Tales from the Crypt - 1972
DEATH LIVES in the Vault of Horror!
Director
Freddie Francis
Writer(s)
Johnny Craig comic book stories Tales From The Crypt and The Vault of Horror
Al Feldstein comic book stories Tales From The Crypt and The Vault of Horror
William M. Gaines comic book stories Tales From The Crypt and The Vault of Horror (as Bill Gaines)
Milton Subotsky screenplay
Producer(s)
Charles W. Fries executive producer (as Charles Fries)
Max Rosenberg producer (as Max J. Rosenberg)
Milton Subotsky producer
Cast
Joan Collins - Joanne Clayton (segment "All Through The House")
Peter Cushing - Arthur Edward Grimsdyke (segment "Poetic Justice")
Roy Dotrice - Charles Gregory (segment "Wish You Were Here")
Richard Greene - Ralph Jason (segment "Wish You Were Here")
Ian Hendry - Carl Maitland (segment "Reflection of Death")
Patrick Magee - George Carter (segment "Blind Alleys")
Barbara Murray - Enid Jason (segment "Wish You Where Here")
Nigel Patrick - Maj. William Rogers (segment "Blind Alleys")
Robin Phillips - James Elliott (segment "Poetic Justice")
Ralph Richardson - The Crypt Keeper
Geoffrey Bayldon - The Crypt Tour Guide
David Markham - Edward Elliott (segment "Poetic Justice")
Robert Hutton - Mr. Baker (segment "Blind Alleys")
Angela Grant - Susan Blake (segment "Reflection of Death") (as Angie Grant)
Susan Denny - Mrs. Maitland (segment "Reflection of Death")
Manning Wilson - Vicar (segment "Blind Alleys")
Chloe Franks - Carol Clayton (segment "All Through The House")
Kay Adrian - Mrs. Davies (segment "Poetic Justice")
Carlos Baker - Mrs. Davies Son (segment "Poetic Justice")
Martin Boddey - Richard Clayton (segment "All Through The House")
Dan Caulfield - Postman (segment "Poetic Justice")
Melinda Clancy - Mrs. Carter (segment "Poetic Justice")
Paul Clere - Maitland's Son (segment "Reflection of Death")
Sharon Clere - Maitland's Daughter (segment "Reflection of Death")
Clifford Earl - Police Sergeant (segment "Reflection of Death")
Edward Evans - Councilman Ramsey (segment "Poetic Justice")
Frank Forsyth - Tramp (segment "Reflection of Death")
Peter Frazer -
Irene Gawre - Mrs. Phelps (segment "Poetic Justice")
George Herbert - Dad Greenwood (segment "Poetic Justice")
Harry Locke - Cook (segment "Blind Alleys")
Oliver MacGreevy - Maniac in Santa Suit (segment "All Through The House")
Stafford Medhurst - Mrs. Phelps' Son (segment "Poetic Justice")
Jayne Sofiano -
Peter Thomas - First Mortician (segment "Wish You Were Here")
Tony Wall - Male Attendant (segment "Blind Alleys")
Hedgar Wallace - Police Inspector
Louis Mansi - 2nd Blind Man
Bartlett Mullins - First Blind Man
Review by Sven Soetemans
Very good horror anthology by specialist company Amicus,
The early 70's were golden years for the British horror industry… Hammer produced their last goodies, while there was another company who specialized in making the so-called `horror-omnibuses'… During a reign of approximately 10 years, Amicus brought forward anthologies going from nearly brilliant (The House that Dripped Blood) to very bad (The Monster Club). Tales From the Crypt surely belongs to their greatest achievements as well and it guarantees an hour and a half of delightful horror entertainment. Five stories are presented to us, and at least four of them have an above average quality level. (Sir) Ralph Richardson appears as the host. Disguised as the Cryptkeeper, he shows the unfortunate dead of 5 people who descended into his vault…
The film is based on a fifties comic book success formula, which also resulted in a popular spin-off series in the early nineties. The protagonists are always doomed and these tales show their regress into death… Each of the stories has its own, unique setting and atmosphere and, together, they cover pretty much all the favorite horror topics. Yet, 5 stories is a little exaggerated and therefore aren't fully elaborated…
Especially the first story suffers from its own shortness…It involves a bitchy woman (a stunningly beautiful Joan Collins) who kills her husband, but finds herself trapped in her house while an escaped lunatic lurks through the windows. This first story is pretty bloody and tense, and I wish it had been a little longer (if it were only to look at Collins some more…). The second story by far is the worst of them all and I feel they should have left this one out. The storyline has nothing new to offer and the acting is uninspired. Tale number three stars horror-legend Peter Cushing and he's the good guy for a change! Cushing is a lonely man who offers presents to the neighborhood children and throws parties for them…I guess this wasn't an issue in the seventies yet! Or was it? Cushing character is hated by his next-door neighbor, but eventually avenges himself. The fourth story is my personal favorite since it really breathes an almost unbearable morbidity…it's a variant on the famous monkey-claw myth, which provides the owner with 3 wishes. This chapter is really chilling and the scenery is great! It also has the best make-up effects and adorable twisted humor! The final story is very ingenious and chilling as well and it entirely takes places in an institute for the blind. The new manager introduces a whole lot of economy measures, while he's living a life of luxury. At one point, the inhabitants won't take it anymore and they show him what being blind feels like…
Tales from the Crypt (1972)
Review by Wayne Malin
Dull,
Badly dated attempt to turn 5 1950s EC comic stories in a multi-part horror film linked by Ralph Richardson (!) as the Cryptkeeper (!!). All the stories worked well in comic-book form but just don't come across in the movie.
The first story has a young Joan Collins dealing with a psycho Santa--it's actually very scary and quite bloody. Things go downhill after the first one. The second is a boring, obvious story of a married man, his mistress and a car crash. The third features Peter Cushing as a kind old man tormented to death by neighbours but gets his revenge--this is VERY bloody. The fourth has a few good gory moments also--it's a retelling of "The Monkey's Paw"--sort of. The last has blind people taking revenge on an evil building owner--very dull.
So, the first one with Collins is good but the others are real snoozers. A very good cast wasted--although Richardson seems to be enjoying himself. A huge hit in 1972. |
