HOWLING II: YOUR SISTER IS A WEREWOLF

So how do you take an underrated cult classic like The Howling, a movie that has wit, intelligence and some pretty good scares, and ruin it? How do you manage to make a horror movie so far off the mark that iconic Hammer star Christopher Lee and the frequently exposed chest of Sybil Danning cannot even save it? How in Hell do you make a horror movie that actually employs holy earplugs??? You make The Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf. The original Howling was, to many horror fan's tastes, a great movie. Unfortunately, the six sequels that followed, without the guiding hands of director Joe Dante and writer John Sayles, were on the whole bad. Really bad. (Note: This isn't even the worst of the bunch. What better way to top holy earplugs than by trotting out marsupial werewolves?!?) This was the first, and the results were not pretty. Howling II begins at the funeral of Karen White, played by the lovely Dee Wallace Stone in the original, but not here. Several forces show up at the funeral: Karen's brother, a female reporter, Christopher Lee as a master of the occult, and a number of werewolves. How this leads to Sybil Danning topless in Transylvania, I would rather not discuss. Let's just say that Karen's brother and his new girlfriend/reporter have to go to Romania to put the stop to Stirba (Danning), queen of the werewolves. Transylvania? Queen of the werewolves? Apparently the filmmakers were going the Dracula path, but these aren't vampires. This is muddled scripting at best, and downright incompetence at worst. There's no doubt about the acting however; other than Lee, there's not a competent performance in the lot. Ohh, but the special effects match the acting, folks! For those of you who are into bestiality, there's a werewolf threesome that is the farthest thing from a turn on outside of John Travolta in a fat suit. But hey, it's followed by a werewolf orgy. Some people should just not be allowed to make films. MGM actually still owned the rights to The Howling title, and so this is the only sequel that relates back to the original. There's even a recreation of Dee Wallace's transformation from the original. As with the rest of the film, it's appallingly bad. MGM may still own the rights, but they apparently didn't care to do anything with the product. The only extras on the film are a trailer, and the choice of widescreen or full screen. But then, would you really want to watch a documentary in which Christopher Lee talks about disgracing himself for a paycheck? I leave you with this anecdote, which Joe Dante tells on the Gremlins 2 soundtrack. Christopher Lee played a geneticist in that film, and on his first day of shooting, he pulled Dante aside and apologized for his appearance in the Howling II. Sometimes an apology isn't enough, Chris. -Phil Fasso

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Posted by fasso at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: MILLENIUM EDITION

Sometimes a horror movie is more than just a horror movie. Behind the gore and the scares, the director delivers deeper terrors of humanity and society, and in the bargain influences decades of movies to come. George Romero's Night of the Living Dead is a classic example of how horror can go beyond its trappings.

NOTLD starts off with a seemingly mundane event: Johnny and Barbara visiting their father's grave. Johnny starts to tease and scare his sister, invoking the ever famous line "They're coming to get you, Barbara!" He sees a fellow grave goer and draws him into the harmless game. But when the grave goer turns out to be a Cemetery Ghoul and attacks Barbara, the world turns upside down not only for Barbara and Johnny, but for everyone.

The majority of NOTLD takes place in a farm house, where several people are trapped by the undead. Ben, the film's protagonist, has the clearest head, and takes charge of the catatonic Barbara. Unbeknownst to him, there are several other people in the basement: the Cooper family, with loud mouthed Harry as the father figure; his wife Helen, with whom he constantly bickers, and their daughter Karen, who has been bitten by one of the zombies. With them are a young couple, Judy and Tom, who seem to side more with Ben. As zombies threaten to besiege not only the house, but the planet, this group struggle not only to survive the ghouls, but their own differences.

NOTLD is not so much a straight horror movie, but an attack on the social order. The family unit has fallen apart, evident not only because Karen Cooper is on the verge of death and the Coopers hate each other, but from the very moment that Barbara and Johnny show up at the cemetery. Society is under attack, as the zombies attack the farmhouse, the very institution of the home. And though Romero has said many times, including on his commentary track on this disc, that Ben is only black because Duane Jones was the best actor available, he also frequently mentions that he and writer John Russo drove the film cans to New York the night that Martin Luther King was assassinated. Race relations cannot help but come to the forefront at the film's shocking conclusion. Upheaval has come to family, race and society. Even death is under attack; for if the dead come back to life, is death really final?

