Every decade has its ups and downs when it comes to cinema, no matter the genre.  Horror fans love to loft on high the output of the ‘30s & ‘40s, the ‘70s & ‘80s, and the more recent decades.  More often than not, however, the 1990s are labeled as the worst decade for the genre.  Not only that, but ‘90s horror tends to be written off as a whole, beyond a handful of undisputed classics.  The purpose of Exhumed & Exonerated: The ‘90s Horror Project, is to refute those accusations by highlighting numerous gems from the decade.  Stone cold classics will be tackled in this column from time to time, but its main purpose will be to seek out lesser-known and/or less-loved titles that I think deserve more attention and respect from fans.  Let the mayhem begin!

The Ugly

Directed by Scott Reynolds
Screenplay by Scott Reynolds
Produced by Jonathan Dowling
Starring Paolo Rotondo, Rebecca Hobbs, Roy Ward, Paul Glover, Cristopher Graham, Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Caelem Pope, Vanessa Byrnes, Cath McWhirter, and Darien Takle
Released on May 1, 1998 (U.S. release)

Fresh off a career-making case, psychiatrist Dr. Karen Shumaker (Rebecca Hobbs) is sent to a scrappy asylum in Auckland, New Zealand to evaluate an inmate. That inmate, serial killer Simon Cartwright (Paolo Rotondo), has requested a re-evaluation of his mental state. Claiming that he has been cured, Simon wants a court hearing and he has specifically requested Dr. Shumaker to perform his re-evaluation. Shumaker soon finds herself in over her head as Simon’s mindgames and charismatic nature begin to take their toll. Has he been cured? Is he still insane? Or is there something even more sinister at play?

New Zealand horror is probably best known for the early films of Peter Jackson, particularly the likes of Bad Taste and Dead Alive (aka Braindead). It is also a genre-filmmaking industry that has roared back to life in recent years, with the likes of What We Do in the Shadows, Housebound, Deathgasm, Black Sheep, and more pouring out of the country and delighting horror fans around the globe. There have been others, of course, from 1984’s Death Warmed Up and 1985’s The Lost Tribe to 1993’s Jack Be Nimble and 2000’s Karl Urban-starring The Irrefutable Truth About Demons. And, of course, 1997’s The Ugly!

While the set-up of this is very Thomas Harris-y, early ‘90s “psychological thriller” territory, the film never really lives within that domain. Sure, we get hefty glimpses of Simon’s past that inform the man he has ultimately become, but the heart of the film is very much rooted within Simon himself. The title, if you’re curious, hails from Simone’s favorite book as a child: The Ugly Duckling. After a rather damaging (both physically and emotionally) run-in with some neighborhood bullies, the book is destroyed and Simone is left with a title page that is half-missing. Hence “The Ugly”, which also doubles as Simon’s name for his murderous alter-ego.

Speaking of killer instincts, The Ugly is not interested in building a mindless killing machine or a mugging malevolent baddie for the audience. Instead, it carefully spends its time letting Simon’s charms work on you and juxtaposing them with a background just tragic enough to make you feel a little sorry for him. Think less Hannibal Lecter and more Norman Bates. Not that there’s anything wrong with the former, mind you, but this just isn’t that kind of film.

Clearly crafted on a low budget, writer/director Reynolds actually uses that to the film’s advantage. What the film lacks in resources, it makes up for in style and intensity. There’s a frenetic energy to the proceedings, particularly the kills shown in the flashbacks, that is often lacking in this particular subgenre. This is conveyed through a variety of methods, from the music to hyperactive camerawork to its vibrant color palette (particularly the supremely black-ish blood).

Not simply content to let the performances (all of which are good, especially the two leads) carry the film, Reynolds set out to make the visuals match them. When Simon is depressed and falls into self-loathing, the film itself looks and feels sad. When he is in the midst of an adrenaline-fueled killing spree, the movie feels like someone drove a needle into its heart, Pulp Fiction-style.

There are some supernatural elements at play, primarily when it comes to “The Visitors”. You see, Simon’s victims continue to haunt him after their death. They appear as ghoulish bleeding corpses that taunt him to continue his murderous ways. The film also hints at times that Simon might have some psychic abilities. None of this is ever really made clear, however, so it’s ultimately up to the viewer to decide whether these elements are “real” within the story itself or simple a byproduct of Simon’s psychosis.

Looking into Reynolds’ work in preparation for this entry, I was disappointed to see that he hasn’t made many films since this feature-length debut. He has only made two features since, neither of which I have seen (although that will be rectified). Given the creativity and style on display here, it’s a shame that he hasn’t worked regularly in the (almost) two decades since The Ugly was released.

The Ugly is probably best known for being showcased in a horror film documentary 15 years ago titled Boogeymen: The Killer Compilation. While it naturally showcased the adventures of Freddy, Chucky, Pinhead, Leatherface, etc., it also managed to highlight a few less-celebrated fright flicks like The Guardian, The Dentist, Wishmaster, and…of course…The Ugly. That’s where I became aware of this underseen gem and tracked it down quickly afterwards. It’s been a favorite ever since.

High on style, packed with violence, and topped off with some great performances, The Ugly deserves a much wider audience and positive reception than it has been given to date. While some of the films I have showcased in the column so far have been more endearing in terms of their entertainment factor than actually quality, Scott Reynolds’ The Ugly is a legitimately good movie. Seek it out!

Up Next: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990)

Previously On…
Species | Mute Witness | Popcorn | Wishmaster | Alien 3 | Cast A Deadly Spell
Disturbing Behavior | The Sect | The Addams Family | The Ugly