Search - Masters of Horror - John Carpenter - Cigarette Burns on DVD

Chad B. (abrnt1) from CABERY, IL
Reviewed on 3/18/2012...

After the Box Office failure of his last film (Ghosts of Mars) Carpenter hasn't done anything. This is Carpenter's long awaited return and he delivers the goods. This is a disturbing and highly effective episode.

2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Nicole W. (sterju3) from SCRANTON, PA
Reviewed on 3/4/2009...

great movie from the masters of horror, makes you question yourself if you would actually watch the movie he is searching for. This was my favorite in the box set..

4 of 4 member(s) found this review helpful.

Sarah F. (Ferdy63) from DALTON, GA
Reviewed on 9/21/2008...

A down on his luck theater owner is hired to find the only existing copy of a movie which is said to have driven it's only audience into murderous madness. As he begins his search, he sinks into the dark underbelly of the horror film world.

2 of 5 member(s) found this review helpful.

Maybe the Best Episode of Season 1

F.U. | California | 02/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Masters of Horror is, at best, an uneven series, but this one is definitely a standout. It's similar to Carpenter's "In the Mouth of Madness," but with a lot more scares and some really nasty violence. It may not have worked so well if it were a full-length movie, but for a one-hour episode, it's brilliant. I gotta say, the series as a whole is a little disappointing, as some of them aren't horror at all, but comedies or political satires with some gore thrown in, which doesn't make them bad, necessarily, they're just not "horror" like the title would suggest. The good news is that Cigarette Burns is a real horror show, and it's the best thing John Carpenter's done in at least a decade. CHECK IT OUT!!"

Creepy, surreal, gory, original, outstanding.

D. Knouse | vancouver, washington United States | 03/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is actually the very first work from John Carpenter since "The Thing" to scare me at all. I was eleven when "The Thing" blew me away with its gore, violence, and creepy horror, but ever since then it seemed as though his films were getting more and more cheesy. Even "In the Mouth of Madness" which I enjoyed for its Lovecraft-style themes and mood was more surreal than scary. "Cigarette Burns" is both surreal and scary, with dark underlying religious tones. There is the running undercurrent during the story of the fear of the unknown, or the unearthed secret and/or creation that should remain hidden for the sake of all mankind. Themes that are undeniably Lovecraft. I actually did not have a problem with the acting at all, I was simply too enthralled with the mystery and eventual horrifying climax to even notice. The heart of the mystery is incredibly original and thought-provoking, the journey absolutely worth taking. With so many bad horror films coming out these days it is incredibly refreshing to see a true Master of Horror show these young twerps just how it should be done. Even if it is just a short film. Excellent."

Film theory & spurting arteries... what more can one ask?

Joseph P. Menta, Jr. | Philadelphia, PA USA | 04/07/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"An entertaining and fairly compelling story by first time writers Drew McWeeny (aka the movie/DVD reviewer known as "Moriarty" on the "Ain't It Cool" web site) and Scott Swan is brought home by veteran horror director John Carpenter. All horror fans will likely find something here to enjoy, though it will be especially fun for "film geek" types who obsessively follow favorite directors and can recount the names and plots of the most obscure movies faster than they can remember the names of certain cousins.

Admittedly, two or three things could have been done better in this quickly-filmed production (for example, it should have been more of a slow, dramatic reveal when we learn that a film critic has filled reams and reams of paper with one endless review of the mysterious, infamous horror movie everyone is searching for), but overall the story unfolds well, measured and methodical when it needs to be and weird and crazy when those things are needed.

I also liked the nice balance been artiness and good old storytelling craftsmanship in the final piece. "Cigarette Burns" keeps things mysterious and, well, artful by not over-explaining every little question that naturally occurs to the viewer, but it explains enough and keeps the narrative "normal" enough that, despite the mysteries and unanswered questions at the conclusion, we still feel like we were given a satisfying, coherent story. Just be warned that ultimately it's a blood-soaked satisfying, coherent story you'll be getting.

And if the creepy, gory main feature isn't enough for you, this modestly priced DVD also gives you a generous set of extras. I especially enjoyed the two DVD commentaries, one by the director and one by the writers. Taken together, the commentaries give viewers a detailed and comprehensive look at the dynamic, energetic collaborative process between the writers, actors, and director that resulted in this edgy little horror film.

So, in the end, I'd give the actual short film (it clocks in at a shade under an hour) a solid three stars, and the generous DVD package as a whole a well-earned five stars. That averages out to the four-star rating I'm giving the whole thing overall. And that should be more than enough incentive to pony up the few bucks they're asking for this surprisingly entertaining DVD offering.

"