Though several versions of NOTLD have appeared on disc before and since, the Millennium Edition is the way to go. The two commentaries alone make the disc worth a purchase. Romero and Russo are joined by Karl Hardman and Marilyn Eastman, who not only starred as the Coopers, but ran the production company responsible for the film. On the other track, most of the cast appears to discuss the making and memories of the film. The two biggest problems with these commentaries are that the memories are sometimes inconsistent because of the lapse of nearly 40 years between the film's production and the commentaries; and as is common to commentaries with multiple participants, not everyone has an equal say. There's a dated interview with Judith Ridley, in which she explains the art of food modeling in commercials. Also, there's an audio interview with Duane Jones, who was obviously embarrassed that he was best known for being in a horror movie. His story of a butterfly on the set shows just how sensitive a man he was. There's also a scene from one of Romero's "lost" films, There's Always Vanilla, but that film is available on disc now, and not really worth seeing. My favorite extras on the discs, though, are several of Romero's commercials. He directed these as his "day" job while working on Night. His Calgon commercial is an instant classic. Several scrapbooks, Russo's shooting script and some photo galleries appear to round out the disc.

Night of the Living Dead is a classic not just because it's a great horror movie, but because it's a great movie. Romero and Russo crafted a film that makes us question society, race and the family. It's these questions that keep the film relevant almost 40 years later, and keep horror fans coming back to it.

Oh, and it also forever changed the concept of the zombie on film in the process. But that's another story.

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-Phil Fasso

EDITORS NOTE: This review is the first for Icons of Fright's newest staff reviewer Phil Fasso! Give it up for Phil!

Posted by fasso at 07:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DISTURBIA.

Story: Kale is a troubled teen who’s just gotten his 3^rd strike after attacking a school teacher. Now, he’s under house arrest and forced to stay confined in his home for the entire summer. He entertains himself by becoming a voyeur and watching the daily routines of all the locals and neighbors. All seems well, especially when the beautiful Ashley moves in next door. But soon, Kale begins to suspect that Mr. Turner, his neighbor across the street is the man responsible for the disappearance and presumed murders of several missing girls in the area.

The Film Itself: At first, I didn’t even think I wanted to give this movie a chance. After all, I just didn’t think I wanted to sit thru yet another interpretation of REAR WINDOW, which this movie is obviously based on. But I’m actually glad I invested my time in DISTURBIA, because surprisingly, I enjoyed it! The premise isn’t anything new or original, but I must admit that credit should go to the writing and directorial teams for giving the “Rear Window” storyline such a good, contemporary update. After a slightly shocking opening scene, we’re brought into the world of Kale played by Shia LaBeouf, a very likable teen who is going thru an understandably tough time after losing one of his parents. This movie doesn’t play like a horror film. Or even your basic thriller for a good portion of it. It’s just a good spirited flick about a troubled kid really wanting to get to know the girl that just moved in next door. (Sarah Roemer plays Ashley and hell, I’d give anything to know her too!) Even Kale’s voyeuristic tendencies don’t play out “creepy” because as he points out, it’s just real life “reality” entertainment. David Morse plays Mr. Turner, the neighbor across the street that likes to bring home young girls and… well, we’re not sure. But Kale is fairly convinced that he’s killing them. (And it’s pretty darned easy to think that considering how creepy actor David Morse is. Seriously, look at his IMDB page. The last 10 years, he’s been playing spooky, bad guys.) At the half way mark, once the suspicions of Mr. Turner’s night life sets in, the movie becomes a very competent, suspenseful thriller. I have to admit, I really got into it, and I really loved Kale. My only critique is that the final act drags on a tiny bit longer then it needs to, but it doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the flick. (Hell, I got my money’s worth.)

Here’s another issue I need to bring up and it’s not necessarily about this movie, but about this movie’s girl next door set-up. (Dozens of films are guilty of the following!) Seriously, does this ever happen in real life? I asked every one of my guy friends and I have yet to meet someone who has EVER had a hot girl move in right next door to them. And say in the unlikely case that something like that DID happen, wouldn’t it be weird to date the hot chick next door if you guys ever broke up? She’d be able to keep tabs on you. You’d see the guys she’s going out with. Sounds like hell to me. Oh well. If a hot chick has ever moved in right next door to you, PLEASE write me and tell me about it. I want to know if this has ever happened in the history of mankind. By the way, interesting side-note - Ashley starts to fall for Kale after he’s tackled by the police in his front yard, once again proving… that girls like a bad boy!

