The Masque of the Red Death Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Masque of the Red Death Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 30, 2020

Left with a usable set and some additional Edgar Allan Poe inspiration, director Alan Birkinshaw and screenwriter Michael J. Murray move from 1989’s “The House of Usher” to “The Masque of the Red Death,” hoping to squeeze a second picture out of the deal. Instead of going gothic with a faithful retelling of the original Poe story, the team elects to create a modern house party murder game with the elements, keeping the budget low and casting awkward as they attempt to execute a blunt slasher movie with little inspiration.

Tabloid photographer Rebecca (Michelle McBride) infiltrates Ludwig’s (Herbert Lom) The Masque of the Red Death costume ball, hoping to score photos of elusive soap opera star, Elaina (Brenda Vaccaro). While mingling with guests, including Duke (Frank Stallone), Rebecca learns that a madman in red is on the loose, killing off attendees one by one. Planning to exit, a small group of survivors are soon locked inside Ludwig’s castle, turned into targets for a mysterious killer.

I mean, come on, Frank Stallone? Brenda Vaccaro? Herbert Lom? Clearly a few favors were cashed in to pad out this ensemble, creating a strange atmosphere of seasoned talent and stiff line-readings, making “The Masque of the Red Death” particularly weird at times as Birkinshaw leans on his limited cast to sell the urgency of the moment. There are a lot of unintentional laughs in the early going of the effort, which tries to set a festive mood with grand ballroom games (including human chess) and a rock band where the guitarist doesn’t have a strap for his instrument (whoops). Random dance numbers and catty guests also populate the picture. Perhaps “The Masque of the Red Death” could’ve done just fine as a study of party behaviors and sly antagonisms, following Rebecca and her secret camera into the thick of arrogant people and their iffy power plays. But no, the feature goes the horror route, and not effectively in the least, offering basic murder sequences where the red demon picks off enemies using all manner of Poe-inspired death devices – the weirdest being a clothing designer sewn into a large loom, making her the most patient victim of the bunch.

The Masque of the Red Death Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as a "Brand New 2020 HD Master," with Scorpion Releasing trying to do something with an obscure title. Clarity is generally appealing, with detail satisfactory on ornate costumes and facial surfaces. Ballroom activity is also open for survey, and castle interiors retain their artificial appearance. Colors are acceptable, enjoying a boost of hues with partygoers and their bright outfits, while the killer on the loose arrives covered in vivid red. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Source is in good condition.

The Masque of the Red Death Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix provides a louder listening event for "The Masque of the Red Death," with scoring cues aggressive at times. The chirpy synth score is pronounced throughout, threatening to overwhelm performances at times, with a few lines challenged along the way. Soundtrack selections are equally big. Dialogue exchanges mostly survive, handling accents and emphasis. Sound effects are defined.

The Masque of the Red Death Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features critic Nathaniel Thompson.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

The Masque of the Red Death Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Masque of the Red Death" never comes alive, held down by select performances that are quite awful (you guessed it – Frank Stallone) and a screenplay that wants to deliver big frights and gore, but fails to inspire any sort of suspense. Sets from "The House of Usher" are apparently recycled here, and it's easy to see why, providing Birkinshaw with some open spaces to detail luxury, while the bowels of the castle make for ideal cat-and- mouse chasing. As a production without much cash to spend, "The Masque of the Red Death" looks passable, but visual achievements hardly support the endeavor, which sinks into silliness almost immediately, never managing to reach a B-movie fury.