A demon takes some skin and becomes Mrs. Albright (Elizabeth Ince). She shows up at a boading house run by Mrs. Grove (Linda Bryant). Currently staying there the married couple of Robert (Alex Peabody) and Ellen (Debra Mayer), Miss Lester (Kaycee Shank), Sam (Robert Donavan), Will (Marc Newburger) and Kathryn (Maggie Rose Fleck), who is Mrs. Grove's niece and maid. We soon learn that Mrs. Albright likes to make paper dolls, which she can somehow attach human souls to. Using an imp to spy on everyone, Mrs. Albright sets about her mission, to get every ones soul in the house.
Stitches was a movie I wanted to like, but couldn't get myself to really do that. It isn't the first movie to deal with a demon collecting souls, but it still had some charm to it. The story takes place in the 1920's, so it is a period film. I didn't think too much about it while watching the movie, but they do a good job making the house feel like a house from back then. The whole paper doll thing was kind of lame to me. The only time I have ever seen paper dolls is for like a fashion thing when I was a little kid. I thought they were pretty stupid even then. The demon was using any flimsy excuse to get a person's soul. As long as they agreed to give whatever she asked for, they were screwed. I kept waiting for her to ask if they wanted something to eat and then ask will you give me anything I ask for in return? Sometimes writer/director Benjamin Carr got creative with the way the demon would gain the souls, so there is that at least.
The biggest problem is really the special effects. I'm sure they did the best they good given the budget and what was needed to show a real face on the paper doll. Even so, it doesn't look all that great. It was hard to see which character was which once they became a paper doll. The face was too small which made it hard to see which person it was supposed to be. While it was funny to see the paper dolls actually doing things, it also didn't work out too well. Some people make fun of the acting, but I didn't feel it was real bad. They all could have been better, that is for sure. I liked Elizabeth Ince the best and Robert Donavan also puts in a good performance.
During one part of the movie there is an almost nudity scene. Kaycee Shank gets partly undressed, but nothing is ever shown. Carr says in the commentary, which I was surprised to find since Full Moon movies are usually just the movie on the DVD, says that while he had nudity in the script, he passed on it in order to work with better actors. I had to laugh at that a little bit. I mean it is cool that he gave that up for someone he thought would be a better actor for the part, but at the same time he must realize that guys will forgive bad acting if the actress shows her breasts. Ask any dumb blond, they will tell you if they can figure out what you are asking.
I can't say that I hated Stitches, but I can't claim it to be a so bad it is good movie either. It had some moments that worked, but how silly it could be actually hurt it in places. Not a bad idea for a movie if it could have been done better I think. I'm at least glad I didn't watch a heavily edited version in The Possessed. If you have a thing for bad movies, maybe it will be worth checking out. You won't be missing a whole lot if you decide to give Stitches a pass though.
2 out of 5 Hoping this is my last Full Moon movie for a little while
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