Leofwine_draca This is an Amicus anthology, one which has basically the same formula and feel as DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS and THE VAULT OF HORROR, in that it deals with a group of people who are told stories of their death. The first story, the tale of the Santa murderer, is strictly average, but remains interesting in that it is unique and an early example of the typical slasher film which was churned out over and over again in the 1980s. Nowadays, the sight of seeing Collins, a respected actress who is more famous for DYNASTY than her early horrors, is definitely a nostalgic one. The second segment is a clever take on a typical ghost story but rarely rises above mediocrity.The third story is the best of the whole lot and possibly the best story in any Amicus anthology. Cushing won an award for his role as the old man who becomes a zombie. There is fine acting on display here especially from Cushing, and the theme is excellent. It's a classic tale of revenge and people getting what they deserve and could be used as the best example to illustrate this genre as a whole. It comes directly from the EC comics from the '50s and is similar to the stories used in CREEPSHOW. Along with all this, Cushing has some simple yet great zombie makeup (gauze was put over his eyes, enabling him to see) which utilises those famous cheekbones, and the shot of him climbing from his grave is a classic shuddery moment.There are some clever twists in the fourth story, making it very macabre and it provokes genuine chills as well as laughs. It also has the same crawling hand in it which we have seen in two previous British films, including AND NOW THE SCREAMIN STARTS. Richard Greene stars, and he's put on a lot of weight since his ROBIN HOOD days. The bit in the coffin at the end is truly grotesque. The fifth story has a superb performance from Patrick Magee, and a horrible scene involving razor blades! It's a lot like a nightmare and also represents the genre at its best. Richardson says a brilliant final line to the camera "Who's next... could it be you?" and then the music, the Toccata in D Minor, comes up, ending an above-average selection of stories which are well worth seeing. TALES FROM THE CRYPT is just about the best of the best in terms of anthology films and is the cream of British talent in the early 1970s. Definitely one for the collection.

GL84 During a museum tour, five strangers get separated and lost from the others. Trapped inside a strange tomb, they all meet a mysterious monk who begins to tell them of how they are going to die.The Good Story(s): Reflection of Death-After saying he has to go out for the night on business, a man instead heads out to see his mistress. Deadly tired from a long day of work, she offers to drive instead. While sleeping, his nightmares accidentally force them off the road and they crash. Stumbling away from the wreckage, everyone he meets acts like he is the devil incarnate. Making it back to her apartment, he learns that she survived the accident but became permanently blind. Seeing his face on a picture, he realizes that he is a zombie which wakes him up from his dream. This has to be my favorite of the stories, for the punch-line at the end is so well thought out that it simply hits and hits well. This is the one I don't won't to spoil, and is the main reason why this is a recommended.Poetic Justice-After spying on his neighbor, a man is appalled at how well like he is by all the neighborhood kids and frames his dogs digging up a neighbor's roses. After further acts of hatred against him leave the man even more humiliated, he simply vanishes on Valentine's Day after suffering his greatest humiliation. Wondering where he is, he goes over to check and see that he has hung himself in the bathroom. On the anniversary of his wife's death, the man returns for his final vengeance. What really sold this one was how well Cushing did in portraying Arthur. He really brought out a certain kindness and sympathy in his role. I not in the remotest a sentimental person for movie roles, but I really did feel a little sad for him during the movie. This was a very real performance, as it was a short story that he appeared in. I can't speak enough about how well Cushing was in this story, and is a major reason for watching this particular one. The story might be a little cliché and can be seen coming a mile away, the supernatural vengeance here seems the most appropriate based on the treatment within, and the finale's pretty tense as well.Blind Alleys-Inheriting a retirement villa, a former Army Major runs it so shabbily that the residents are appalled at their treatment. Deciding to get rid of him, they build a giant tunnel full of razor wires that he has to successfully get through in order to live. Even though it is the longest of the stories, nothing of real importance happens until the very end. This is where the famous still shots of the movie come from, and it is a real famous one too, which means that I won't spoil it for you.The Bad Story(s): And All Through the House-After murdering her husband on Christmas, a woman tries to hide it from her daughter. While trying to dispose of the body, she hears an announcement that a killer has escaped from a mental institution and is on the loose. Realizing that the killer is right outside her door, she tries to hide both the body