"Masters of Horror" Valerie on the Stairs (2006)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Mick Garris

Writers:

Mick Garris (creator)
Mick Garris (teleplay)
(more)

TV Series:

"Masters of Horror" (2005)

Original Air Date:

21 October 2006 (Season 2, Episode 8)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Taken from a Clive Barker original screen story, tells the tale of a novelist who discovers there are fates worse than literary anonymity in this sexually-charged tale of terror.

Plot Keywords:

Novelist | Demon Rape | Lesbian Kiss | Aspiring Writer | Rejection

Cast

Christopher Lloyd	...	Everett Neely
Tyron Leitso	...	Rob Hanisey
Suki Kaiser	...	Patricia Dunbar
Nicola Lipman	...	Nancy Bloom
Jonathan Watton	...	Bruce Sweetland
Clare Grant	...	Valerie
Tony Todd	...	The Beast
Christine Barrie	...	Anna
Juan Carlos Velis	...	Dude

Directed by
Mick Garris

Writing credits
Mick Garris		(creator)
Mick Garris		(teleplay)
Clive Barker		(based on a story by)

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
Richard Band

Cinematography by
Jon Joffin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Andrew Cohen

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

Production Design by
David Fischer

Art Direction by
Don Macaulay

Set Decoration by
Ide Foyle

Costume Design by
Lyn Kelly

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects artist
Lyne Denomme	....	first assistant makeup artist
Mike Fields	....	on-set key makeup artist (as Michael Fields)
Sarah Graham	....	on-set key makeup artist
Marcy Hodel	....	first assistant hair stylist
Tami Lane	....	on-set key makeup artist
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects artist
Adina Shore	....	key hair stylist
Margaret Solomon	....	key makeup artist

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

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alexia S. Droz	....	second assistant director (as Alexia Droz)
David Markowitz	....	first assistant director
Ania Musiatowicz	....	third 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

Sound Department
Anke Bakker	....	sound supervisor
Kevin Belen	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Campbell	....	dialogue editor
Jay Cheetham	....	background sound 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	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sebastian Salm	....	sound mixer
Paul A. Sharpe	....	sound 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
Randy Ball	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Mark Boley	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Robert Freitas	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group (as Rob Freitas)
Steve Hartman	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Derek Heselton	....	best boy special effects
Grady Holder	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Akihito Ikeda	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Jim Leonard	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Alex 'Little Al' Lorenzana	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group (as Harrison Lorenzana)
Ben Rittenhouse	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Kathy Sully	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group (as K.L. Sully)
Wayne Szybunka	....	special effects coordinator
Veronica Torres	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group

Visual Effects by
Matt Belbin	....	digital effects editor (as Matthew Belbin)
Sébastien Bergeron	....	digital effects supervisor
Michael Goddard	....	cg artist (as Mike Goddard)
Gael Hollard	....	digital compositor
Annabelle Kent	....	digital compositor
Lionel Lim	....	digital compositor
Adam Marisett	....	cg artist
Mladen Miholjcic	....	cg artist
Bryce Rieger	....	digital compositor
Lisa K. Sepp	....	visual effects producer (as Lisa Sepp-Wilson)
Jonah West	....	digital compositor
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
Brian Johnson	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Mike Kolafa	....	gaffer (as Michael Kolafa)
Brock Miller	....	best boy grip
Jos Oman	....	first assistant camera
Steve Sherlock	....	key grip
Jared Smith	....	best boy lighting
Peter Wilke	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Ian Gariepy	....	dolly grip: "b" camera (uncredited)
Marc Nolet	....	grip (uncredited)
Pascal Jean Provost	....	cinematographer: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sandra-Ken Freeman	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Glenna Owen	....	assistant costume designer
Tyler Tone	....	set costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Nathan Atkins	....	assistant editor
Richard Cordes	....	color timer
Andrea Dixon	....	color timer
Troy Sitter	....	post-production assistant
Matt Venables	....	post-production coordinator
Mike Williamson	....	editorial coordinator

Music Department
Mike Beckett	....	music editor
Jennifer Ross	....	music supervisor
Ed Shearmur	....	composer: main title music (as Edward Shearmur)

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
Laura Collini	....	script supervisor (as Laura June Colini)
Genessa Davis	....	assistant production coordinator
Jim Desroches	....	production coordinator (as James Desroches)
Annie Doyon	....	assistant accountant
Cameron Grierson	....	assistant to producer
Cameron Grierson	....	script coordinator
Richter Hartig	....	production auditor: Starz Productions (as Richter Q. Hartig)
Dave Harvey	....	assistant accountant
Tom Hoeverman	....	assistant location manager
Elissa Howarth	....	production administration manager: Starz Productions
Andrea Kaufman	....	production coordinator: Starz Productions (as Andrea M. Kaufman)
Katy Lew	....	executive administrator
Ross Redhead	....	assistant to producers
Tracey Renyard	....	location manager
Adrian Salpeter	....	assistant to producers
Stephen Tibbetts	....	stand-in (as Stephen Tibbets)
Bill Vigars	....	unit publicist
Beverly Wiens	....	production accountant
Stephanie Brown	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Nancy Heller	....	office manager: Anthem Visual Effects (uncredited)
Gary Stamford	....	set wireman (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Starz Productions
• Nice Guy Productions
• Industry Entertainment

