"Stage Fright" was Italian actor and Argento protégé Michele Soavi’s directorial debut. He went on to direct the awesome "Cemetery Man" (Dellamorte, Dellamore for the purists) and hasn’t helmed any horror flicks since (he’s directed two made-for-TV action films though…ugh?). Where are you, dude? We miss ya in hell bro! Although far from original (but really what slasher is?), "Stage Fright" is still rock solid and oozes of the promise that Soavi would eventually fulfill 100% with "Cemetery Man".

The film’s story might be fairly routine stuff: useless folks are trapped in an enclosed area with killer; killer hunts them down like Elmer Fudd on PCP but Soavi succeeds in making the more standard elements feel fresh. In my “Necronomicon” what makes "Stage Fright" such a treat are first off its astounding visuals. Soavi is a freaking artist and a half when it comes to this film’s aesthetics! Everything from the use of bluish lighting, slick ass shots and crazy angles had me foaming with delight. There’s one particular scene in this plasma party that will always stand out for me. It’s when the killer is sitting on the stage, surrounded by dead bodies as feathers float all around him (due to a wind machine). I was creaming my shorts. Every time I see the sequence, I think to myself: that’s the kind of vibe I want to deliver when I direct my feature. Talk about morbid and dream-like beautiful! I LOVE IT!

Now there’s no whodunit as to whom the killer is in this bad boy. We know who the crazed bird is from the get-go. That allows the film to get to the point faster (no red herrings here) and it gets to it hard. Apart from the sharp images, the red drenched (and I mean red) murders are, without a doubt, the highlights of the picture. Soavi constantly toys with the length of the build-ups leading to the kills and in consequence, took me aback a few times (like the chainsaw bit…yippee!). Of course, the fact that most of the characters are annoying pricks did lessen the impact of the tension-inclined scenes sometimes (I was cheering the killer on) but I will admit to chewing my nacho plate (yes, the plate!) in fear when that “chick going to get the key” sequence kicked in. Brrrrrr.

And what about our friendly mass murderer, you may ask? Is he the money? YOU BET HE IS! I really dug the fact that bird boy had an acting background; it left way for him to occasionally express his artistic side. For example, the way he meticulously placed the corpses on the stage suggested the soul of an artist. Sure, the guy is freaking insane but that’s just a technicality. I don’t know if it’s just me but I picked up on a possible motive for our hooded friend: creation through chaos. I really liked that spin and it worked for me. Physically, our killer does look a little different than the usual chop-chop nut; he wears a big ass owl head as a mask. It did feel a little awkward at first, but I quickly got used to the left field headgear and it eventually gave me the freaking creeps.

On a sour note, the film does sport a dumb “cops parked outside” filler subplot that didn’t bring anything to the story except atrocious lines and failed humor. I also really would’ve liked at least one fully sympathetic character to root for in this sea of arrogant, idiotic nitwits. The ending also had me scratching my ass in wonder. It serves us a double dose of plot holes: 1) how did the killer survive his just dessert and 2) how did he survive his coup-de-grace? Last I checked, he wasn’t "The Terminator". And last but not least, why in Mickey Rourke’s name does that black dude feel the need to repeat the same damn fucking line a zillion times over during the last frames. He made my ears bleed!

This film is also known as Bloody Bird, Sound Stage Massacre, Stage Fright: Aquarius and Deliria.