and herself. After an attempt to break into the house, she finally hides the body in the basement and cleans up the crime scene. After a strange set of keys on the table alerts her that the killer is on the house, who is dressed as Santa Claus, her daughter inadvertently lets him into the house. What ruins this for me is that the Christmas music that is blaring throughout the entire story, while appropriate, is completely intrusive on the rest of the action. Suspense is shattered when music plays during scenes where tension should be. Instead, the happy Christmas sounds take you right out of the moment anything happens. It is, in fact, so loud that all other sounds except for a small amount of other noise is drowned out by it being played at the same volume as well. When she is three rooms away from the radio, we still hear it at the exact same level.Wish You Were Here-In danger of declaring bankruptcy, a man finds a rare Chinese statue on his mantle-piece of acquisitions and learns that the statue is very similar to a monkey's paw. A wish is made for him to come into money, but on the way to receive it, he is accidentally killed. His wife wishes him alive again, but he is in so much pain that he can't stop screaming. Trying to hack him to pieces, she realizes that her wish was for him to be alive forever. What ruined this one was that it really only served to me as a way of introducing a swift punch-line at the end. It never gave me a jump as the other one's did, and I never really felt any emotion other than boredom during this story. It does have a cool gore scene when she hacks him up and we can see his insides, but it is so obviously a set of pig intestines used. It is recommended only for that one cool scene, but it sticks out from the other scenes for its fake-ness.Today's Rating/PG-13: Violence and Adult Situations.

TheRedDeath30 This was the first, and in my opinion, the best of several horror anthologies that Amicus Productions created in the 70s based off the stories from EC Comics. For those not familiar with some of those name a little history. Amicus Productions was a Brit film studio that was the closest competitor to the legendary Hammer Studios, so the movies always felt a great deal similar to the work from Hammer that more people are familiar with in horror. EC Comics really kept horror alive during the 40s and 50s when the studios weren't producing as many horror films by bringing monsters and mutilations to the kids in comic book form. Many of these stories were originals and some were re-workings of popular stories from pulp mags like WEIRD TALES. These stories were so influential that most horror directors for decades to come would point to them as early inspirations. As a result, horror fans often see these same stories reworked in many TV shows and films so much that they feel familiar, but most originated in these comics. Most often these stories involved some reprehensible person who got his "comeuppance" in the end through some ironic twist death. Sorry for the history lecture. I get a bit geeky about this stuff. On to the movie....As with any anthology, there are uneven ups and downs as not every segment is of the same quality. Overall, though, this is an excellent movie that is a lot of fun both for fans of modern horror as well as the old school monster fans.The wraparound story involves the Crypt Keeper introducing these stories to each of 5 people, with a conclusion that gives us one last little twist. There isn't much meat to the wraparound, but it does a fine job of tying things together and bringing some atmosphere and tone.AND ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE is probably my favorite segment. It's got everything you can want; multiple murders, an evil Santa, a sexy as hell Joan Collins and excellent directing. Francis really keeps the dialog to a minimum here and let's the creepy story do the work. I could watch over and over.REFLECTION OF DEATH may be the weakest, but is also the shortest. A character is essentially reliving the same nightmare over and over. There is a typical twist, but only the dullest viewer won't see it coming.POETIC JUSTICE features one of the best roles I've seen Peter Cushing play as it's so different from his usual. It's a heartbreaking story in a lot of ways as he see some neighbors ruin the life of a kind old man. Naturally, he gets his vengeance in the end with some fairly good zombie makeup to boot.WISH YOU WERE HERE is a take on the old story "The Monkey's Paw" which is your basic "you get 3 wishes, use them wisely" tale. There is some flawed logic in the story, which I usually don't let detract too much in a fun horror tale, but mostly it's just dull for not using the premise nearly as fulfilling as it could have been done.Finally, BLIND ALLEYS is the longest segment and a good one. An army officer takes command of a home for the blind and treats his residents all too poorly. As with all EC tales, he is going to pay for his sins, but it's the retribution forced on him by the blind denizens of the home that is worth the wait, though one can't help but have wanted a little more grue.If you've seen the HBO show, you're probably familiar with a few of these stories. Anyone who loves those old horror comics or stuff like CREEPSHOW and TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE will surely enjoy this memorable movie.

