“Chocolate” seems like a minor work following the works of infamous horror directors like Stuart Gordon and Dario Argento. What a surprise, then, to see that it is arguably the best episode of Masters of Horror thus far. While it lacks the bizarre oomph of “Witch-House” or the visual wizardry of “Dance of the Dead,” Garris’s episode has something on its side. “Chocolate” has a strong story, a great central performance by Henry Thomas, and a clever premise that doesn’t fall apart. It’s a small miracle.
Mick Garris based his contribution on a short story he wrote nearly twenty years ago. Since then, he’s had some difficulty in transcribing it to a visual medium. In between then and now, he’s added a chapter to Psycho, reworked countless Stephen King stories (The Stand being his best), and even assembled a group of horror directors together for, go figure, the Masters of Horror. However, the short story has always been in the back of his head, and now he can lay it to rest.
Henry Thomas (All the Pretty Horses, Gangs of New York) toplines as Jamie, a man who works with artificial flavors in a laboratory. Although he occasionally hangs out with his older colleague (Matt Frewer), he’s been down ever since he separated from his wife (and, consequently, his son). The twist, as you might well know, is that he’s starting to receive psychic sensations from an unknown source. He can taste chocolate when he’s eaten none, for starters. In one memorable sequence, he hears classical music during a hard rock performance.
However, the sensations don’t stop there, and we are treated to several scenes where Jamie experiences more and more life-altering situations. Henry Thomas plays the part with a surprising amount of restraint. His performance is consistently believable, even as he is asked to handle some bizarre circumstances . . . like telepathically experiencing rough sex when his ex-wife and son make a surprise visit. When an actor makes a situation like that seem like tragedy, instead of farce, he’s accomplished something.
As the story progresses, Jamie’s mixed appreciation and fear becomes obsession, and I recalled how Argento’s episode, “Jenifer,” employed a similar tactic. Both stories feature respectable men whose families disown them following an encounter with a strangely alluring female. The difference is that Argento navigated his story without any sense of understanding, and, consequently, no sympathy. Garris’s tale understands the protagonist, and it respects his intelligence. Garris employs a minimum of style to support his work (the editing during psychic visions is kinetic without going too far) and trusts his material.
“Chocolate” may not seem like the standout from Masters of Horror. That’s because it isn’t. It’s not flashy, it’s not gory, and it doesn’t scream out for our attention. Instead, it starts slowly, and it builds with character, and it progresses to a finale that, while not shocking, is affecting and appropriate. So many horrors are meant to be a flash in the pan. “Chocolate” is built to last.