Distributors

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

Special Effects

• Anthem Visual Effects (visual effects)
• K.N.B. Effects Group (special effects makeup)

Other Companies

• Thomas Cobb Design  main title design (as The Thomas Cobb Group)
• Sharpe Sound Studios  audio post-production
• Background, The  walla artists
• Rainmaker Digital Pictures  post-production services (as Rainmaker)
• Reunion Pictures  production services

Runtime:

60 min | Germany:57 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-MA | Australia:MA (2007) | Italy:VM14 | Germany:16

Company:

Starz Productions

Trivia:

The rejection letter in the opening shots from DMG Publishing House is dated February 29, 2007. Obviously that date does not exist in our world, as 2007 is not a leap year.

Movie Connections:

References "The Twilight Zone" (1959)

Barker Knows Best...

There are probably not a whole lot of horror fans who would disagree with me on this, but I think it's been proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the only filmmaker who is a master of adapting Clive Barker for the big or small screen IS Clive Barker. HELLRAISER. LORD OF ILLUSIONS. Even the sketchy but still fine movie version of NIGHTBREED. Case closed.

Well, not quite. I find myself in the minority (no pun intended) when I express my total disappointment at the grand mess that is the MOH episode, "Haeckel's Tale." John McNaughton is a really good director, but that episode pointed out all the reasons why Clive should've been asked to join the series to lend it some real chops in the directorial department, (unless he was asked and politely refused.)

VALERIE ON THE STAIRS comes a little bit closer to the essence of Barker's style, but I think it would've kicked major ass with an assist from its original author. As is, it's entertaining at the very least, and lands squarely in that gray area most of the MOH episodes occupy...It doesn't exactly rock, but it doesn't suck major ass, either.

For most horror fans, VALERIE is not going to make a whole lot of sense, but we writers out here will "get it" almost immediately. It explores Barker's favorite topics - sex and death, love and loss, and blurring the lines between Heaven and Hell, fantasy and reality.

Struggling writer Rob Hanisey (Tyron Leitso) moves into Heidelberg (sp?) House, a dilapidated and very unusual collective retreat for unpublished writers. Remaining unpublished is the only condition the writers must meet while staying there, rent-free. Once your "great American novel" sees the light of day, your ass is out on the street. (Talk about a reversal of fortune!)

Of course, Rob's not even unpacked yet when he starts to hear the strange noises and experiencing all the weird things essential to old buildings in horror movies. Then comes a new twist...the sounds of a young woman's moaning and sobbing in the hallway outside his room...even though there's nobody there. That is, until he finally meets her - a sad and scared, beautiful damsel-in-distress named Valerie (Clare Grant), being stalked through the building by a mysterious Beast (Tony Todd) who always yanks her away into Somewhere Else, just as Rob is getting to know her...and become obsessed with her.

It doesn't sit well with Rob that in a strange house of looney writers that include veteran failure Everett Neely (Christopher Lloyd), angry, cynical lesbian Patricia Dunbar (Suki Kaiser) and hopped-up headcase Bruce Sweetland (Jonathan Watton), he's quickly being considered as King Nutjob. But he's pretty sure that there's more to Heidelberg House - and to Valerie - than his new neighbors are willing to tell him, and as it turns out (doesn't it always?) he's right.

There's a lot of elements of Barker's other, better work mixed up in this story, but it really helps that the cast pulls it off believably. Lloyd, known mostly for playing extremely manic characters, dials it back a bit here, which is a welcome change. Todd, who I love to see in anything, is just about unrecognizable here as the demon, and though he's not given nearly enough to do, he does what he's best at...being menacing and ripping people apart. The other performers range from good to adequate, which is enough, I guess, to get this episode by.

I get the feeling that Mick Garris didn't really bring his A-game to this one, because it showed off his "AMAZING STORIES" roots a lot more than usual. In fact, it could've been an episode of that very uneven series as well...if you took out the nudity, sex and gore, of course.

VALERIE'S greatest sin is not just in the execution, though, but in the material itself. Only a certain niche of the audience will ever understand what the episode is really about (especially the very abstract, metaphorical ending), and you can never be successful adapting a story that only a third of your audience will get into. Hence the impression that Garris didn't seem all that invested in it when he was writing the script or directing it.

Overall, I liked VALERIE where I know a lot of other people are going to despise it. The better judgment call with this one, would've been to have Clive step in and do it, or to just leave it the hell alone entirely.

Still not the worst episode this season, but far from being the best. THAT is what I'm still waiting for.