The
horror parody subgenre can either be as inspired as Behind the Mask: The
Rise of Leslie Vernon or as tired as the Scary Movie series
became. In the forgotten straight-to-video
British parody Unmasked Part 25 (The Hand of Death in some
territories), the expectations of both subgenres are subverted with this
riotously funny yet well-acted and shot number that’s far better than the films
it gleefully lampoons.
For
a film borne out of a subgenre with the bar typically set low, Unmasked Part
25 aims and soars surprisingly high past what you ordinarily get from these
kinds of movies. Think of it as
distinguished offering in the horror parody film that is as hilarious as it is
horrific with no shortage on grisly gore peppered in among the laughs.
Jackson
(Gregory Cox) is more or less a deformed hockey-mask wearing Jason Voorhees
skulking the streets of London. Picking
off sexed-up yuppies at a party one night he happens upon Shelly (Fiona Evans),
a blind woman unable to see Jackson’s hideous face or the bloodletting in his
wake. Developing feelings for the woman
ala The Toxic Avenger, romance soon blossoms between the two, revealing
Jackson to be something of an aristocrat hiding behind the disfigurement ala The
Elephant Man. Soon Jackson begins
debating leading a normal life with his past of killing behind him. But can he really suppress his killer instincts
for good?
The
first thing one notices aside from the very English setting, touching on the
proliferation of the punk movement with the attire worn by the characters, is
the film’s startlingly lush visual look.
For a film released straight-to-video (with limited theatrical
showings), Unmasked Part 25 looks fantastic with deep colorful blues and
acute attention to lighting. Outside of
some of the later offerings in the series, the Friday the 13th films
never looked this vibrant! Though shot
quickly, the vivid color schema lensed by John de Borman is stunning for what
is ostensibly a genre send-up.
Equally
impressive is Julian Wastall’s intentionally operatic score which conjures up
haunted house horror musical tropes including but not limited to key use of the
pipe organ. Compounded with the film’s visual
look, the electronic score perfectly suits the piece by managing to evoke tones
of comedy and horror with hints of the grandiose at times.
The
brainchild of screenwriter Mark Cutforth who envisioned a parody after binge
watching the Friday the 13th films, was an English major
whose penchant for witty dialogue shows in the film’s equally inspired
performances by it’s three leads, Gregory Cox, Fiona Evans and Edward Brayshaw
as the homeless father figure who knows Jackson like a book. Brayshaw only has a couple of scenes onscreen
but he’s unforgettable in them, transforming the bum stereotype into a wise
elder who sees Jackson for what he really is.
Cox
is fantastic in the role that more or less hides his face behind grotesque
monster makeup created by Cliff Wallace and Stuart Conran (Hellraiser)
with delivery becoming of a fine British gentleman. In a role that calls for a physically intimidating
figure, Cox can be imposing while also making the character look sheepish in
certain scenes. Playing exceptionally
well off of Cox is Fiona Evans who makes the outwardly meek looking Shelly
secretly a bad girl eager to spice up her love life with her new killer-in-disguise
boyfriend.
Playing
on the sequelitis of the Friday the 13th franchise, Unmasked
Part 25 quietly appeared on video in 1989 before disappearing for the next thirty
years before resurfacing on a 2K restored blu-ray released by Vinegar
Syndrome. Seen now, its hard to believe
how overlooked this one is, a film which on paper should be an entertaining
farce but winds up greatly exceeding the expectations of said genre. What should have been just another horror
parody winds up being a clever and colorful little gem with more on its mind
than just horror movie slayings.
--Andrew Kotwicki