Special Features: There’s a commentary track, as well as deleted scenes and bloopers, but in all honesty, I didn’t watch any of this material. The reason being is I rented this movie. And usually when I like a movie enough that I decide I’d like to buy it, I opt to wait to own it before enjoying the disc’s features. But let that be a testament to how much I enjoyed this since I’m now willing to purchase it. You should too. –Robg.

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Posted by RobG at 08:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

VACANCY.

Story: Amy and David Fox are a couple in an failing relationship driving across the country, when they take a wrong turn and become stranded at a motel out in the middle of nowhere. They discover a series of video tapes in their room which reveal that the motel is actually a front for an underground “snuff” film ring, and they’ve just been selected to be the latest victims!

The Film Itself: Here’s another one I wasn’t sure I’d be into, but considering the simplicity of the story, which treads into PSYCHO territory (PSYCHO being one of my all-time favorite films), and the strength of the cast (I like both Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale, even if I’m not a HUGE fan of either), I was definitely curious to see what this movie had to offer. Also, films like MUTE WITNESS and the Spanish film THESIS that run with the whole “snuff” film storyline and are among two of my favorite movies. I wanted to see how they could stretch out this premise with a very small cast and by limiting it to one motel room. Surprisingly, this is in fact one of the more stylish, suspenseful and (at times) terrifying films I’ve ever seen. The film starts with us in the middle of an argument between unhappy couple David and Amy Fox. It’s immediately obvious that these two have been together for a long time and are at the end of their relationship. Later, it’s hinted that they both had and lost their only child, which probably contributed severely to the deterioration of their marriage. I have to give both actors props. They convinced me that they are a miserable couple right off the bat. But David shows little signs of hope for their relationship. Then, after a creepy encounter with Ethan Embry (Didn’t he just do creepy in that Masters Of Horror episode?) and an “incident” with their car, they are stranded in a motel with the even creepier Mason (Frank Whaley in a performance that gives Norman Bates a run for his money.) At this point, I feel uncomfortable enough being in the middle of this relationship between these two whom constantly take cheap shots at each other. Then, someone starts pounding on their door. David discovers the “snuff” video tapes, and it becomes obvious almost immediately that someone is toying with them before their inevitable murder, which will of course be filmed via a series of hidden cameras in the motel room. At about the 30 minute mark, I was scared as fuck. Seriously. I was in their place and had no idea what the hell I would do if I were them. All of a sudden, all those snide remarks and bitter arguments seemed trivial compared to the will these two suddenly had to get out of there and in one piece. (And most importantly, with each other.) From here on in, I don’t want to give anything else away, but I will say I was on the edge of my seat trying to guess what would happen next for the remainder of the picture. (And I didn’t guess right.) Yet again, bigger props to both actors once the shit officially hits the fan. I’m used to Luke Wilson being the “funny” guy in most films, but the determination and change he undergoes during the course of the film is great. Even Kate Beckinsale (who covers her British accent) becomes someone you immediately pine for, even though she gives David shit for the first act of the film. (Let’s face it, she’s pretty darned hot too.) I really, really loved this movie. It’s the type of thriller/horror movie that I miss. And it clocks in at 80 minutes making it extremely fast paced. Highly recommended.

Special Features: The DVD features a Behind-The-Scenes featurette that talks to all the actors, as well as director Nimrod Antal (I swear that’s his name) and the producers of VACANCY. It’s short but an entertaining making-of featurette. I was especially impressed with the fact that they built the motel on a sound stage! (Ironically enough, the same sound stage where The Wizard Of Oz was filmed!) There’s an alternate opening, which while kinda cool, but gives away all the key plot points of the film. I guess they were going to start the movie with a look at the aftermath and then let you fill in the blanks along the way, but I think they made a wise choice eliminating this opening and going for the one currently in the movie. There’s extended footage of the “snuff” material, but believe it or not, I had to turn it off. I kind of wish they didn’t bother including it. Sure, it’s a neat little bonus, but that is the type of “horror” that’s very, very upsetting to me. (I don’t like watching people being tortured!) And what you imagine those tapes to be from the glimpses we get is enough a sfar as I’m concerned. Watching them is horrific, even if they are fictional. They still totally feel like “snuff” films and it’s disgusting. Besides that one little thing, I loved the movie and I loved the DVD. –Robg.

