Over the past few months I've been writing about the sequential releases of Showtime's "Masters of Horror" series. As opposed to releasing them in a full season set, Anchor Bay instead has been putting them out as individual DVDs. Normally I would balk at this, but the overall quality of each release in terms of the transfer and the treasure trove of extra features justify their position. If they were to release it as a set, I'm sure the price would have to be very high to cover the costs of putting them together. Sold separately this way, each release gives the consumer his money's worth, and you have the ability to pick and choose the ones you want, after all, it is an anthology series so none of the episodes are related to the other. In essence, they are mini-movies directed by the 'best of the best' from the world of horror directors. This month we are getting the last of the 13 'episodes' created for the series' first season, "Fair-Haired Child." In it, we meet a teenage girl who is kidnapped by a husband and wife team of wackos. Initially she seems to end up in a hospital, but it turns out to be anything but.

She is thrown into a basement where she finds another kidnapped teen. As the truth of why they have been taken starts coming to light, so does the extent of the insanity and depravity of their captors.

"Fair-Haired Child" is directed by William Malone, who in the past has had a rather shaky career. I'm not sure he could really be considered to be a master of the genre (but there are also a couple of others chosen this season of questionable 'master-ness'), with films like "Scared to Death" and "Creature" under his belt. He also worked in the TV medium on shows like "Freddy's Nightmares" and "Tales From the Crypt." But it was his remake of "House on Haunted Hill" that got him the most attention. Though the film ended on a rather silly note, the rest of the movie was actually pretty entertaining. His follow-up project, "Fear.Com," didn’t fare so well and he kind of dropped out of sight.

After watching "Fair-Haired Child", I have to wonder if he might be better off working on TV shows. The episodes of "Masters of Horror" are uneven in quality to be sure, but this one is definitely one of the better. It's not necessarily the scariest or even the grossest, but the pacing worked very well and it kept my interest throughout. The editing was very tight and the effects, what there were of them, were pretty effective. And admittedly the image on the DVD's cover is kind of unsettling.

As is the case in all DVD releases from Anchor Bay, "Fair-Haired Child" is chock full of extra features. There are interviews with Malone, Lori Petty, Jesse Haddock, Lindsey Pulsipher, and William Samples, as well as a featurette that focuses on Malone's career. In "Working with the Master" we hear from several actors and directors who have worked with Malone. There is also a commentary by Malone, who is joined by writer Matt Greenburg, and a lengthy 'Making of' Featurette. You'll also find a early short film directed by Malone. Along with this, there is DVD-Rom content that includes the script and a screensaver.

The "Masters of Horror" series has a lot to offer fans of the genre, even the ones that aren’t so great aren't necessarily horrible. They've just started up their 2nd season on Showtime and I'm counting the days until these new episodes are available on DVD.

Directed by: Bill Malone
Starring: Lori Petty, Linsday Pulsipher
Extras: Interview with William Malone, Working with a Master - William Malone, Interview with Jesse Haddock, Interview with Lori Petty, Interview Lindsey Pulsipher, Interview with William Samples, The Making of Fair Haired Child, Scenes from William Malone's first Short Film, Commentary by Writer Matt Greenberg and William Malone, DVD-Rom Screenplay, Screensaver
Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Sound
Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Release Date: 12/5/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
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We'll give Masters of Horror: Fair-Haired Child a B.