Masters of Horror Season 2 — Tobe Hooper’s Damned Thing

The first episode of season two and the first sneak preview the people at the Horrorthon were given. This is Tobe Hooper’s second ‘Masters of Horror’ and it was adapted for the screen from Ambrose Bierce’s short story by Richard Christian Matheson. Who just so happens to be the son of Richard Matheson of ‘I am Legend’ fame.

I have a problem with this right from the get go. I’ve read the Ambrose Bierce short story; I have it somewhere in a box in my home. My problem is that, I can’t remember where I put it or the exact run of the story. However, whatever is going on in my subconscious mind, I was satisfied with this, it seemed to run with what scattered bits I could remember.

Sadly, that doesn’t lift this up. This seemed to be met with general dislike from just about everybody I spoke to at the Horrorthon. I seemed to be a singular minority. Although I liked it, it feels hollow. I can’t correctly explain that to you. There is just a plodding limpness to it and part of me can’t help but want to grab Hooper by the nose with a meat hook and scream “Leave the CGI alone Hooper, Let it be, it was not meant for your hands”.

Aside from that, Sean Patrick Flannery (Boondock Saints) is as always watch-able, Ted Raimi enjoyable and the rest of the cast adequate. There are some very good gore scenes, with my favourite being the hammer. That scene just reached out and touched me like a sort of DIY Jesus saying “Find me, edit me out my child and watch me on loop”.

Although portions of this feel like an exercise in Hooper showing off just how fast he can edit. I’ve got to go against the majority and say I enjoyed it. I just wish Hooper would find himself some better scripts and maybe then we could see a proper return to form.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre was not a fluke.

You know who you are…

Two stars out of five.

Originally published at 5/10/2007