Based on a story by Clive Barker, Valerie on the Stairs is story that is one to warp the mind of any fan of Barkers work. As a fan of Barkers early work, I can say that the man has never lost his feel when it comes to developing dark stories filled with lust and demons. Unlike the last Master of Horror episode, Haeckel’s Tale which I felt was not that great of film story wise, (Not to mention it didn’t feel like something Barker would write). Valerie on the Stairs screams Clive Barker. However while Barker in the man behind the story, Master Horror director Mick Garris is the man behind the camera, and also wrote the teleplay based on Barkers work. While Barker built the bridge by writing the story. it was Garris who bought it to life on celluloid.
Valerie on the Stairs follow a young writer named Rob Hanisey, whom is accepted to live in a place known as Highberger House. A place where unpublished writer go to live free of charge to write their novels until they can get something published. However this house is unlike any other house as it not only has plenty of unpublished struggling writers living in it, but their is also the ghost of a young women whom haunts the place. Her name is Valerie and she is under the control of a beast that lives within the walls of the house. It seems that Rob is the only one that can see her. Rob tires to find out why she is there and wants to help her, however she can’t be released until the beast finds and destroys his creator.
I’ve read quite a few reviews for this film and most of them were mixed. I believe what it all really comes down to is if your a fan of Barkers work or not. Clive Barker’s writing and art are of a rare breed. Their are not many people who can create such wonderful, yet horrific stories. Mick Garris took this story and developed into what I think is a pretty good teleplay. Like I stated above Barker’s style is hard to pull off, unless he himself is behind the camera. Garris really reached into Barkers brain and was able to take the story and develop it well to the liking of Barker, to the point where the film it’s self looked like Barker directed it. However Garris’s teleplay does have a few flaws, as the film itself did have a few minor plot holes. But from an overall perspective. The main characters were developed pretty good for a one hour production and the overall feel of the script left me feeling cold and left in the dark.
The acting in this episode is not half bad. The cast is full of a few veteran actors who are no strangers to the genre. Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) and Tony Todd (Candyman) are the faces that most people will recognize even though Todd plays the beast in the film, you can still tell that it’s him. Both of their acting skills are pretty decent in the film ,but the real stars of this production lie within the stories two main characters. Actor Tyron Leitso whom is probably most known for his role in Uwe Boll’s House of the Dead, deliver a pretty decent performance in the lead role of writer Rob Hanisey. However the films main attraction and performance goes to Clare Grant whom played the role of Valerie. While she did not have many lines her facial expressions and the look of despair and sorrow on her face is what sold me on her ability to act. Sure she is also nude in the movie, but one can’t just give her a performance a good review because she has a great looking body. OK so it helped, but overall she was very good.
The overall production value of this Master of Horror Episode was not half bad. The set design of not only the house but the beast’s underworld lair looked very good. The sets had that very in the dark look, much of the likes of Barker’s Hellraiser and Nightbreed did. Garris seemed to do his homework on what would make fans of Barkers work flock to watch this episode, and he really nailed the feel of the story with the imagery. The make-up effects were pretty decent, as well as some of the CGI in the film. The Beast Make-up was not half bad, and some of the death scenes looked pretty convincing. I really liked the CGI that helped with the conclusion of the film.
Overall, I felt that Garris really was able to connect to fan of Clive Barker with this film. The screenplay and the plot do have some holes, but one will be able to follow the story regardless of what is not explained. Valerie on the Stairs is a very dark episode filled with a lot of demotic and erotic overtones. In a nutshell it’s a story that Barker fans will be able to how well Mick Garris was able to transform Barkers imagination onto the small screen. A must own DVD for fans of both Garris and Barker.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
