Skinner

Now...I am a HUGE Ted Raimi fan, and I bought this movie under the assumption that this highly underrated actor would be in a starring role and make a worthwhile movie. However, this is not the case. Although this movie had promise, the script needed work (to say the least), the audio track was terrible, and I sense that there was a lot of poor editing done, because it was full of plot holes. The only thing I really learned was that the skin of the bully that the dog ate must have been poisonous, because I can think of NO OTHER REASON why the dog died. Its really a shame, too, since poor Ted has not been offered more leading roles because he is immensely talented. I'm just sorry that his brother's perpetual habit of putting him in the background drove Ted to this during his early career. Tracy Lords mumbled her way through, and I wondered how in the hell a DVD has a video roll in it. I guess I'll just swallow my $9.00 loss (at least the shipping was free), and be glad that there is better Ted Raimi fare out there.

I feel like this sits at a slight tipping point. It would have been very easy for it to have been shaped into a morbid horror comedy; alternatively, it would have taken little for it to become an erotic horror-thriller, or a more pointedly grotesque gorefest. I like that as we see it the feature strikes a bit of a balance: touches of cheeky levity without being ham-handed, flashes of imagery and suggested brutality without being utterly viscerally repulsive. That's not to say that 'Skinner' isn't plentifully nasty, and in fact this rather has "video nasty" written all over it. Yet director Ivan Nagy demonstrates just enough restraint to keep from going overboard in any direction, and the different aspects somewhat keep one another in check. For all that, this is a whole lot of grisly fun, with bizarre, grim imagination tempering the utmost violence.

Not to sell anyone or anything else short, but I don't think it's unreasonable to say that Ted Raimi is the chief selling point here. I don't think I've ever seen him in a role that's at once so stunningly dark, but also peculiarly over the top. From Skinner's neighborly candor, to his more out of control moments, to the outrageous "personas" he adopts at select points, Raimi embodies the killer with fantastic, dexterous range, and it's a joy to watch him here. For that matter, though, the rest of the cast is swell, even those in smaller roles (like Time Winters as watchman Bob), and it's an unexpected delight to see Ricki Lake in such a picture that seems so uncharacteristic for her.

It's not all fun and games, though, and 'Skinner' surprises in some other ways. The production design and art direction are genuinely terrific; the setting of every scene feels so real, like one could reach out and touch it (though in most cases we probably wouldn't want to). Nagy demonstrates an unlikely sense of artistry with some shots and scenes, and this includes primo use of lighting. Though plainly overdone the blood and gore are suitably delicious within the limits of suspension of disbelief, and this dovetails with fine costume design, makeup, and hair styling, not least for Traci Lords as she capably portrays hard-bitten Heidi with downcast determination. And while all this is going on, the ambient original score of Contagion adds some definite pensive atmosphere to the proceedings.

This isn't the most immediately grabbing horror flick; for all the instances of heightened vibrancy of one flavor or another, the pace is very deliberate. The most gnarly scenes are measured out so they never overwhelm, or lose their punch. With a little bit of patience, however, the movie is wonderfully enjoyable and satisfying for those who appreciate the genre. It's solidly made in every regard, with tight writing and direction that carefully spotlights every best detail in the narrative and scene writing. If you have the chance to watch 'Skinner,' this is worth checking out.

SKINNER stars Ted Raimi as Dennis Skinner, a man who just happens to enjoy removing the dermis and epidermis of unsuspecting females. One such female, named Heidi (Traci Lords!), has escaped his clutches, and lives only to see him die. Meanwhile, Dennis moves into a room rented to him by Kerri Tate (Ricki Lake!!). Hitting it off swimmingly, Kerri is unaware of her new boarder's perilous proclivities.

Raimi's character is the seemingly harmless nebbish, springing into lethal action upon getting his victims alone. There is a notorious skinning scene in gruesome detail. This all has to do with Dennis' master plan (hint: think Buffalo Bill from SILENCE OF THE LAMBS).

Disgusting and absurd, this movie will offend just about everyone, especially after Dennis "embodies" one of his male co-workers. Yikes! Shockingly, one of the most sickening scenes involves a raw chicken and a knife from the kitchen floor! Mmm-Mmm!

Ms. Lake is good in her role, dealing with her swine of a husband, as well as her timid, yet terrifying tenant. However, what sets this movie apart from typical gore / horror / schlock is Traci Lords. Her portrayal of "the one that got away", takes us into revenge film territory, and she pulls it off with aplomb! The final conflict could have been better, but this is certainly a bizarre, twisted, early-1990's artifact...

"Skinner", directed by the fairly unknown soft-core porn director Ivan Nagy, is one strange…STRANGE film, to say the least. I honestly can't quite label what it is exactly, but it's some sort of odd mixture between horror, revenge-exploitation and an unusual serial-killer portrait. Even stranger than the mix of themes is the choice of cast members. Ted Raimi, who usually only just makes cameo appearances in films produced and/or directed by his more successful brother Sam, takes on the lead role of the introvert psychopath Dennis Skinner, talk show hostess Ricky Lake (also known from John Waters' movies) plays his landlady and former porn star Traci Lords stars as one of Raimi's previous victims out for vengeance. The plot remains vague and unclear regarding Dennis' awkward personality and motivations, but I can only presume he's another fictional character inspired by real-life killer Ed Gein, who also formed the base for successful genre milestones like "Psycho" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". Raimi's character slowly but surely develops into a tormented persona haunted by traumas from his childhood, yet a proper explanation is never given. Another truly peculiar aspect of "Skinner" is the dosing of the blood and gore. The film is overall tame, with a strict emphasis on atmosphere and character drawing, yet suddenly comes a sequence that is almost indescribably gross and sick-spirited. It's like the scene was added after filming all the rest, following negative screening results, or something, yet I didn't notice any differences or interruptions in the editing. Maybe Ivan Nagy preferred spending his entire make-up effects budget on one ultra-sadistic moment? "Skinner" is an obscure and atypical piece of 90's horror, but it's definitely worth a peep if you like cinematic oddities that can't possibly be categorized.

Ted Raimi is Dennis Skinner, a friendly, grinning wacko who kills women, skins them and wears a suit made of their stitched-together flesh. He rents a room from lonely housewife Kerry (Ricki Lake), who's glad to have some company since her moody trucker husband (David Warshofsky) is always gone. Meanwhile, Heidi (Traci Lords), a depressed, soft-spoken, scarred, limping morphine addict who managed to survive an attack years earlier, balances her time in a grimy hotel room shooting up, crying and plotting revenge.

This is a dark, dreary, depressing and often awkward film and I hated it when I first saw it. However, I gave it another chance and am glad I did. Aside from the top-notch KNB FX work, it takes place in a unique, graffiti-tinged decaying urban hell landscape, has a great score from Contagion and plenty of clever movie references if you're looking for them. There's one odd and powerful moment in this film, where Dennis is talking to the shell of a victim he's just killed and skinned about his traumatic childhood and rubbing the hands of the deceased along his face for comfort. Moments like these, done with some thought and care, lift a film like this right up out of the gutter.

I completely disagree with the potshots made at Traci Lords. Many people just cannot put their perceptions of her behind them long enough to even consider the fact she's capable of giving a competent performance. I found Lords to be more than just a little competent in this particular role. It is by no means an easy or flattering part to have to play, but I thought she played it very, very well.

Speaking of unflattering portraits, you can learn more about director Ivan Nagy by viewing HEIDI FLEISS: Hollywood MADAM.

Score: 7 out of 10.