In Memoriam

 

 

 

Karen Black

 

1939-2013

 

R.I.P.



Tales from the Crypt: "Dig That Cat... He's Real Gone" (Se. 01 Ep. 03)

DIG THAT CAT... HE'S REAL GONE (1989): Starring Joe Pantoliano, Robert Wuhl, Kathleen York, and Gustav Vintas

Directed by- Richard Donner

Moving right along with Season One of TALES FROM THE CRYPT (and not acknowledging my nearly-year-long absence), episode three opens as carnival performer Ulrich the Undying (Pantoliano) embarks on what will be his most dangerous stunt- being buried alive. Once he's lowered into the ground, Ulrich begins to narrate the story of how he became the famous entertainer he is now.

 

Once homeless, Ulrich was approached by a doctor (Vintas) who had developed a method of extracting a gland from the brain of a cat and grafting it onto the brain of a human, thus giving the human subject nine lives. He performs the operation on Ulrich, and then proposes a way that both he and Ulrich can exploit the experiment for money. After pitching their idea to a carnival owner (Wuhl) Ulrich is soon set up as "Ulrich the Undying"- the only performer in the world who actually dies before his audience. The act is an instant success, and brings prosperity to the flagging carnival and fame and fortune to Ulrich. However, Ulrich decides he's tired of sharing his profits and stages a fake car accident in which both he and the doctor are killed, wasting one of his lives. Now collecting all the profits from his dying act for himself, Ulrich intends for the burial to be last performance, leaving him one life with which to retire. But there may still be a few things Ulrich doesn't know about his new talent...

 

I love just about everything about this episode. In fact, this one is my personal favorite out of the first season. The story (along with its twist ending) is decpetively simple, and goes along at a very entertaining pace. The entire episode maintains a very seedy, nasty feeling all throughout, but manages to deliver it in a fairly humurous tone, which perfectly suits the carnival setting and the character of Ulrich.

 

There are however few odd editing choices (several lines are repeated back several times for some reason...) and a few visuals which don't quite work (a LOT of wide-angle lense shots in this one), but those actually manage to add to the episode for me. If I've got one complaint about TALES FROM THE CRYPT as a whole, it's that a lot of the episodes look and sound failry similar. They're all shot and edited in more-or-less the same straightforward, flat manner. Because of this, the ones that try something different seem to stick out like a sore thumb, and this episode is no exception.

 

Another thing this episode has going for it is its cast, which is phenomenal. Robert Wuhl is effectively insincere and smarmy as the carnival barker. Everything he does just highlights the overall cheap and fake atmoshpere of this carnival's entertainment (which does bring up the question of why Ulrich and the doctor couldn't find a nicer venue for their act...). Gustav Vintas is extremely funny and over the top as the Doctor. Kathleen York is also fairly good as Ulrich's showgirl girlfriend, but after a little while, her voice can tend to wear on the nerves and ears... But of course the real star of the show is Joe Pantoliano, and he damn well earns that position. You have to admire an actor who can bring across the nature of a character in something that's so relatively short as an episode of TALES FROM THE CRYPT, and that's what Pantoliano does here. We know everything there is to know about Ulrich from the moment we see him on screen. We know exactly the type of person this character is- bitter, greedy, resentful- smiling and hamming it up for his audience, but vicious and conniving backstage. It's a hell of a performance.

 

Overall, this episode comes with my highest recommendation, and I think it would make a good introduction to the show. Want to know what TALES FROM THE CRYPT is all about? Then give this one a watch.

 

 

My rating: *  *  *  *  out of  *  *  *  *



Tales from the Crypt: "And All Through the House" (Se. 01 Ep. 02)

AND ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE (1989): Starring- Mary Ellen Trainor, Larry Drake, and Marshall Bell

Directed by- Robert Zemeckis

Ah, now this is more like it. For many fans this is that best episode of the first season. I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to say that, but it's definitely the first one that feels like it torn straight from the pages of TALES FROM THE CRYPT.

