Masters of Horror: Right to Die

2006

Despite a quite slim resume in horror "? 2003's limp backwoods chiller "Wrong Turn" "? director Rob Schmidt nonetheless delivers one of the best "Masters of Horror" episodes yet with "Right to Die."

 

Hal Hartley film vet Martin Donovan stars as Dr. Addison, a dentist who's having an argument with his wife (fetching newcomer Julia Anderson) while they're driving at night, prompting a fiery wreck that leaves him virtually unscathed. The Mrs., however, is another story: She's alive, all right, but burned to a crisp, resembling a piece of bloody beef jerky.

 

Addison has the hospital keep her on life support while others think he should pull the plug. But her pre-crash visage keeps visiting him at night, resulting in one of the sexiest love scenes ever captured on film "¦ well, at least until her flesh starts to decay. And just wait until you see what happens to poor Corbin Bernsen.

 

Schmidt's episode isn't scary, but it has a nastiness to it in terms of gore that places it near the top. He contributes a commentary to the disc, which also features two making-of documentaries, one teasingly titled "Flay-O-Trish." 

 

"?Rod Lott

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