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Posted by RobG at 08:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

 

Hot Fuzz is the highly anticipated follow up to the cult horror-comedy classic Shaun of the Dead. It features the same duo of actors in Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as well as writer Edgar Wright. The story centers on London based super cop Nicholas Angel (which also happens to be the name of the guy who scored the film) played by Pegg. Basically, Angel is too good a cop and is making the force look bad, so they banish him to a “promotion” in a small country town. Upon arriving in Sanford, Angel is partnered with Danny Butterman (Frost) who also happens to be the son of the chief. Their introduction is Angel arresting Butterman for drinking and driving and discovering he is his new partner in the morning. Nicholas has a hard time adjusting to the laid back country life where people don’t enforce the law by the book as they do in the big city, but it becomes abundantly clear that something isn’t right in town. Accident after accident happen, killing many of the towns highest profile people. Angel, suspecting foul play in all the circumstances, continually runs into the rest of the police force, who say they are just accidents. The first question, of course, is whether this is as funny as Shaun of the Dead. It isn’t, it’s a good, fun film, but it lacks the pure magic of its predecessor. Lightning seldom strikes twice on that level, but if you can release another film that is quality, that is much as you can hope for. If you like the one, you will like the other. The film packs a ton of people into the cast as well including Timothy Dalton, Bill Nighy (who also was in Shaun), Martin Freeman, and secret appearances by Cate Blanchett and Peter Jackson. With everything that this movie has going for it, it is a film that you will watch over and over again, and it has the potential to get funnier with every viewing.

Special features: Amazing audio commentary with Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright. Deleted scenes and outtakes, a documentary on the publicity junket that Pegg, Wright, and Frost did in the US. Hot Funk, which is the US “clean” television edit, which will make you cringe and also “The Man Who Would be Fuzz” with Pegg and Frost doing imitations of Sean Connery and Michael Cain.

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Posted by Myk at 10:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

THE MONSTER SQUAD: Two-Disc 20th Anniversary Edition.

Story: All of Universal’s baddies - The Wolfman, The Mummy, Frankenstein’s monster and The Gillman are all back and under the leadership of Dracula who’s planning to shift the balance of good and evil by destroying an ancient amulet. It’s up to a group of pre-teenage kids who call themselves “The Monster Squad” to stop them!

The Film Itself: Oh bliss! We’ve all been waiting a long time for this movie to make it’s way to a proper DVD release and I’m happy to say, it’s totally been worth the wait! I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since this flick hit theaters. Most fiends my age recall discovering The Monster Squad either via the local mom & pop video shops or through repeat showings on cable. (Or in some cases, both!) After all? How could a kid obsessed with monsters & horror movies pass up a flick whose box cover art boasted ALL the Universal monsters! In full color! I just re-watched the DVD and the movie truly is timeless and made me revert back to my 12 year old self when I first discovered this gem. First, the monsters. My personal favorite was always the wolfman, so I love the Stan Winston design for The Monster Squad’s wolfman. (Who in human form is played by Jon Gries aka Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite!) In the supplemental materials, most of the cast call Duncan Regehr’s Dracula “one of the top 5 Dracula’s” of all time. And after re-visiting his performance here as an adult, I can totally agree. Both him and Tom Noonan (Frankenstein) played their parts so straight that it should satisfy adult viewers of the film, along with the kids who watch it. Then there’s the squaders! As director Fred Dekker points out in the commentary, each and every one of these kids were an outcast in their own way and because of that, the audience often found it easy to connect or relate to one, if not all of them. All the aspects of this movie still play amazingly even today. The dialogue is funny and quite realistically how 12 year old kids would talk. The pacing is perfect, and the humor and horror are equally balanced. It’s a shame this wasn’t better received upon its initial release, because all of the above I just mentioned are testaments to what a great filmmaker Fred Dekker truly is. I hope now with the resurgence of interest in this film, we’ll not only get a special edition of NIGHT OF THE CREEPS on DVD, but also a few more new films from the under appreciated Dekker. How can anyone NOT enjoy this movie? A few more mentions of what I love before we head over to the special features: 1) Fat Kid. “My Name Is HORRICE!” God rest his soul! 2) “Wolfman’s Got Nards!” 3) Creative use of garlic covered pizza. 3) A 5 year old girl saying “Come on, guys. Don’t be chicken shit!” 4) Rudy, whom if you pay attention to closely ends up slaying like… 5 monsters in a row in the third act. 5) Eugene & Eugene’s dad – “Mummy came in my house!” – And I can go on and on…

