The Forefathers of Fear: "Masters of Horror" - Season 1

With horror scaring up lots of business in the multiplexes these days, it was only a matter of time before television got in on the action. But instead of going the continuous-story route taken by most programs, "Masters of Horror"harkens back to the time of "The Outer Limits"and "The Twilight Zone," coming up with an anthology series highlighting its directors, not its stars. The cream of the horror crop has gathered together to go wild on TV and do what they couldn't on the big screen. They're each given an hour to send chills down the spines of viewers at home. And for those who don't get Showtime, the first season of "Masters of Horror"is available on DVD (including the infamous thirteenth episode banned from broadcast).

Here's a quick rundown of Season 1's creepy creations:

Chocolate - Series creator Mick Garris (the man behind such straight-to-TV Stephen King adaptations as The Stand and Desperation) directs and adapts his own short story, that of an ordinary guy (Henry Thomas) who finds himself experiencing intense feelings originating from a seductive Canadian woman.

Cigarette Burns - Horror legend John Carpenter (Halloween, The Thing) steps behind the camera to weave the grisly story of a troubled film buff (Norman Reedus) hired to track down the print of a film said to have driven its viewers to madness and murder.

Dance of the Dead - In an America ravaged by World War III, a teenage girl (Jessica Lowndes) is introduced to a sinister nightclub whose main attractions are undead dancers who put on a ghastly, spasmodic show. Tobe Hooper, who helmed the original versions of both Salem's Lot and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, directs this post-apocalyptic thriller.

Deer Woman - Much as he did in An American Werewolf in London, John Landis combines humor and horror to tell the tale of a detective (Brian Benben) investigating a series of grisly murders that may be attributed to a half-human, half-deer creature.