This Halloweenie episode is taken from the shamefully neglected NBC series FEAR ITSELF created by Mick Garris in 2008 as a sort-of continuation of Showtime's MASTERS OF HORROR series for commercial television. An Angel clued me in to this series earlier this year since I'd never heard of it. However, the complete series (it only lasted one season - shame on you NBC) has some really REALLY great episodes in it. This is one of the best.
"SKIN AND BONES" tells the story of Grady, a ranch owner, and a hunting party getting stranded in a blizzard for ten days. After search parties have been called off until the weather clears, an emaciated Grady stumbles into the compound. But where are the other men? It soon becomes clear what happened to them. The frostbitten Grady, with blackened fingertips and earlobes, is put to bed to recover but, despite saying he's hungry, doesn't seem to want to eat any stew. During the night, a horse is slaughtered and ripped apart by . . . some animal? Eddie Bear, a native American ranchhand, tells the family that Grady bears all the hallmarks of being possessed by the spirit Wendigo who enters starving men to save their lives only to force them to turn cannibal to feed the Wendigo's hunger. This episode is filled with excellent make-up and special effects and produces a genuine sense of fear and menace and it's only drawback is that you wish it went on longer. Perfect Halloweenie viewing.
Cool post. I liked this series, too, and wish it had gone on longer.
ReplyDelete