Definately one of the best anthology shows to be made in horror history. Tales from the Crypt, a comic book in the 50's, was made into a TV series that premiered on HBO on June 10th 1989. Hosted by a puppet character called The Cryptkeeper and packed with big Hollywood stars. The Crypt keeper introduced every episode in it's 7 season run that sadly ended in 1996. While all of the seasons were nothing short of incredible, the first season is the one that got it all started. A mere 9 years old and I could not get enough of it. Season one consisted of 6 episodes:
1. The Man Who Was Death -
Bill Sadler plays a man who worked for a prison as the executioner. When the death penalty is abolished, he loses his job. This did not stop him from taking matters into his own hands and becoming a "shocking" vigilante.
2. And All Through The House - The ultimate Christmas horror story. An escaped mental patient (
Larry Drake) is on the loose in a little town and everyone is told to stay in their house till he is apprehended. One particular suburban housewife (
Mary Ellen Trainor) did not get that memo. She has just killed her husband and has problems of her own.
3. Dig That Cat.... He is Really Dead - A man on the street named Ulric (
Joe Pantoliano) is taken in by a doctor and given money to be his experiment. When Ulric wakes up he learns he had the gland of a cat in him now that will give him 9 lives. So many possibilities for this condition.
4. Only Sin Deep - A tale of a young hooker (
Lea Thompson) overcoming a would be pimp and killing him. She try's to pawn his valuables and the broker will not take any of her stuff because it's "hot". But he does offer her 10,000.00 for her beauty. Seems the pawn store owner is into Voodoo.
5. Lover Come Hack To Me - A Nasty tidbit about a newly married couple getting stuck in the middle of nowhere on their wedding night and forced to stay the night in an empty mansion that no one has lived in for a very long time. Fortunately the bride (
Amanda Plummer) knows exactly what she is doing.
6. Collection Complete - When a man retires he likes to spend time with the woman he loves and find something to do with himself. In the case of Jonas (
M. Emmet Walsh) he spent so much time working that his wife (
Audra Lindley) did not know what to do now that he was home. Her cats and dogs have kept her company for so long that she does not know how to act with Jonas around. Until Jonas finds a new hobby that helps with too many animals in the house.
Robert Zemeckis directed so many great episodes of Tales from the Crypt. He did not direct all of them but he did his fair share. Including my favorite episode of it's seven season run "And All Through the House". I am such a sucker for killer Santa's. Season one was the building block for a long and probably one of the most well known horror series in television history. Every episode has a new star to showcase and no episode was alike. Each episode was so well directed and edited thanks to the big budget they had to work with. And who can forget that handsome devil The Cryptkeeper who was voiced by
John Kassir. To me every aspect about this show is unforgettable. I celebrate the entire collection and probably watch at least an episode or two on a weekly basis. Tales from the Darkside and Creepshow came first but to me no anthology will ever match the wit and sheer horror of Tales. Stay Twisted Everyone !
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