The story begins on Christmas Eve, when a young woman (Trainor) murders her husband (Bell) with a fireplace poker to the head. Her plan is to dispose of the body in a nearby well. Her plans are complicated by her young daughter, who is staying up to see if Santa Clause comes. The mother eventually manages to send her daughter to bed and proceeds outside with the body. However, unbeknownst to her, an escaped mental patient dressed as Santa Clause (Drake) is lurking about, and he has an axe...

This is a very, very good episode. It's beautifully shot, and the tone of continuously mounting suspense is perfectly achieved. The two lead performances are great. Mary Ellen Trainor is exactly what you want in a TALES FROM THE CRYPT protagonist- you root for her, but you also realize that she really has it coming. Lary Drake is exceptionally creepy in an almost-silent role as the maniac. While it hasn't got much of a twist to it, the ending is one of the most lasting images this series has to offer. It's not my personal favorite out of the first season, but it's still one of the best.

My rating- * * * *  out of  * * * *

Tales from the Crypt: "The Man Who Was Death" (Se. 01 Ep. 01)

THE MAN WHO WAS DEATH (1989): Starring- William Sadler, J.W. Smith, Roy Brocksmith, David Wohl, Gerrit Graham, Dani Minnick, and Robert Winley

Directed by- Walter Hill

So, here it is. The very first episode of TALES FROM THE CRYPT. ... Well, sorta. There's actually some dissension as to which episode is the official pilot, due to the fact that the first three episodes were broadcast on the same night. However, I'm going by the order on the DVD release, and this one is first there.


The episode centers on Niles Talbot (Sadler), a former prison electrician now working as executioner. Talbot has a certain zealousy for his job and sees it as his moral duty. Unfortunately, the death penalty is suddenly overturned is his state, leaving Niles out of a job and, as he sees it, leaving many criminals unpunished. So, he does the only sensible thing- he proceeds to follow murder trials and then electrocutes anyone that gets off not guilty.


This episode serves as a decent introduction to the series. The plot is fairly simple, and there's not much in the way of violence or gore, with the exception of several electrocutions. Plus, you can see the twist ending coming a mile away.

However, one thing in particular really does stand out- William Sadler's performance. He's really the only main character, and he is phenomenal in this episode. He really sucks you into this character's head, and you actually start to like him a little. It's one of the best performances of the entire series run.


 So, all in all, this is a pretty good episode, carried by some brilliant acting.


My rating-  * * * 1/2  out of  * * * * 

And now, for something a little different...

Hello, all. I've decided to change things up a little around here, and in doing so, I figured I'd add a new feature to the blog: TV reviews. (Real original, I know...)
Now, if I'm going to review a series, it has to be something that fits along the lines of this blog- Something, gruesome, something terrifying, something horrific...



... Oh. Yeah, that should do it.

To begin with, I should probably give a little background to those unfamiliar with the show. TALES FROM THE CRYPT is an anthology series which ran from 1989 to 1995 for 93 episodes. Each episode was adapted from a story published in the comics published in the early 1950's by E.C., such as TALES FROM THE CRYPT (obviously), THE VAULT OF HORROR, THE HAUNT OF FEAR, CRIME SUPSPENSTORIES, and SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES.
These stories were frequently morality tales, with a nasty protagonist being dealt some type of supernatural comeuppance for their misdeeds.
The series was hosted by The Crypt Keeper, a demonic, cackling corpse who would chime in on the episode, making jokes and puns.


The Crypt Keeper was voiced by the very talented John Kassir, who really brings personality to this creature. Sometimes, he's the best thing about the episode.

Anyway, given the show's anthology format, I don't think a single overview of it would do it justice. So, I'm going to go episode by episode. I'll still do the other reviews, but every now and then, I'll pop in with a TALES FROM THE CRYPT episode.

The first one should be along soon. Stay tuned.

