Masters of Horror: Cigarette Burns

"Cigarette Burns" is the eighth episode of season one of the horror anthology series Masters of Horror. It was directed by John Carpenter and written by Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan. It premiered on Showtime on Friday, December 16th, 2005. The episode concerns rare films dealer Kirby Sweetman who is deeply in debt and trying to keep his small independent theater open. He is hired by an old cinephile, Mister Bellinger to find the only existing print of an elusive thirty-year old movie, La Fin Absolue du Monde, which supposedly sparked a homicidal riot during its premiere at the Sitges Film Festival, after which it was destroyed. The episode follows Kirby as he pursues a series of clues that lead him inexorably towards a horrific and bloody conclusion.

Notes & Trivia

 * This episode is included in the Masters of Horror Season One DVD boxset collection. It is also included on Volume 1 of the Masters of Horror: The Complete First Season Blu-ray boxset collection. Was released as a stand-alone DVD by Starz Entertainment and Anchor Bay Entertainment on March 28th, 2006.


 * Alternatively known as John Carpenter's Cigarette Burns.


 * Final episode of 2005.


 * Director John Carpenter is best known for his work on the Halloween film series.


 * Cigrette burns refers to the yellow circle that blinks intermittently in the upper right hand corner on older films. This is an indicator of where an editor has cut and spliced a section of film.


 * Director John Carpenter and screenwriters Drew McWeeny and Scott Swan also worked on the season two episode, "Pro-Life".