A few years ago I discovered the original “Tales from the Crypt” film made in 1971, and based off the beloved horror comics of years before that. Before seeing the film, I had no idea it existed— and I was immediately taken, on a cold October night, by its cemetery and crypt filled appeal.
And so it was my pick for the next scary film to watch in October. There is a lot of horror movie camp in here; that you wouldn’t want any other way during a “Tales from the Crypt” tale. The story is simple— against the backdrop of organ music, strangers take a tour in a cemetery, and get lost in an underground crypt, where they meet a mysterious robed and hooded man, the original Crypt Keeper Each character has a stand out story they are shown, to varying degrees of success. The stand outs are far and away Joan Collins’ tale of murder interrupted by a murderous Santa on Christmas, and Peter Cushing’s story of a feud between neighbors.
There is heightened style here— in the performances, the paint red blood, the organ music used and the obvious conclusion of the tales— but the twisted morality tales that made the Crypt Keeper and his yearns famous are absolutely the charm, and make this a Halloween film that deserves more discussion than it gets today.
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