Special Features: The movie itself is presented in widescreen format and there is also a commentary track by Writer/Director Fred Dekker who is joined by some of the “Squad Members” - Andre Gower (Sean), Ryan Lambert (Rudy) and Ashley Bank (Phoebe). The commentary is very light-hearted and informative with everyone sharing fun facts, stories and anecdotes. Dekker often points out the silly logic behind some of the films plots, such as what purpose the Gillman serves other then to retrieve Frankenstein’s coffin, or trying to figure out why the Mummy would visit Eugene. All this stuff can be overlooked by fans simply because of the sheer entertainment value of the movie as a whole. (It’s just so darned fun!) The DVD’s 2nd disc boasts an extensive 5 part documentary covering the entire history of The Monster Squad. It even covers the recent reunion at the Monster Mania convention. The funniest bit of the whole documentary is hearing Tom Noonan contradict every thing every one else is saying. (He recalls that Dracula was “kinda a prick” and that his 5 year old co-star was a bit “annoying”!?) Also included are a few deleted scenes, most of which show more trouble within the marriage of Sean’s parents. (Kinda glad they cut that stuff out, to be honest!) The trailer is included, as well as a classic interview with Tom Noonan in full Frankenstein make-up from the original shoot. Hands down, a must own DVD for any horror or movie fan! –Robg.

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Posted by RobG at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON.

Story: Part-mockumentary, part-horror movie, Behind The Mask is a story that exists in a world where Freddy, Jason and Michael Myers were all real and part of folklore. Leslie Vernon plans on being the next big name in horror but before he makes his grand return to the quiet little town of Glen Echo & unleashes his reign of terror, he’s invites a documentary crew to follow him around as he explains and prepares for how to become the next great “slasher” legend.

The Film Itself: Ok, by now, it should be no secret how much the entire Icons staff love this movie. I mean, we’ve got several interviews with people involved in the film, so we’ve been believers in the philosophy of Leslie Vernon since day one! Now, the DVD is finally out and everyone can see it! Is it worth the wait? Absolutely. The movie plays even better after repeat viewings. There are literally SO many homage’s and little nods to all the “slasher” greats of the 80’s. Everything from the Elm Street girls jumping rope in the background to Eugene having a Hellraiser box on his counter. The performances are still amazing to watch no matter how many times you’ve seen the flick. Nathan Baesel as Leslie Vernon is perfect, and he has an incredible knack for jumping from being a funny, humble sweet friend to a horrorifying scary, creepy killer in seconds flat. Robert Englund called him a “young Tony Perkins” on set, and his performance definitely evokes a little Norman Bates. Speaking of, we’ve got Robert Enlgund playing Doc O’Halloran, which is essentially the “Dr. Loomis” role. (Kane Hodder and Zelda Rubinstein also cameo.) Scott Wilson plays Leslie’s mentor/father figure Eugene, an old time retired “slasher” who came before all the “knock-offs” of the 80’s. And let’s not forget the classic beauty Angela Goethals (Hey, kids, she was in Home Alone!) who plays Taylor, the reporter who follows Leslie’s story. Every aspect of this film is brilliantly done. From the writing to the acting to the directing to the score! Another must-own for your collection.

Special Features: Included on the disc is an impressive and entertaining making-of documentary which covers the entire production of the movie. For someone like myself who has been following this movie for a while and has seen it several times, this stuff is pure gold. It’s fun to see a lot of the scenes come together, as well as hear director Scott Glosserman talk candidly to the camera’s about how he’s feeling about the work at hand. There’s a commentary track with the cast, which while somewhat informative is a bit all over the place! All 4 actors present (Nathan Baesel, Angela Goethals, Britain Spellings and Ben Pace) repeatedly talk over each other making it next to impossible to make anything out! The few nuggets that do come thru are good ones though. Also, there’s a casting featurette, which shows different girls auditioning for the crucial role of Taylor, as well as some deleted and extended scenes. (All of which are fun to discover here on this disc.) Make sure you go to the screenplay section on the bonus features menu and click right. It will light up a Leslie Vernon mask and give you a nice little Easter Egg! –Robg.

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Posted by RobG at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DEAD SILENCE: UNRATED.

Story: After the sudden death of his wife, Jamie heads back home to Raven’s Fair to track down the origin of a package he received containing Billy, a ventriloquist dummy originally belonging to the legendary Mary Shaw. Jamie soon realizes that between his estranged relationship with his father, a nosy detective on his trail and the spooked locals, there may be more to Mary Shaw’s tale then anyone is willing to admit to.

