31 Horror Movies in 31 Days: Tales from the Crypt

Tales from the Crypt (1972)

Directed by Freddie Francis

Starring Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, Roy Dotrice, Richard Greene, Ian Hendry, Patrick Magee, and Barbara Murray

            Five strangers get lost from their tour group in some old catacombs.  They wonder into a large hall with a man waiting.  He is the Crypt Keeper, and he knows how each of these people will die.  The woman in the group will be pursued by a psychopath dressed as Santa after murdering her own husband on Christmas Eve.  One man will know what it is like to feel left behind after leaving his own wife.  Another man will be shown how truly heartless he is by a man he killed.  A businessman will find that his wishes can come true at a cost.  And finally, the last man will know why he should not mistreat the disabled in his care.  Of course, being that this is based on the Tales from the Crypt comics and others from EC Comics, there is a twist in store for all involved. 

            This is a treat of a movie for horror fans.  This is an Amicus production, Hammer Horror’s chief rival in English horror cinema.  Their sets are wonderful and well adorned.  The craftsmanship of the filmmaking is top notch and consistent through all of the segments.  And it is a great slow burn picture, taking its time even in the individual segments.  All of the things I just listed are why I like the movie, and I know that these could be reasons why others might like it.  But, Tales from the Crypt could be murder for anyone who cannot sit still and let the film develop at its own pace.  Even for me, the movie dragged in certain parts.  But it always managed to get right back into the shocks fairly quickly. 

            The acting is great from all involved.  The special performances of the movie belong to Peter Cushing and Joan Collins.  Hammer Horror mainstay Cushing is a fantastic dual performance as both a man driven to suicide by his cruel neighbors and the vengeful ghoul who comes back for their hearts.  Collins throws herself into the role of a wife who just murdered her husband but cannot call the police when a manic tries to get her.  The practical effects are satisfactory, especially Cushing’s zombie form.  The real wonder of Tales from the Crypt is just how effective it is at building tension within the time frame of a short segment and repeating it with each subsequent one.  Each part of the movie builds towards a horrifying climax that owes more than a little bit of credit to the EC Comics source material. 

            For those that love a good anthology movie: find a copy of this movie.  It may move a little slow, but it delivers a punch with every part.  Just try to limit the “Boys and Ghouls” jokes.  This one aspires to be far classier than the original comics, and for the most part it succeeds. 

9 out of 10