It has been quite a few years since a horror anthology was on television, and even the ones that were seen in recent years were on network, meaning censorship and a lack of many of the things that makes horror entertaining. Showtime however changed all of that with the start of their series Masters of Horror back in 2005.

If you’re not familiar with the series then you probably don’t know your horror that well. Masters of Horror has brought together some of the biggest names in the industry. While some went on to work in other genres at one point, many of them have come back to their roots, many have never left. Anchor Bay Entertainment previously released each and every episode of the first season, including the “banned” episode, Takashi Miike’s Imprint. If you missed any of the Masters of Horror releases (which you shouldn’t have since they were quite easy to find) or have had a curiosity about what the series is all about, the complete first season of Masters of Horror is now available as one complete series.

But who exactly are the “masters of horror” you might be asking yourself? Most of them are names that you know all too well, the directors of your own worst nightmares, and the creators of legendary and long running franchises. The thirteen directors that participated in this experiment of terror include John Carpenter, Joe Dante, Dario Argento, John Landis, John McNaughton, Takashi Miike, Don Coscarelli, Mick Garris, Larry Cohen Lucky McKee, William Malone and Stuart Gordon. All of these directors at one point in their career have crafted tales of the bizarre, the unusual, and the macabre. Some of their films, such as Halloween (Carpenter), ReAnimator (Gordon) and Phantasm (Coscarelli) are still scaring the hell out of audiences even today.

The Masters of Horror Season One collection includes all thirteen episodes. In the past, Anchor Bay has released some very cool box set, at least for UK horror fans (still waiting to see that Hellraiser cube and Phantasm sphere see some kind of release here) and the Masters of Horror collection is in a very stylish box. The box itself looks like a crypt with plastic pillars on the front as well as the logo and the names of the directors on either side. The top of the crypt lifts off to reveal fourteen DVD’s, and as to why there is an additional disc, that will be covered a bit later. The discs don’t include the original cover art, which is actually fine, and instead are in cardboard slip cases, each with the director’s name, the episode title, and the DVD special features printed on them. The box is nicely constructed, made of heavy cardboard while the discs are held within a plastic tray.

Probably one of the best episodes, at least as far as I’m concerned, is John Carpenter’s Cigarette Burns, and it’s probably one of the best things he’s done in years. John Ladis’ offering, Deer Woman, also is very good and has a very campy atmosphere, plus Cinthia Moura is HOT. If the folks at Anchor Bay ever feel so inclined as to set up a one-on-one, face-to-face interview for me and Cinthia, believe me, I’m there, no questions asked. Stuart Gordon also gives a great offering with another Lovecraft inspired tale, Dreams in the Witch-House. While a number of episodes I haven’t seen, at least not yet, they have in fact been reviewed, and just clicking those cover images at the bottom will take you to them. Trust what Aaron has to say about them.

The fourteenth disc included in the set is an exclusive that contains bonus material that has not been seen on any of the other Masters of Horror releases. There is a dinner discussion that includes most of the directors from the first season and it is actually quite interesting to listen to. It’s much like being a fly on the wall. There is also a panel discussion about the series, once again including directors from the series as well as another icon in the industry; Clive Barker. Also take note, this isn’t some quick Q&A session but instead it clocks in at over an hour. Also, as a nice additional rarity, and a blast from the past, there are two episodes from Mick Garris’ cable show, Fantasy Film Festival. The first, Garris interview Steven Spielberg, and interestingly enough, Garris would later direct and write on Spielberg’s Amazing Stories. The second episodes of FFF, the debut episode actually, Garris interviews John Boorman, the man behind the delightfully bad Zardoz, the terrible Exorcist II and Excalibur.

The Masters of Horror Season One collection is a must have for any fan of horror films. You have thirteen directors all together in one set, and again, many of these are names that are a huge part of the industry. Plus, if you’re trying to find something that might keep you on the edge, wondering if you just saw something in the darkness of your bedroom late at night, Masters of Horror will certainly provide just the right medicine to bring that night-terror to life.
 

-mike-