One thing that definitely sets "Master of Horror" apart from the usual anthology series is that it doesn't look or feel like a television show. Episodes play more like individual movies; each one feels different, serving as a showcase for some well-known genre directors to flaunt their skills. Originally airing on Showtime, Anchor Bay is now giving each episode the same elaborate DVD treatment they usually reserve for feature films. The first two episodes, directed by John Carpenter & Stuart Gordon, are available individually or bundled together. While the overall quality of each episode differs, both are beautifully packaged and include tons of extras horror fans will love.

In John Carpenter's "Cigarette Burns" (A-), Norman Reedus plays Kirby Sweetman, a theater owner who's hired by an eccentric millionaire (Udo Kier, of course) to acquire the only existing copy of 'Le Fin Absolue Du Monde', a film which, because it allegedly induces madness in those who view it, has become the stuff of legend among the underground cinema crowd. Seeing this as an opportunity to get out from under the financial thumb of his twisted father-in-law, Kirby takes the job. But as he gets closer the finding the film, he begins to suffer increasing wild and violent hallucinations, as well as recurring flashbacks surrounding the death of his drug-addicted wife. "Cigarette Burns" is probably the most bizarre (and goriest) story Carpenter has ever shot, and although some scenes don't appear to make a whole lot of sense, they help maintain a constant feeling of dread that's been missing from Carpenter's work for a long time. In fact, the overall story & tone are similar to his underrated "In the Mouth of Madness." Perhaps because Carpenter is a better filmmaker than Stuart Gordon (though, admittedly, Carpenter has a better screenplay to work with), that "Dreams in the Witch House" (B-) suffers in comparison. In this one, college student Walter Gilman (Ezra Godden) rents a room in a crumbling old house to work on his thesis. He soon has terrifying nightmares of a human-faced rat and an ancient witch who sates her thirst for blood by coercing those she seduces into killing children who inhabit the house. Fearing for the safety of her neighbor's son, Walter is determined to find where in the house the witch is hiding in order to kill her (and her goofy rat). Based on an H.P Lovecraft story, this one suffers from erratic pacing and some moments of unintentional humor. Plus, despite some of the over-the-top sex & violence Stuart's sort-of renowned for in film's like "Re-Animator" (in my opinion, his only really good film), the story isn't all that interesting.

Anchor Bay has done a great job with the transfers of these episodes. Both are presented in 1.77:1 widescreen, belying their TV origins, and sport accurate black tones & a blemish-free picture. Both are also rendered in 5.1 Dolby Digital & 2.0 Dolby Surround. In short, "Masters of Horror" looks and sounds as good as any feature film you'd care to mention.

Each disc contains ample extras dedicated to the director and the making of his episode. "Burns" features another great commentary by Carpenter, while Gordon & Godden provide commentary for "Witch House". Both discs include making-of documentaries, interviews with the directors and selected cast members, text-bios of the directors, trailers, screen savers & the original screenplays on DVD-ROM. "Witch House" also includes a short SFX featurette and the original Lovecraft story. I think my favorite features were "Working with a Master," which are 20 minute retrospectives of each director as told by various actors they've worked with in the past; I found Gordon's especially interesting, mainly because I wasn't as familiar with his film career has Carpenter's. A neat touch is also the inclusion of a trading card in each disc, featuring portraits of the directors and a few vital stats on the back.

Unlike the sometimes overly tongue-in-cheek "Tales from the Crypt," the "Masters of Horror" series is undiluted, full-blooded horror, as depicted by several directors who've become synonymous with the genre. Of these two first episodes, if you can only pick up one, Carpenter's is definitely superior to Gordon's, mainly because it's his darkest & creepiest film in a long time.