonetti

Cinematography by
Attila Szalay		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jacqueline Cambas

Casting by
Stuart Aikins
Sean Cossey
Lindsey Hayes Kroeger
David Rapaport		(as David H. Rapaport)

Production Design by
David Fischer

Art Direction by
Teresa Weston

Set Decoration by
Ide Foyle

Costume Design by
Lyn Kelly

Makeup Department
Chad Atkinson	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Howard Berger	....	special effects makeup
Mark Boley	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Chris Cera	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Michael Deak	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc. (as Mike Deak)
Alex Diaz	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Mike Fields	....	on-set key makeup artist: KNB EFX Group, Inc. (as Michael Fields)
Sarah Graham	....	on-set key makeup artist
Terry Hanson	....	first assistant hair stylist
Steve Hartman	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Jana Hudson	....	first assistant makeup (as Tanya Hudson)
Akihito Ikeda	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Derek Krout	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc. (as Derek Krouse)
Jim Leonard	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Gregory Nicotero	....	special effects makeup
Ben Rittenhouse	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Shannon Shea	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Adina Shore	....	key hair stylist
Margaret Solomon	....	key makeup
A.J. Venuto	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc. (as AJ Venuto)

Production Management
Margo Coughlin Zimmerman	....	production manager: IDT Entertainment (as Margo Zimmerman)
Sally Dixon	....	post-production supervisor
Sheri Mayervich	....	unit production manager
Stacey Jade Smart	....	executive in charge of production: IDT Entertainment

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ania Musiatowicz	....	third assistant director
Darren Robson	....	second assistant director
Ian Samoil	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Andrei Andrianko	....	assistant art director
Nick Dibley	....	property master (as Nicholas Dibley)
Jim Geddes	....	construction coordinator
John McIntosh	....	greens
Jake Miller	....	assistant property master
Nathalie Morin	....	assistant set decorator (as Natalie Morin)
Zbibgniew Scheller	....	construction foreman (as Zbish Scheller)
John Wilcox	....	paint coordinator
Jean Brophey	....	on-set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Anke Bakker	....	sound supervisor
Brian Campbell	....	dialogue editor
Jay Cheetham	....	backgrounds editor
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	adr supervisor
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	dialogue supervisor
Kris Fenske	....	sound designer
Devan Kraushar	....	sound effects editor
Jason Mauza	....	foley editor
Laurie Melhus	....	audio post-production coordinator
Glen Noseworthy	....	adr mixer
Iain Pattison	....	re-recording mixer
Sebastian Salm	....	sound mixer
Adam Sharpe	....	re-recording mixer
Paul A. Sharpe	....	re-recording mixer (as Paul Sharpe)
Shane Shemko	....	foley artist
Colin Smith	....	boom operator
Cam Wagner	....	foley artist
Matthew Wilson	....	sound effects editor
Todd R. Mason	....	sound effects recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Derek Heselton	....	best boy special effects
Wayne Szybunka	....	special effects coordinator
Mike Hyrman	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Lino Stavole	....	special effects technician: mold department (uncredited)
Chris Sturges	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Attila Vaski	....	lead/fab/asst (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Steve Au	....	CG artist
Matt Belbin	....	digital effects editor (as Matthew Belbin)
Sébastien Bergeron	....	digital effects supervisor (as Sebastien Bergeron)
Michael Goddard	....	CG artist (as Mike Goddard)
Annabelle Kent	....	digital compositing artist
Muzaffer Korkut	....	cg artist (as Muzzaffer Korkut)
Lionel Lim	....	digital compositing artist
Adam Marisett	....	CG artist
Mladen Miholjcic	....	CG artist
Stephen Paschke	....	CG artist
Bryce Rieger	....	digital compositing artist
Lisa K. Sepp	....	visual effects producer (as Lisa Sepp-Wilson)
Philippe Thibault	....	digital compositing artist (as Phillipe Thibault)
Jonah West	....	digital compositing artist
Lee Wilson	....	visual effects supervisor
Jayson Castro	....	visual effects production assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Jim Dunn	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Sandy Cooper	....	first assistant camera
Mike Kolafa	....	gaffer (as Michael Kolafa)
Jos Oman	....	first assistant camera
Steve Sherlock	....	key grip
Jared Smith	....	best boy lighting
Shai Vera	....	best boy grip (as Shae Vera)
Peter Wilke	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Peter Wilkie)
Richard Wilson	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Ian Gariepy	....	dolly grip: "b" camera (uncredited)
Aaron Haesler	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Lane Koch	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Jeremy Spofford	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sandra-Ken Freeman	....	extras casting (as Sandra Ken-Freeman)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Glenna Owen	....	assistant costume designer
Tyler Tone	....	costume set supervisor
Debra Torpe	....	costume truck supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Nathan Atkins	....	assistant editor
Richard Cordes	....	color timer
Andrea Dixon	....	color timer
Matt Venables	....	post-production coordinator
Mike Williamson	....	editorial coordinator
Edoardo Brizio	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Mike Beckett	....	music editor
Silvia Gavarotti	....	musician: soprano voice
Jennifer Ross	....	music supervisor
Ed Shearmur	....	composer: main title music (as Edward Shearmur)
Claudio Simonetti	....	music arranger

