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Reviewed on 2008-01-26

Just to clear up some things
For those who do not have the dvd and only seen this on Showtime, I can clear up some of your complaints about this episode.

In the director/writer commentary, a major story issue was revealed. When this story was being developed the two teens (nowhere in this episode was it stated that they were in college) were originally young boys between the ages 8-13. That was changed due to how much work and overtime this episoe required and child labor laws would have made that impossible to do with kids.

This was suppose to be a story about two boys that were pretty much geeks (or in Arjay Smith's character, Kerry, case a white geek dipped in chocolate). To a certain point that worked and didn't work. It took liberty with some of the things vampires do and rewrote the one thing they did-bite people. Instead they just rip necks and leave a open gap that doesn't heal or keep water down.

It should have focused more on Kerry since it was implied that he came from a worst home life than Justin. While Kerry was forced to accept becoming a vampire, Justin fought it to the very end. Ironside was the comic relief and the "father" figure that both boys lacked.

The ending flat out screams a sequel or a crossover with Angel, Buffy, Blade the Vampire Hunter, Morbius or Dracula.

Reviewed on 2008-01-08

Very Good Watch
I bought this on the Strength of Michael Ironside being in it.He is just so manic in his performances that he holds the viewer by dint of his own energy. The earliest example of Ironside that I know of is a USA network Half hour piece from the 1988 Episode (of some Obscure TV Series)by Ray Bradbury called "The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl".If you can get a view of this, its not a great show by any means, but Ironside plays off Robert Vaughn so well that he generates his own heat and light right up to the denoument.
The V WORD is attempting to be innovative, so I assume thats why it has polarised views. I watched the show on DVD on a 5.1 sound system and the call of the night voices amongst many elements just touch the right view, and the right feel.
The DVD extras are a plus too.The commentary is a very good highlight, and shows how Mick Garris is viewing things and how the Director is approaching things. The FX are discussed, and shown in some of the extras, and for a low Budget TV show, the quality is very good. Whilst not as high in production Values as MILLENNIUM ( Seasons 1 and 3 being the most ideal), the V WORD holds a good place in quality production. Dickerson brings a fans delight to the fright, and I feel this works well on many levels.

Reviewed on 2007-12-14

An enjoyable MOH episode despite some flaws
As much as I loved Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight, I wouldn't call Ernest Dickerson a "master of horror". Then again, when you get right down to it, other than John Carpenter, Dario Argento, Takishi Miike, John Landis, Tobe Hooper (who is a shell of his former self), and maybe Lucky McKee (the guy's got talent), I wouldn't call many of the directors of Mick Garris' Masters of Horror series masters of the genre either. All that aside, The V Word is a pretty fun and bloody vampire tale, featuring the always great Michael Ironside as a powerful vamp discovered by two friends (Arjay Smith, Branden Nadon) who decide to break into a mortuary. The story, scripted by Garris himself, is actually pretty fun and Dickerson's direction is energetic and atmospheric as well. The gore effects from industry legends Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger are nicely done as well, and Ironside himself is a scene stealer. The only real downsides to The V Word is that while it is enjoyable, there isn't anything really special about it either. It's not very suspenseful, and is kind of slow moving in the beginning, but wraps up nicely in the end. All in all, The V Word is a solid episode of the second season of Masters of Horror, and while Ernest Dickerson is no master of the genre, he's not a novice to it either.

Reviewed on 2007-12-08

Old school horror!
Besides "Cigarette Burns" and "On and Off a Road Mountain", I don't like most of the Masters of Horror Episodes. However, this vampire tale has an old fashion feel to it. The kind of which that comes out of a short story horror book collection. If you like that kind of stuff I'd at least rent it.

Reviewed on 2007-12-08

Pretty bad
Season 2 of Masters of Horror was pretty bland, and unfortunately this one sits at the bottom of the barrel. Two teens break into a funeral home for some cheap scares, but end up finding a monster that's half zombie and half vampire. The boys are "bitten" (their throats are ripped out) and at least one of them tries to fight the infection.

The story is weak and loses any sense of pacing or tension about halfway through, ending more like a cheesy episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Mick Garris, creator of the series he may be, seems to be one of the weaker talents in the Masters of Horror chain. His script draws from cliched horror staples and gives characters obligatory development moments (father issues, climactic re-affirmation of friendships). Cult favourite Michael Ironside hams it up as the lead zombie-vampire and you kinda wish he'd landed in a better episode. From offerings like this you'd never know why these are the "Masters" of Horror. Save your money.

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Starz / Anchor Bay

MASTERS OF HORROR: THE V WORD / (WS) - MASTERS OF HORROR: THE V WORD / (WS)

$9.89

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