The ‘90s often get a bad rap with horror fans. After the numerous successful slashers and creature effects films of the ’80s, the ‘90s offered a different variety of horror fare. Though there were plenty of hits, hidden gems, and misunderstood classics, the ‘90s usually don’t get the kind of love that other decades get when it comes to horror. It’s time to change that.
New Zealand has gifted the world with some fantastic movies. And when it comes to horror, there have been plenty of notable releases. But, one movie that has faded from the conversation is 1997’s The Ugly, the debut film of writer/director Scott Reynolds. And it’s a real shame because The Ugly, much like Star Time, is a film that introduced a unique and promising perspective into the horror world.
The Ugly is the story of Simon Cartwright (Paolo Rotondo), a serial killer who has requested that a psychiatrist reevaluate his mental state in the hopes that he can be released. Dr. Karen Shumaker (Rebecca Hobbs) visits the facility holding Simon and conducts a series of interviews that dive into Simon’s past. As the story unfolds, we learn that Simon believes his killings are carried out by something called “The Ugly”, and the question of what exactly that is gets answered in shocking fashion.
In all honesty, The Ugly has a lot of hallmarks of a low budget first feature: a strong concept, small cast, and the kind of ambition that outweighs its means. Its attempts at filmmaking are often deliberately showy, and that’s going to be a deciding factor for a lot of viewers. Whether it’s optical distortions or the fractured nature of the narrative, The Ugly is a film that really goes for it. That’s extremely commendable but it also means its not going to be for everyone.
That said, if the disturbing subject matter and bold visual choices intrigue you, The Ugly is something very special. Reynolds has a vision of what he wants to explore with the character of Simon, and that vision is executed in a number of effective and striking ways. One of the more apparent choices involves the blood in the film. Reynolds made the decision to have all the blood be pitch black. It’s a surreal decision that somehow makes the violence more disturbing. And when the spirits of Simon’s victims begin appearing to him with black blood dripping out of their mouths, it’s an image that will stick in your mind.
What will also stick with you are the two lead performances from Paolo Rotondo and Rebecca Hobbs. As the film is structured around their interview sessions into Simon’s killings, the two of them need to have a good rapport. And as Karen begins to insert herself into more and more of Simon’s tragic and twisted past, their relationship becomes intertwined in a way that seems inevitable.
It is worth noting that The Ugly is not going to be easy to stomach for a lot of viewers. It’s a sympathetic look at a loner guy who lashes out at a society that he views as abusive and demeaning. It’s not the kind of story we like to see these days. And with the exception of some bizarrely costumed orderlies, the film lacks any humor at all to alleviate its grim and hopeless tone. This is a feel-bad movie through and through.
With all that in mind, it’s a bummer that The Ugly has fallen into obscurity. It was first brought to my attention on a horror film compilation DVD called Boogeymen: The Killer Compilation which highlighted clips from movies such as A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, Candyman and many others. To put the movie in such legendary company was high praise in my book. Unfortunately, the film is now out of print on DVD in the US and there doesn’t seem to be a planned Blu-ray release at this time. Here’s hoping that changes because The Ugly is certainly one of the horror films of the ‘90s that deserves recognition.
Considering that I still see people trashing the decade’s horror output, it behooves me to try and make sure that films like The Ugly are not forgotten.