Transportation Department
Louie Hausner	....	transportation captain
John Swetlikoe	....	transportation coordinator
Duane Shearer	....	office driver (uncredited)
Jovan Vujatovic	....	picture car coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Christine Barrie	....	stand-in
Michael Bishop	....	key production assistant
Genessa Davis	....	assistant production coordinator
Jim Desroches	....	production coordinator (as James Desroches)
Annie Doyon	....	assistant accountant
Dana Dubé	....	animal wrangler (as Dana Duke)
Scott 'Big Dog' Franklin	....	assistant location manager (as Scott Franklin)
Cameron Grierson	....	assistant to producer
Cameron Grierson	....	script coordinator
Richter Hartig	....	production auditor: IDT Entertainment (as Richter Q. Hartig)
Dave Harvey	....	assistant accountant
Elissa Howarth	....	production administration manager: IDT Entertainment
Alison Hunter	....	script supervisor
Andrea Kaufman	....	production coordinator: IDT Entertainment (as Andrea M. Kaufman)
Katy Lew	....	executive administrator
Susan Nestibo	....	location manager
Ross Redhead	....	assistant to producers
Adrian Salpeter	....	assistant to producers
Stephen Tibbetts	....	stand-in (as Stephen Tibbets)
Bill Vigars	....	unit publicist
Beverly Wiens	....	production accountant
Anthony Bortolussi	....	on-set key production assistant (uncredited)
Stephanie Brown	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Nancy Heller	....	office manager: Anthem Visual Effects (uncredited)
Simona Pandele	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Louis Schwartzberg	....	acknowledgment: stock footage provided by
Dan Walton	....	thanks (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Starz Productions
• Nice Guy Productions
• Industry Entertainment
• IDT Entertainment

Distributors

• Kadokawa Entertainment (2008) (Japan) (DVD)
• Premiere (2009) (Germany) (TV)
• Showtime Networks (2006) (USA) (TV)
• Splendid Film (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Starz Home Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (DVD)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group (special make-up effects)
• Anthem Visual Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Thomas Cobb Design  main title design (as the Thomas Cobb Group)
• Sharpe Sound Studios  audio post-production by
• Background, The  walla artists
• Rainmaker Digital Pictures  post production services provided by (as Rainmaker)
• Blacklight Films  stock footage provided by
• Getty Images  stock footage provided by
• BBC Motion Gallery  stock footage courtesy of
• DGC  acknowledgment (as DGC Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia District Council)
• Union of B.C. Performers  acknowledgment (as UBCP)
• Association of Canadian Film Craftspeople (ACFC)  acknowledgment (as ACFC West, Local 2020 CEP)
• Screen Actors Guild (SAG)  acknowledgment
• I.A.T.S.E. Local 669  acknowledgment (as I.A.T.S.E. 669 International Photographers)
• British Columbia Production Services Tax Credit  with the participation of
• Reunion Pictures  production services provided by

Runtime:

58 min | Germany:54 min (cut)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-MA | Australia:R (2007) | Germany:18 (DVD rating) (cut) | Italy:VM14 | Germany:18 (TV rating) (cut)

Company:

Starz Productions

Movie Connections:

References Cheerleader Camp (1988)

As A "Master Of Horror" Dario Argento "Wears" His Title Well...

Watching a lot of the Season One episodes of MOH, I found myself wincing quite often...from painful embarrassment. Sure, some episodes were extremely gory as a horror buff might expect, but usually it's employed as a distraction to keep the viewer from contemplating how bad the writing is or how uneven the direction on some episodes.

However, the occasional segment has come up that's had me wincing and cringing for all the RIGHT reasons, and it's usually due to a true "Master Of Horror" who deserves to be invited back every season. Now, I've only heard that Takashi Miike's "Imprint" was the episode to raise the bar for sheer, overwhelming horror. But since it was never broadcast, I never got the chance to view it, so I can only go by what I've seen. And for my money, the goriest and most disturbing episode in the entire series was Dario Argento's rendering of the classic horror tale, "Jenifer." This is one director who's shown that he's not afraid of testing the limits of what this series can achieve, not to mention stretching the talents of makeup FX wizards KNB Studios to the very snapping point.

And he's managed to do it again. If anyone not in the know is wondering why Argento is most remembered for his magnum opus, SUSPIRIA, he provides a juicy, shocking reminder by once again kicking it old school with a 'giallo'-styled tale of ancient curses, based on "Pelts," a short story by genre master F. Paul Wilson (THE KEEP.)

Marvin Lee "Meatloaf" Aday plays amoral furrier Jake, who lusts obsessively for Shana (Ellen Ewusie), a beautiful exotic dancer who tauntingly reminds him that unless he can "make her happy", he can never have her. Which means that he has to find a way to become filthy, stinkin' rich or die trying.

Meanwhile, a backwoods fur trapper (John Saxon) and his son have been poaching on someone else's land for their latest haul of raccoon pelts. But this is no ordinary hunting ground, and these are more than just wild animals. The resulting fur pelts from their illegal activities are some of the most beautiful, hypnotically captivating pieces that they've ever seen. Of course, that's the way it works when something is as cursed as these pelts are, and woe to anyone and everyone who comes in contact with them...as the unlucky poachers will soon discover, followed by Jake and his associates...

It's amazing how powerful Argento's command of lighting, angles and cutting is, even now all these years after SUSPIRIA. And even though you can pretty much try to intellectualize about the top-notch quality of Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero's FX work, it's still shot in such a way that you can barely look at the screen without wanting to run out of the room. And I haven't felt that way since...well, SUSPIRIA.

With just two episodes contributed to this series, Argento moves to the front of the line as the predominant "Master Of Horror" amongst his peers. I might have nightmares after watching PELTS (which doesn't happen often), but even so, I hope he'll be invited back for a third season, and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next...