The Ugly

Even in 1997, cinematic serial killers were a dime a dozen. And while the influence of Silence of the Lambs looms large over director Scott Reynold’s The Ugly - introducing another caged psychotic whose methods and motivation are put under the microscope by an ambitious psychiatrist - the film makes a concerted effort to put a new twist on the story using clever camera tricks and a dislocated narrative that bends reality…and expectations.

Staging her interview in a stylized asylum, Dr. Karen Schumaker (Rebecca Hobbs) hopes to get something out of killer Simon Cartwright (Paolo Rotondo) that his own doctor hasn’t managed to do in six years. Simon’s abusive childhood and learning disability seem like obvious red flags, but his scarred self-image and mysterious voices pile one causality atop another. And after Karen starts seeing her patient popping up in her weakened subconscious, there doesn’t seem to be anyeasy explanation for his madness.

Full of consciously inventive camerawork that enhances the solid but familiar script, Reynold’s film is a calling card that earned him a Miramax deal. But The Ugly is more than just unrealized potential; it’s a curiously empathetic entry in the serial killer cannon that makes its central monster an appealing protagonist despite his crimes. That’s a tough trick that Reynold’s script pulls off in fine fashion. Sure, there are cliched moments poking through (sadistic guards, creepy doctors, etc), but this origin story has more dramatic weight that most of the franchise reboots Blumhouse pushes out on the daily (fans will likely get a real Halloween Ends vibe from this). The Ugly rewards discriminating audiences that demand something more than just another freak behind a mask.

Working from a 4K restoration of the 35mm interpositive, Unearthed Films’ new Blu-ray is lovely to look at with an attractive amount of film grain still in play. There’s a 2.0 stereo and 4.0 DTS-HD Surround track which makes the most of a surprisingly energetic score, available on its own isolated track. Plus extras like an audio commentary, 1997 radio interview with Scott Reynolds, two short films, photo gallery, trailer, a comprehensive visual essay on the serial killer in cinema from Howard Berger, liner notes, slipcover and reversible art.

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