Blu-Ray Review: StageFright

By Brad Henderson

StageFright was a classic when I originally saw it back in the ‘90s. At that time I knew it as Bloody Bird, but a little while later I acquired a VHS copy with the title StageFright: Aquarius. I imagine this was confusing for some in the days before the Internet. I think the distributors knew this so they made StageFright one word. Honestly, it doesn’t matter but I find it funny. It’s even funnier since Jerome Sable’s Stage Fright was released earlier this year.

We were lucky enough to recently get a Blu-Ray of this somewhat-unknown classic from Blue Underground. StageFright will always be a favorite of mine for many reasons. This is one of the first slashers I ever watched and it’s been a film that has inspired me to this day. I’ve recommended it countless times in the past and here I am once again, telling you that you should look into this film.

StageFright is wacky, scary, disturbing, and has one of the most inconvenient masks a killer could wear. Whenever I’ve mentioned this film to people in the past they would always respond with “that killer bird movie”? “Yes, but it’s actually an owl,” I would say. Then I would get the usual eye rolls. (But you would also correct someone if it happened to be one of your favorite films.)

StageFright is a simple slasher, but what makes it good are the killer and the badassery of the kills. When I said “inconvenient mask” earlier, I should have clarified that the word “mask” is an understatement. He literally wears a huge fucking owl head piece that would make any normal person topple over if he were to run with it on his head. This asshole decides to put this head piece on and start slaughtering the people he has trapped inside a theatre. Oh yeah, the plot. . .

We open with a director and the cast of an upcoming play. The director is a jerk and even after a cast member is murdered outside, he wants to continue practicing and even locks everyone inside. Long story short: the killer gets a hold of the key and they are all stuck. The owl head piece killer starts chopping them up. That may sound weak but Michele Soavi delivers one of the best slashers to date, not to mention there is a huge Giallo influence in this, which I’m still in love with.

Blue Underground has packed this Blu-Ray with stuff carried over from the DVD release and some new features as well. There are plenty of interviews on this disc with the director, actors, composer, and makeup effects artist. Each one is interesting enough, but my favorite is the interview with composer Simon Boswell because the one thing that stands out the most in this film (other than the giant owl head) is the score.

Of course when the film starts you will literally mouth the words “What. The. Fuck.” Just give it a chance and it will all come together. Check this film out and become a fan of this hidden gem and support Blue Underground because they are coming back in a big way and are killing it with these releases. This is the uncut and uncensored version which means we get two very special ultra-violent kills and dismemberments. You’re welcome.

StageFright was released by Blue Underground on Blu-Ray on September 23.