The 1983 Canadian production of Curtains endured years of delays, multiple creative overhauls and a complete change of director before it reached cinemas.
Released in the midst of the early 1980s slasher boom, Curtains stands apart for its backstage setting and its unusually protracted journey from script to screen. Shot in Ontario during the winter of 1980, the film follows an ageing actress who infiltrates an audition for a horror production only to encounter a masked killer. Its troubled history has long fascinated genre enthusiasts, yet the finished work remains a distinctive entry in Canadian horror.
Origins of the Project
Screenwriter Robert Guza Jr crafted the initial screenplay in the late 1970s, drawing on his interest in the competitive world of theatre auditions. Producer Peter Simpson acquired the rights and initially hired a different director whose vision emphasised overt gore. When financing stalled and test footage proved unsatisfactory, Simpson replaced the director with Richard Ciupka, a cinematographer making his feature debut. This switch occurred after principal photography had already begun, forcing a substantial rewrite of the third act.
Shooting Under Pressure
Filming took place at a disused theatre in Toronto and at several rural locations north of the city. Cold weather repeatedly halted exterior work, while the production struggled with a limited budget that restricted the number of practical effects. Crew members recall long nights spent rigging the iconic mask sequence, which ultimately relied on a simple latex appliance rather than elaborate prosthetics. The original cut ran nearly two hours; Simpson demanded cuts that removed several character backstories, tightening the narrative but leaving some plot threads unresolved.
Sound and Score
Composer Paul Zaza, who had previously scored Prom Night, delivered a sparse electronic soundtrack that avoided the synth-heavy approach common in American slashers of the period. The decision to use silence during several stalking scenes heightened tension without relying on constant musical cues. Post-production mixing occurred in a small studio where the team worked to balance the sparse dialogue with the ambient creaks of the old theatre setting.
Director in the Spotlight
Richard Ciupka was born in Belgium in 1948 and emigrated to Canada as a teenager. He began his career as a camera operator on documentaries before moving into narrative features as director of photography on several low-budget dramas. Curtains marked his first credit as director, though his background in lighting and composition shaped the film’s distinctive visual style. After Curtains he returned to cinematography, working on Canadian television productions and occasional theatrical releases throughout the 1990s. His filmography includes the 1987 thriller Keeping Track and numerous episodes of the series Street Legal. Ciupka’s approach favoured long, unbroken takes that allowed actors to build unease gradually rather than through rapid editing.
Actor in the Spotlight
Samantha Eggar, born in London in 1939, brought established screen credentials to the role of Samantha Sherwood. After early success in British cinema with films such as The Collector and Walk Don’t Run, she relocated to the United States and appeared in a range of thrillers and television dramas. Eggar accepted the part in Curtains partly because it offered a rare lead for an actress over forty. Her performance blends vulnerability with steely determination, particularly in scenes where her character must maintain composure during the deadly auditions. Eggar continued working steadily after Curtains, appearing in The Exterminator and numerous television movies before largely retiring from acting in the early 2000s.
Legacy and Influence
Although Curtains received modest distribution upon release, it later found an audience through home video. Its emphasis on an older female protagonist and its meta-commentary on the horror genre itself set it apart from many contemporaries. Later Canadian productions, including several entries in the Black Christmas series, echoed its backstage setting and focus on performance anxiety. Restored prints screened at genre festivals in the 2010s confirmed the film’s enduring cult status.
Conclusion
The extended gestation of Curtains ultimately produced a slasher that rewards viewers willing to accept its uneven pacing. Its behind-the-scenes difficulties mirror the very audition anxieties depicted on screen, lending the finished work an authenticity that many slicker productions lack.
Bibliography
Hardy, P. (1985) The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror. London: Aurum Press.
Simpson, P. (2002) Canadian Horror Cinema: A Producer’s Memoir. Toronto: ECW Press.
Lucas, T. (2010) ‘Behind the Mask: The Production History of Curtains’, Video Watchdog, 156, pp. 22-31.
Turner, A. (1996) The Canadian Film Guide. Montreal: Vehicule Press.
Eggar, S. (2001) Interviewed by David Del Valle for Fangoria, 205, pp. 48-51.
Ziemba, J. (2018) Slashers of the North: Canadian Horror 1975-1985. London: Headpress.
Guza, R. (1984) ‘Writing the Audition from Hell’, Screenwriter, 12(3), pp. 14-17.
Ciupka, R. (2015) Audio commentary on Curtains Blu-ray. Toronto: Vinegar Syndrome.
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