Mad Love

MAD LOVE (1935): Starring- Peter Lorre, Frances Drake, Colin Clive, Sara Haden, Edward Brophy, Henry Kolker, Key Luke, May Beatty, Ian Wolfe, and Ted Healy

Directed by Karl Freund

Welcome to the crypt, once again. I think I've been a little too 80s-heavy in my last couple reviews, so today, I'm going all the way back to 1935 with MAD LOVE. It's one of the odder 30's films I've seen. (Which is really saying something, by the way...) Let's begin.

The story centers on Dr. Gogol (Lorre, who's character is never given a first name, oddly enough.) Gogol is a brilliant surgeon, capable of working wonders on patients other doctors have given up on. His sole hobby is the theater, specifically a horror and torture themed theater, and its leading lady, Yvonne Orlac. (Drake) In the opening scene, we find Gogol admiring a wax statue of Yvonne which is placed in the lobby of the theater. After the performance, Gogol makes his way to Yvonne's dressing room, where he proclaims his love for her. Unfortunately, she tells him that she is married to a composer and piano player, Stephen Orlac (Clive), and what's more, she finds Gogol repulsive. Gogol flees the theater, distraught and humiliated.

The next day, Gogol buys the statue and places it in his home. He begins to show signs of madness, talking to the statue as if it were the real thing. Meanwhile, Stephen is on a train to Paris. Also on the train is Rollo (Brophy), a carnival knife thrower on his way to be executed for the murder of his father. Before the train can arrive, it is violently derailed. In the accident, Stephen's hands are mangled horribly. Rollo is unharmed, however, and meets the guillotine as scheduled.

Yvonne, seeing no alternative, takes Stephen to Gogol's clinic and begs the doctor to repair her husband's hands. Gogol is unenthusiastic at first, but soon sees this as an opportunity to become a hero in Yvonne's eyes. He performs the surgery and saves Stephen's hands.

Stephen is pleased at first, but begins to worry as soon as his hands heal. His hands no longer seem like his own. They can no longer play the piano, and they now have the ability to throw knives. Meanwhile, Gogol sinks deeper and deeper into insanity...

This film is great. It's one of the best of it's era and unfairly neglected and underrated by fans and critics alike. To start with, the cast is fantastic, and they all excel in their roles. Peter Lorre gives the best performance of his career as the crazed Dr. Gogol, first evoking sympathy, and then terror and disgust. It's his performance that carries the movie, and it's really fun watching him do so. (Interestingly enough, Charlie Chaplin, upon viewing this movie, called Lorre "the greatest living actor.") Frances Drake and Colin Clive give him excellent support as his intended victims. Drake is at first, very cold and selfish, but soon breaks through and delivers a very vulnerable, if melodramatic, performance. Clive, at first only a supporting character, almost steals the second half of the film in his distraught turn as Orlac. You really feel bad for this guy as he suffers. Another interesting castmember is comedian Ted Healy, most famous for discovering, then mistreating, and then losing the Three Stooges. He plays a nosy reporter, intent on finding out what goes on in Gogol's clinic. He's alright in the role, but he's there mostly for comic relief.

Another asset to this film is it's photography. It was directed by Karl Freund, who shot classics such as METROPOLIS (1927), DRACULA (1931), and also directed THE MUMMY (1932). It really shows that he directed this. The photography, which was groundbreaking in it's day, still looks beatiful and has been speculated as an influence on Orson Welles' CITIZEN KANE (1941). This movie should be shown in filmmaking classes just based on this aspect alone.

Sadly, the movie was largely unsuccessful at the box office, and has been mostly forgotten by audiences. It ended Freund's career as a director, though his career as a cinematographer would continue until his death in 1969. It's also been ingored by critics, but I think that should change. I think MAD LOVE deserves to stand alongside the likes FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE MUMMY, and FREAKS as one of the great horror films of the 1930s. My advice to you is to track it down and see for yourself.

My rating- * * * * out of * * * *

In Memoriam

Bill Hinzman,

known as the "Cemetery Zombie" from

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)

1936-2012

R.I.P.