Foreverisacastironmess Great film this, loved it the first time I ever saw it. There's something very special and rare in the macabre yet fun spirit of it that without sounding too weird I hope, makes me feel kind of peaceful. 'At home!' It was so cool to learn that without this, my favourite anthology ever Creepshow, would've never happened, nor a certain excellent HBO television series, so horror fans the world over have more to thank this picture for than they know! The opening sequence so perfectly sets the tone with the ancient graveyard with the overgrowth and the well-trod dirt path winding through the tombs. It's enchantingly Gothic and just beautiful to me, so grand and foreboding... Okay, so the first story's really good, I love the contrast between a ruthless murderess and the classic peace and tranquility of a Christmas atmosphere which soon becomes malevolent. But I personally find it one of the weaker stories as it's over in a flash, with just not enough to it for me to really get into it. It's beautifully shot for being on practically a single set the whole time. The bold and shocking 70's decor is monstrous! And my, were they ever hopeless at blood back then. It's too bright! And I don't know what she was so worried about, Santa only wanted to get in so he could give her a nice back rub! I infinitely prefer the TV episode, I find it superior in every way. I find the second story the scariest because the whole idea of repeating eternity is a damn nightmarish and chilling concept to me. It's so eerie and surreal the way it's already happening before it's even happening - like a bizarre horrific paradox, it begins where it ends and ends where it begins! I love the strange tension and mystery of why everyone he meets recoils in horror. It doesn't hurt the overall effect, but I find it a bit of a letdown when the "Reflection" is finally revealed as the makeup looks pretty rubbish, and for me the bland bloke's scream makes for a laugh. It's still a scary enough climax though, he's dead and doomed forever to the hellish torment of an endless nightmare, all because he so selfishly chose to betray and abandon his family. Hell is repetition... The excellent "Poetic Justice" is probably my favourite story, as I find it the most well put together and emotionally involving. Peter Cushing is wonderful, his Arthur Grimsdyke is so kind and vulnerable, and his slow destruction at the hands of the evil-spirited little man next door is simply heartbreaking to watch. Always such damn cruel 'opportunists' in life who are always willing to twist the knife in someone's side a little more in their worst days. He gets his just desserts, but the tale certainly promises nothing of hope in any way. Did you ever dream you'd see a zombie Peter Cushing? I love the fantastic sequence where the Grimsdyke zombie slowly tears itself out of the cold ground and makes its ghastly way into the unsuspecting young man's parlour... Such macabre magic! And what a brilliant touch to stick in there with the zombie hand placing itself on the desk right next to the iron ornamental hand! And the heart was still beating - fantastic! Cushing was a pleasure to watch, and may he rest in peace. The average take on the Monkey's Paw is I reckon the worst one. It doesn't drag or anything, but I find it a mite too campy, and I can't stand the red-headed lady's performance, she was so into it and over-the-top.. She should have wished that she wasn't so bloody stupid.. Like with the big face reveal of Reflection, the face of I think what's supposed to be the grim spectre of death on a motorbike in the rear-view mirror looks like complete s**t, you can easily tell it's just a guy in a mask. He was like the original Ghost Rider! It was a mad sick idea to end it with, but that one left a lot to be desired I thought. I found his poorly-looped screaming hilariously corny! Perhaps a wood chipper might've done the trick? And finally Blind Alleys was another excellent and well-acted tale, the performances of Magee and Patrick help make the story as effective as it is, and an otherwise crazy setup believable. As the longest story it's definitely a slow-burner, but I find it gripping and atmospheric as the tension builds as the man who behaves as if he's the warden of a prison is practically letting the 'helpless' inmates wither and die. Some of the visuals are superbly inventive, such as the razor-blade walls, which were a stroke of dark genius. That part always has me grimacing and on edge. The 'Major' was a nasty, bull-headed, unreasonable jerk, he had it coming! It's quite the awesome revelation at the end when the hour of their judgement has come... I think it's open to interpretation whether or not they were dead all along. Ralph Richardson was amazing as the spooky old monk who's basically there to read them their last rites. He may be called "Crypt Keeper", but he's actually more similar to the character of the Vault Keeper from the original comics than anything else. I enjoyed his more reserved approach, I think it created a nice aura of ominous mystery. And the way he delivers the final lines right at the audience is perfect and makes the ending one to remember. He breaks the fourth wall, and he does it with such pathos and passion! There's no real violence and gore in the film but who needs it? Far more meaningful and effective to use one's own mind to fill in the blanks of what's not seen! A great classic and among the very best of its gruesome ilk. Pleasant screams!!!