In the sixties and seventies sex was everywhere and relatively safe. If you did get a sexually transmitted disease a few injections would clear it right up. Then came AIDS in the eighties and all of a sudden sex was equated to death. This was not the first time this had happened. For well over a century since the days of Jack the Ripper many serial killers appeared to have preferred attacking and killing prostitutes. After all few if any would miss them and they are low on the priority on many police departments for solving crimes restricted to them. The most infamous female serial killer, Aileen Wuornos, worked as a prostitute in order to find her victims. This basic theme of turning around the serial killer hunting hookers is given an even darker twist with the film 'Skinned Alive' by film maker James Tucker. It is basically a horror film that has a prostitute killing and devouring her hapless customers. There are elements of a dark comedy there which has been tried before but not as successfully as presented here. This is not a horror comedy. The black humor used in this film is done to keep the flow of the movie and provide some respite from the gruesome themes developed here. Cannibalism is perhaps the most socially taboo subject around. To kill and eat another human begin is revolting to any mentally stable individual. It was bad enough that Jeffery Dahmer was a serial killer but when it was discovered that he ate the bodies of his victims he became the incarnation of the devil. You might have heard of this movie under another name, 'Eat Your Heart Out'. The producers made a wise decision t change it. The old name made it sound too comical. This is a taut and well constructed horror film that is head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. This movie has restored my faith in independent horror movies.

It appears that many independent film makers see doing a horror flick as an easy way to get a project out. All that is required is a few actresses willing to disrobe and a few hundred gallons of stage blood and you are basically set to start shooting. Script writer Joshua Nelson and director James Tucker took a very different approach. They depended on talent and experience to produce a film of quality that is worth watching. This is not a mindless popcorn flick or something you put on in the background while having some beer and pizza with the guys. You have to pay attention to this movie. It as a real story to tell and it is told in a gripping, fascinating fashion. Nelson has made the rounds for years as a working actor. Like any New York based person in entertainment he has found himself on 'Law & Order'. He has also appeared in several other television shows and films. He has also worked as in the oft forgotten field of casting. Perhaps his eye for spotting the right actor for role contributed to his ability here to develop such fully formed characters in this story. He experience with screenplays has a few horror flicks in it seasoned with comedy, thriller and drama. He is a well balanced writer you knows how to engage the audience with his script. Here his use of a serial killer, cannibal prostitute is nearly inspired. There is a moral ambiguity that the men for the most part had it coming. After all they were cheating on their wives with a hooker. This is overshadowed by the horrendous act of eating a human being. He balances this horror with a rich set of characters. One potential victim, Jeffery (Jack Dillon) emotionally touches the killer, Pandora (Melissa Bacelar). The begins a relationship of sorts while a stalker (Joshua Nelson) who is determined to track her down and stop her. Another interesting character introduced in the film is Jerrfery's caring sister Laura (Jeanette Bonner). She becomes one of the few touchstones to reality that helps keep the production grounded. Okay, there is a touch of a zombie flick here but what really matters in this script is the character study of the leads and the bizarre romance between a dysfunctional man with mother issues and his flesh eating hooker girlfriend.

Tucker seems to be a man who familiar with New York City. He uses it as a backdrop for this strange story to great effect. There is a strange feel to the city that comes across here. It is seedy and filled with shadows but also appears vibrant and alive. It really takes a New Yorker to get this across on the screen. Tucker has directed many other films, many of them written by Nelson. This not only provides experience in his field but a smooth working arrangement between the two men that shows in the way the film is presented. He balances the love story with all the blood and gore a true horror fan has come to expect. This is one of the things that made this film special. Tucker has proven that it is possible to make a Indy horror flick with all the requisite scenes but that can also give something worth while to the viewer. There are some aspects of the story that are never clearly laid out or disclosed. Some may take this as a falling but I have to disagree. There are parts of life that are not explained. This movie leaves something to the imagination which of course gives the audience credit for having one.

After the required aerial shot of New York City the camera turns to a couple in bed together. The man is very nervous; he had never been with a professional before. He confesses that he is getting married in a week and wants a last fling. As she starts to ply her trade the man is getting very excited, that is until she bites his lip clear off his face. He screams as she crews and swallows it in front of him. Jeffery was overly devoted to his mother. Since she has died he wanders around his large home lost. He cannot relate to women so he turns to escorts to fulfill his sexual needs. Usually the ladies just want to get business done and get out of there but Pandora was different. He could talk to her and soon a relationship blossoms. They actually start going out on dates instead of just keeping it to a professional relationship. Meanwhile the mysterious Stalker is out and about in the city killing many of the people he encounters.

The acting is a bit stinted here often giving the impression they were recruited from the local community college theater troupe. With that being said they do get the job done. Bacelar manages handled the dual role of hooker with a heart of gold and literal man eater. Dillon is actually well cast as Jeffery. He has that hapless guy everyone knows how is nice enough but just can't seem to catch a break. Like so many Indy flicks now this was done on HD digital. Perhaps film might have given a deeper feel to the production but that would have taken a large chunk out of the limited budget. The film moves at a much slower pace than your typical horror-fest. This is completely understandable since this is more a character driven thriller and black comedy than true horror. This is getting a straight to DVD release by Lion's Gate. They are a great place to go for interesting little films like this that tend to fly under the radar.