Out of a window a woman, (Virginia Newcomb) sees a theatre. One she watches, draws, and has become obsessed with.  The dilapidated theatre lights come on, the door opens and she enters “The Theatre Bizarre”.  Udo Kier (Melancholia) acts as host and the puppet master to transition between the movie’s six segments.  Each segment is shot by a different director with the same budget.  Richard Stanley (Hardware), Karim Hussain (La Belle Bete), Buddy Giovinazzo (Combat Shock), Tom Savini (1990′s Version of Night of the Living Dead), Douglas Buck (Cutting Moments), and David Gregory (Plague Town) all directed one segment each.

Each segment varies in style and content, matching the unique vision of each director.  The transition segments are done in an harsh style. The use of pot lighting and deep shadows, harsh sounds bring forth a general feeling of uneasiness.  As the host explains what we are about to see, another doll moves to show a sample of what the next segment brings, acting as a great way to transition segments to the other segments. While the idea is very well done, it very much underutilizes the talents of Udo Kier,

Segment one  is Richard Stanley’s ‘The Mother of Toads’.  Set in France, we find a young couple traveling bewitched by a local woman.  Segment two is Douglas Buck’s ‘The Accident’, a quiet contemplation of the nature of life and death. Segment three is  Buddy Giovinazzo’s ‘I Love You’, which examines the extremes one will go to when obsessed, both with your lover and with leaving him. Segment four is Tom Savini’s ‘Wet Dreams’ about a housewife, her cheating husband, and his therapist. Segment five is Karim Hussain’s ‘Vision Stains’ about a woman whom collects stories from abused women, in a most unusual way. The final segment is David Gregory’s ‘Sweets’, a Burtonesque gorefest of failing romance and bad eating habits.

The movie is structured similar to “Creepshow”, but with a sensibility closer to HBO’s “Tales from the Crypt”.  Long time horror fans will find this a fiendishly fun movie to watch, as gore, chills and black humor are all present.  The directors had the freedom to write and direct anything the chose with the only constraint being budget.

Each segment is a different flavor of horror, allowing for all tastes to find something their palate enjoys.