Masters of Horror: Valerie on the Stairs
by Mick Garris
List Price:
Our Price: $4.12
You Save: $10.86 (72%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.43 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Christopher Lloyd, Jonathan Watton, Nicola Lipman, Suki Kaiser, Tyron LeitsoDirector: Mick Garris
Brand: Fox
Producer: Mick Garris
Writer: Mick Garris
Producer: Adam Goldworm
Producer: Andrew Deane
Producer: Ben Browning
Producer: John W. Hyde
Producer: Keith Addis
Producer: Lisa Richardson
Producer: Morris Berger
Writer: Clive Barker
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 60 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-08-14
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
DVD Reviews of Masters of Horror: Valerie on the Stairs
DVD Review: Someone Please Give This Poor Woman Some Clothes!
Summary: 3 Stars
A young aspiring author, Rob Hanisey (Tyler Leitso) moves in to a room at the Highberger House - a haven for unpublished writers where he can stay, rent free as long as his work remains unpublished. Our charming protagonist soon discovers that the previous tenant committed suicide and the other co-inhabitants of the Highberger House are all nutty, annoying characters that seem to have leaped out of a SNL skit. Soon Rob becomes plagued with visions of a beautiful young woman (Clare Grant) who appears distraught and nude for most of the time (Maybe she's looking for her clothes). Accompanying this lost soul is a vicious Man-Beast (Tony Todd) who yanks the unfortunate maiden away before our protagonist can get close to her and unravel the mystery of Valerie on the stairs.
This episode directed by Mick Garris has a lot of promise. It is from a story written by Clive Barker and although the premise may sound all too familiar; creepy old house, ghostly voices, awkward characters, the story is not as predictable as one would think. However, there is much to criticize about "Valerie on the Stairs". Although the film drips with atmosphere and the cast is generally good- Christopher Lloyd is again his loony best and Tony Todd plays another monstrous entity quite successfully, all of this is not enough to salvage a fright film that is not at all scary despite some R-rated kills.
Now, I don't usually complain about beautiful women walking around without nothing on but sometimes too much nudity becomes a distraction and since "Valerie on the Stairs" doesn't have much going for it, at least on film, maybe on paper, this was one heck of a story, the result is just sleazy nudity to keep the audience interested. At least that is what I got from this. Now I know many will state the nudity is relevant to the plot since Valerie is supposed to represent tortured beauty and sexuality but for some reason, it didn't quite work for me. More interesting are the gore sequences, especially the one grisly scene involving the removal of someone's spinal cord through the mouth and the Beast's make-up is attention-grabbing. Speaking of this villainous man-beast, the impact it originally had is lost by too much screen time. Keeping the monster in the background and maybe giving us a flash of its eyes, its claws, it's voice (and what a voice!) etc would have been far more effective than seeing the creature up close and personal since when closely scrutinized, it looks rather silly. Of course this is not Mr. Todd's fault. He gives this peculiar role his all and his voice is perfect for this. The film's climax will also have many rolling their eyes in bewilderment but I must give the creator of this tale kudos for giving us a twist and going somewhere new and not simply giving us another tale of tortured souls and a haunted house.
Those wanting a lot of T & A, an amusing looking monster with some gore thrown in, may find this installment fairly amusing but like so many other episodes in this series, the film-makers took a rather interesting premise and did absolutely nothing special with it. It's interesting enough but hardly memorable with no scares whatsoever and with the exception of some stand out episodes, this "Masters of Horror" series became much too routine for anyone other than hard-core horror fans to care much. Which is a shame considering some of the talent involved and despite Clive Barkers wicked imagination behind this story, "Valerie on the Stairs" gets a 2.5 out of 5.
Description of Masters of Horror: Valerie on the Stairs
MASTERS OF HORROR:VALERIE ON THE STAI - DVD MovieBestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Masters of Horror: Fair Haired ChildFox; Release date: 2006-12-12; DVD
Best price: $3.10
Price in other shops:
Masters of Horror: PeltsFox; Release date: 2007-02-13; DVD
Best price: $4.98
Price in other shops:
Masters of Horror: The Black CatSTARZ/SPHE; Release date: 2007-07-17; DVD
Best price: $2.80
Price in other shops:
Masters of Horror: Dream CruiseFox; Release date: 2007-11-13; DVD
Best price: $6.88
Price in other shops:
Masters of Horror: ImprintSTARZ/SPHE; Release date: 2006-09-26; DVD
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
Masters of Horror: Sounds LikeFox; Release date: 2007-09-18; DVD
Best price: $2.30
Price in other shops:
Masters of Horror: The V WordSTARZ/SPHE; Release date: 2007-12-11; DVD
Best price: $5.45
Price in other shops:
Masters of Horror - Right to DieSTARZ/SPHE; Release date: 2007-05-15; DVD
Best price: $3.70
Price in other shops:
Masters of Horror: We All Scream for Ice CreamFox; Release date: 2007-08-14; DVD
Best price: $3.10
Price in other shops:
Masters of Horror: The Damned ThingFox; Release date: 2007-10-16; DVD
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops: