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Review by E.C. McMullen Jr. |
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U.S. Release: March 9, 1972 Amicus Production, Metromedia Producers Corporation Ratings: USA: R (Originally rated X) |
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From the cast of idiots who brought you Mad Magazine!
No, that would probably be a terrible way to market this (even though it's true!). And no, this isn't your Father's TALES FROM THE CRYPT 1995.
This is your Grandfather's TALES FROM THE CRYPT 1972. Made 40 years ago, that means the beautiful 20 somethings in this movie are all 60 somethings if they're still alive!
Starting with a credit opening of various shots of a graveyard and the accompaning tombstones, we eventually wind up inside a cavernous crypt as part of a tour. The tour guide offers a little bit of history and then warns everyone to stay close on the next leg of the tour as it is easy to get lost. Five of the people on this tour don't take the advice as seriously as they should and wind up trapped in another room. There they meet the Cryptkeeper (Sir Ralph Richardson: TIME BANDITS, DRAGONSLAYER). He encourages them to have a seat as all of their questions will be answered in good time.
"In. Good. Time."
The most rebellious of the group is the woman, Joanne Clayton (Joan Collins: SUBTERFUGE, INN OF THE FRIGHTENED PEOPLE, FEAR IN THE NIGHT, DARK PLACES, EMPIRE OF THE ANTS). The Cryptkeeper asks her how she even got there and abruptly as that, she isn't sure. She remembers driving to the place on her way to...
TALES FROM THE CRYPT is a series of vignettes based on the tales from the 1950s eponymous American comic book.
All of these appeared as stories in the comic and went on to be recreated in the HBO TV series, TALES FROM THE CRYPT. There is the Christmas-style episode, And All Through The Night; a tale of needful revenge, Poetic Justice, starring one of the grandmasters of Horror cinema, Peter Cushing, and three more.
All of these stories are well acted, well directed - all by the capable Freddie Francis (THE BRAIN, PARANOIAC, NIGHTMARE [1964], THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN, DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS, HYSTERIA, THE SKULL, THE PSYCHOPATH, THE DEADLY BEES, THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE, TORTURE GARDEN, DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, GIRLY, TROG, GEBISSEN WIRD NUR NACHTS, THE CREEPING FLESH, TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS, SON OF DRACULA, CRAZE, THE GHOUL [1975], LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF, THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS) - and get right to the point, if perhaps a little too quick and direct.
The production and Production values, as well as the transition of the stories to the screen were adeptly handled by hard core Horror fan, Producer and Writer Milton Subotsky (THE LAST MILE, CITY OF THE DEAD, DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS, THE SKULL, DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS, THE PSYCHOPATH, DALEKS INVASION EARTH: 2150 A.D., THE TERRORNAUTS, THE DEADLY BEES, THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE, TORTURE GARDEN, SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, I, MONSTER, ASYLUM, THE VAULT OF HORROR, ...AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS!, FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE, MADHOUSE, THE BEAST MUST DIE, AT THE EARTH'S CORE, THE UNCANNY, THE MONSTER CLUB, CAT'S EYE, MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE, SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK, THE LAWNMOWER MAN).
While there are scares here, this is meant to be good old fashioned Fun House Horror, and you'll have a good time in this Crypt!
Three Shriek girls.
This review copyright 2012 E.C.McMullen Jr.
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