I liked this movie, and I wrote up a review of the AB DVD awhile back:
Michele Soavi's "Stagefright" on DVD
Pros
Above average, stylish direction. There is a decent amount of kills, some very brutal.
Cons
Slow start, perhaps too many slasher film cliches, barebones DVD treatment as far as extras.
Bottom-line
Stagefright is classic 1980s-era slasher film. The DVD is excellent for audio/video. The script and plot are weak, but it delivers a good dose of gore, thrills, and suspense.
4 out of 5
Stagefright
1987, directed by Michele Soavi, released by Anchor Bay
Movie
Stagefright is also known as Bloody Bird, Aquarius and Deliria, among other names. It is the first feature film directed by Michele Soavi, who was known as an Argento protégé, and one of the "new" generation of Italian horror directors. The producer is the infamous Joe D'Amato (Aristide Massaccesi), and Stagefright was written by George Eastman (Luigi Montefiori). So you have a fair amount of recognized Italian filmmakers involved in the production - and that, along with the big names that Soavi had worked with previously, make you expect quite a lot from this film. But does it deliver?
The story: A new play is in late stages of its production, called "Night Owl." From the start, it is obvious that the hotheaded, temperamental director Peter (David Brandon) expects perfection from his cast. The play itself features rape, murder, a serial killer - and dance numbers. If you like 1980s-era music and dance, then you are in for a treat. It reminded me a little of the production that was being undertaken in the movie Staying Alive. The killer in the play wears an ominous looking owl mask - more like a hood, covering the whole head.
The tense rehearsal results in the star, Alicia (Barbara Cupisti), suffering a bit of a sore ankle - though she rarely limps or complains of it - only when demanded by the plot. Betty (Ulrike Schwerk), the wardrobe mistress comes to Alicia's aid - she will take Alicia to a nearby hospital. Fortunately, Alicia can get quick treatment, without the dictatorial Peter knowing she is leaving the theatre, or that she even needs treatment. Unfortunately, while it is technically a hospital - it is a mental hospital. One of its patients is former actor Irving Wallace (Clain Parker), who has had past problems with killing his fellow actors. Boy, we wouldn't want him locked up in the theater with our current cast, would we?
But of course, the killer does end up at the theater, and when he takes his first victim, it indirectly results in Peter locking the cast in the theater for the night. This happens because after returning from the hospital, Alicia goes back inside the theater - Betty must run back to the car - where she meets a brutal demise. And the killer now has a key to get inside. When Betty's body is discovered, and after the police ensure that the theater is safe, Peter makes a fateful decision. He tells the press the victim was an actress, not a wardrobe mistress. To further take advantage of the publicity, he plans to rewrite the play to take advantage of Betty's death at the hands of Irving Wallace, and he vows to open the show early. In order to achieve these goals, Peter locks most of the cast into the "safe" theater for a night of practice. But is it safe?
Video
Stagefright is presented in an anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer. Anchor Bay's publicity info claims this was restored from "original Rome vault materials" - and it shows. There are some imperfections that carry over from the source material, but otherwise, it is a solid transfer. There are a lot of colorful scenes, that look excellent here on DVD. I can't imagine that a better version of this movie has ever been available for home viewing.
Audio
You get a choice here, of two different Dolby Digital audio tracks - Surround EX, and plain 2.0. Both are in English, there is no Italian language track available here. And no subtitles either.
But the dubbing is pretty good, I have seen much worse. And the music, from composers including Simon Boswell, fits the movie. That is, for an 80's movie, you get a typically 80's score. Perhaps it will seem a bit dated, so you might not like it.
Trash Factor
I really loved some of the killings in this film - there is an extreme level of brutality here, which will make quite a few of these scenes very memorable. Luckily for us, there is quite a well-stocked craft area at the theatre - so the killer has no trouble accessing things like a pickaxe, industrial size drill, and chainsaw - which all get put to goooood use. Total body count is modest here (about 10), but most are well crafted.
As far as the sex appeal of the film - there are quite a few very attractive female stars - wearing very 80s-era garb, and gaudy costumes and wigs. The star of Stagefright, Barbara Cupisti, along with Loredana Parrella are the standout "lookers" as far as female characters - but no major skin for them. Just some clingy clothes and costumes at times. Mary Sellers, however, happens to be stalked changing in the wardrobe area, and you'll see her topless for a bit while she hides in a changing room.
Another slightly erotic moment to watch for - when the doctor examines Barbara Cupisti's ankle, he seems a little touchy-feely. Way to go, doc!
Extras
Very slim offering from Anchor Bay. There is a theatrical trailer and a brief biography of Michele Soavi. This bio is simply a series of text screens to flip through using your DVD remote - basic info, but still a good introduction to Soavi for any newcomers.
Packaging
The cover image on the DVD is a poster reproduction. The chapter stop insert card has this same image on the flip side. Maybe it's just me, but I am not sure what the alternate title Aquarius means - and the image that goes along with this title is pretty generic. It has an axe crashing through a fish tank, I think? Go figure.
Overall
I really enjoyed this initial directorial effort by Michele Soavi. It's stylish, but sensible all the same. The plot is certainly lacking, but I enjoy the set-up: we know who the killer is early in the film. And with the dramatic irony, we know this well before the characters even know they are in danger. On top of this, we have the victims locked-up with the killer, in a rather confined space. Besides one quick side trip, and a few exterior shots, all of the action takes place in the theater.
The film is perhaps a little slow starting, however, until the chain of events that bring the killer to the theatre is completed. Making this a little more bothersome, is that while we wait for things to get rolling, there seems to be an attempt at character development that doesn't quite work. What that results in, is that with the exception of a few of the actors in the play, most of them end up being pretty generic. Just inevitable victims. That in itself isn't a problem with me, but the weak attempt to breathe life in the characters is. So we learn stuff like one dancer is involved with another, or this dancer seems jealous of this one. But in the end, these little tidbits do nothing to advance the plot, and mean nothing at the end of the movie.
One scene in particular that I liked was shortly after the director makes the rehearsal a "lock-in." Peter directs the on-stage action, and urges the play's "killer" to "kill" Corinne (Loredana Parrella). But it is the escaped mental patient wearing the owl-head, not the actor - so when Peter barks the order to "kill"…
Bottom-line, I definitely recommend the DVD of Stagefright - while the movie has faults, it does succeed in providing suspense, gore, and thrills. It is a classic 1980s-era slasher film. The script is somewhat weak, and the plot rather predictable. For me, though, these are luxuries, not necessities - a slasher film can do just fine when it relies on the "visceral," and leaves the "cerebral" in the back seat. But like I said before, some really good kills, with excellent makeup and gore effects. Add the "owl-hooded" killer to the mix, and you have a winner.
If you buy this, though - don't expect much more than the movie. A little disappointing, but you can find this DVD for less than $15, so it's a minimal investment. Buy or rent this one!
