This Italian film concerns an acting troupe rehearsing a musical who find out that they are locked in their theatre with an actor cum serial killer who has escaped from a nearby psychiatric hospital.

This Micheal Soavi-directed shocker is a banger from start to finish. I love that the characters are either bitchy, conniving, horny or all three.

The kills are innovative, directed with real aplomb and gruesome to watch. There are also some really ingenious plot twists that keep things feeling fresh and interesting.

The killer’s owl mask is very effective indeed. The dark recesses of the theatre are also brilliantly used, with some scenes being eerily suspenseful.

I also love the sheer range of implements the killer uses to pick off the cast one by one.

This is a terrific film. Look out for the uncut version. The UK video version was cut by 11 seconds before it was submitted to the BBFC.

4 and a half out of 5 stars