MODEL HUNGER (2016) ***

Debbie Rochon, horror’s most prolific Scream Queen, has appeared in over two-hundred-and-fifty movies.  Model Hunger marks the first time Debbie has stepped behind the camera.  Having sat on over two-hundred-and-fifty movie sets, she must’ve thought, “Hey, if they can do it, so can I!”  As it turns out she can do it just as good, if not better than her male directors.

Lynn (Cat People) Lowry stars as Ginny, a seemingly kindly old lady who likes to kidnap, kill, and eat people.  A former model, Ginny was forced out of the business when her age, weight, and looks became unsuitable to the men in charge. (I still think she looks hot though.)  Debbie (Tiffany Shepis) is Ginny’s new nosy neighbor who eventually catches onto her mischief.  

Model Hunger is exactly the kind of movie you’d think Debbie Rochon would make.  That is, it’s exactly the kind of movie she would star in.  It’s a low budget horror flick with gore and a sense of fun.  While the film looks from the outset to be just like your typical DTV horror show, Rochon (who also has a cameo) does imbue it with a couple of clever touches I’m sure her male counterparts would not have thought of.  (The edit to a victim’s curling toes while she is being tortured was an especially nice touch.)  I’m sure the theme of Hollywood’s treatment of actresses probably hit close to home as well.  Debbie’s handling of the squirmy finale is rather deft too.  

Lowry is clearly having a blast.  Imagine if Sissy Spacek played Piper Laurie’s role in Carrie and that kind of gives you an idea of the vibe.  I particularly liked her internal monologues whenever she picked up a prospective victim.  The highlight though is when she dons some sexy lingerie and tortures a dude and shouts stuff, like, “You fuck with our minds so you can fuck with our bodies!”  At nearly seventy, she still looks stunning in her skimpy outfit and can carve up her victims with the best of them.  

Shepis is quite good too.  She gets to display a rainbow of emotions as the grief-stricken neighbor.  It was also fun seeing the Galactic Gigolo himself, Carmine Capobianco as Shepis’ useless husband.  

Any fan of Rochon, Lowry, and Shepis needs to check out Model Hunger.  Aside from a few bits of needless padding (like Shepis’s dream sequences and flashbacks), this is a tightly wound horror thriller.  As someone who has always enjoyed Debbie’s work in front of the camera, I can honestly say I can’t wait to see what she does next behind it.