If there is one man on this planet who deserves the title "Master Of Horror" it is doubtlessly the great Dario Argento. The genius behind masterpieces such as "Profondo Rosso", "Suspiria", "The Bird With The Crystal Plumage", "Phenomena", "Tenebre" and others is doubtlessly one of the greatest Horror directors who ever lived (to me personally, he's one of the greatest directors ever, regardless of genre), and it is therefore no wonder that his entries to the "Masters Of Horror" series were those I was most looking forward to (which is probably the case with most Horror fans). His contribution to the first season, "Jennifer" was an incredibly creepy and deliciously demented little film that ranked among the best episodes in the first season, but I personally liked "Pelts" even more. After Takashi Miike's "Imprint" (Season 1, Episode 13), "Pelts" is arguably my second-to-favorite entry to the "Masters Of Horror" series. While the premise of the MoH series, and the 1 hour Runtime does not allow Argento to build up his brilliant mysteries (be it with supernatural elements, such as in "Suspiria" and "Phenomena" or without, such as in his Giallo-masterpieces), Argento still delivers genuinely creepy and purely ingenious Horror. In "Pelts" it is a curse that has been placed upon the pelts of a rare raccoon species that brings Horror into the life of the sleazy fur-trader Jake Feldman(Meat Loaf Aday)... I do not want to give away too much, but I can assure that this episode delivers about everything one could desire in a "Masters of Horror" episode - Genuine creepiness, extreme gore and brutality, a very morbid sense of Humor, lots of female nudity, a sublime atmosphere and a great cast. Rockstar Meat Loaf Aday has given proof of his acting skills on several occasions by now, and he fits perfectly in his role here. Horror lovers, however, will be even more delighted to see cult-actor John Saxon in a supporting role. The female cast members are entirely hot, especially the lesbian stripper that Feldman is obsessed with. Overall, this bizarre and genuinely nasty episode is yet another proof that Argento is an absolute master of atmosphere and creepiness, and one of the most highly recommendable entries to the "Masters Of Horror" series.
Review of Pelts
