"Masters of Horror"
The Screwfly Solution (2006)

Director:

Joe Dante

Writers:

Sam Hamm (teleplay)
James Tiptree Jr. (short story)

TV Series:

"Masters of Horror" (2005)

Original Air Date:

8 December 2006 (Season 2, Episode 7)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Romance

Plot:

When a virus overcomes the male population of the United States and turns them into murderous psychopaths, a mother and daughter escape across a country where their safety is in question. |

Plot Keywords:

Family Dinner | Sole Survivor | Driving Lesson | Family Life | Global Warming

Cast

Jason Priestley	...	Alan
Kerry Norton	...	Anne
Linda Darlow	...	Bella
Brenna O'Brien	...	Amy
Steve Lawlor	...	The Private
Elliott Gould	...	Barney
William S. Taylor	...	The Mayor
Don House	...	Storekeeper
Nels Lennarson
Steve Makaj
J. Winston Carroll	...	General (as J.W. Carroll)
Tara Leigh
Rob Morton
Nelson Carter-Leis	...	Rodney Bearden
Bill Mackenzie

Runtime:

59 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

Italy:VM14 | USA:TV-MA | Australia:R (2007)

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Reunion Pictures

Trivia:

One of the film clips shown to the men examined at the lab (a torture scene) is taken from Miike Takashi's Episode 13 of MoH ("Imprint").

Movie Connections:

References Alien (1979)

A different shade of Dante

'The Screwfly Solution' is a refreshing rebound for Joe Dante, whose Season 1 "Masters of Horror" entry ('Homecoming') did very little for me. By toning down the ham-fisted sociopolitical satire of that episode, the director invokes a distinctly darker tone here. 'Screwfly' manages to go places that are extreme even for a show that prides itself on its freedom from meddling network censors (for the most part). The plot pertains to a plague that sweeps across the world, inexplicably converting male sexual urges to homicide, resulting in mass genocide of the female population; scientists Jason Priestley (surprisingly effective) and Elliott Gould (bringing a good mix of autumnal wisdom and flamboyant humor to the proceedings) are left to discover a cure as months pass and the epidemic escalates to a critical level. While many MOH episodes have been erratic in tone, script, or performance, 'Screwfly' is very consistent in those important aspects--the allegory is presented in a low-key manner by focusing on one family's crisis, and the resulting apocalypse is fittingly desperate and surprisingly palpable. Common, mundane activities like going to a store, boarding an airplane, or hosing off a patio cleverly tap into the natural human fear of our facades of safety being rendered 'unsafe.' Unfortunately, my second viewing of the episode was less fulfilling than the first--there are a lot of visceral shocks to be experienced (including a very disturbing scene in a strip club) that come off as somewhat diluted. Despite this, 'Screwfly' remains one of "Masters"' best offerings--even better for Dante, who sheds his comic-horror roots for something more sobering and serious.