The Film Itself: Having been a huge fan of what the creative team consisting of James Wan and Leigh Whannell were able to accomplish with the modestly budgeted first SAW movie, I was curious as hell as to how they planned to follow it up! Quite frankly, I’m glad they opted to craft a film that focused more on mood and style rather then do another SAW-type movie. DEAD SILENCE is an old-school, spooky ghost story, in the vein of the old Hammer movies, but mixed with the eerie vibe of an old black and white Universal monster picture. Tons of fog and all. Wan and Whannell are able to create an interesting and scary backstory here, the legend of Mary Shaw. Ryan Kwanten plays lead Jamie with equal parts sympathy and attitude, but it’s Donnie Wahlberg’s Detective Jim Lipton that stands out. (Can anyone believe this guy used to be in New Kids On The Block?! Seriously!) The stars of the whole show however are of course actress Judith Roberts (a theater trained actress) as Mary Shaw and Billy, her ventriloquist doll. (He’s one of a 100 creepy dolls in Mary Shaw’s collection. Look for Billy, the puppet from SAW who makes an appearance amongst the bunch!) This might be slower paced then what audiences are used to these days with horror, but I MISS that about movies. Look – you’ve got a hundred dummies, a scary-as-shit old lady that at points looks like a dummy and Donnie Wahlberg. That all adds up to a good fright film in my humble opinion.

Special Features: The DVD features both an alternate beginning and ending. While I liked both, I’m quite satisfied with the impressive ending used in the released version of the film. (Although, I have to admit, I really dig the alternate opening, which features a voice over retelling the legend of Mary Shaw.) Also included on the disc are a series of very short deleted scenes, a brief making-of feature and an evolution of a visual FX featurette, which shows us step by step how one of the movie’s elaborate sets was built using digital technology. (It’s CGI work that I actually approve of.) No commentary track though. Judging from the crappy art on the back cover (along with the very vague synopsis on the back of the box), I get the impression Universal put in minimum effort into this DVD, which deserves a hell of a lot better treatment. –Robg.

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Posted by RobG at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

TALES FROM THE CRYPT: THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON.

Ok. So, we’re up to the Sixth Season now of HBO’s TALES FROM THE CRYPT. And after this season, the show only latest one more year, so I’m assuming you can already guess the direction of the quality of these last few seasons. Now, it’s not all that bad. There are actually still some great guest appearances, both in front and behind the camera, as well as a few stand out episodes, but over-all, this is a pretty weak season. With Season Five, I found at least something cool about each and every episode. But alas, let’s focus on the positives of this season, and more importantly this particular boxed set.

“Let The Punishment Fit The Crime” is a trademark Crypt-style tale of a lawyer (played by Catherine O’Hara) getting a bit of comeuppance for the trails of her past! “Only Skin Deep” is an erotically creepy episode directed by William Malone, where a man meets a woman at a costume party and indulges in an all-sex relationship with her. But what horrors lie behind her mask and her true identity? Mick Garris takes on the next episode “Whirlpool” making me think this season is a Masters Of Horror pre-cursor! His episode features Rita Rudner and comedian Richard Lewis as cartoonists for a local paper. Visually, a stunning episode, if not totally confusing! (You’ll see what I mean when you get to the end of it.) Ha! “Operation Friendship” is about computer nerd Nelson and his (possibly) imaginary friend who becomes jealous when a foxy female nerd moves in across the hall! (Loved this particular episode. Great chemistry between stars Tate Donovan and his female -star) “The Bribe” features a pre-LOST, post-Stepfather Terry O’Quinn who’s trying to shut down a strip club his daughter works at. “The Assassin” is one of the season’s stand-out episodes featuring Corey Feldman, who is one of 3 espionage agents sent to track down and kill a former assassin! Director Stephen Hopkins (Nightmare On Elm Street 5, Predator 2) tackles “Staired in Horror”, an episode where a fugitive holes up in a mysterious house that can change people’s mortality (by making them older or younger depending upon where they are in the house.) Total Recall/FX 2’s Rachel Ticotin co-stars in that episode. Miguel Ferrer (Robocop, The Night Flier) turns in yet another amazing performance in “In The Grove”, while “Doctor Of Horror” (Starring Hank Azaria and Ben Stein!) features some of the show’s greatest FX!

The season finale is note-worthy in that it’s directed by one of the series creators, Robert Zemeckis. It opens with a Forrest Gump-esque Crypt-Keeper sharing a park bench seat with none other then Mister Alfred Hitchcock. The episode itself stars Humphry Bogart (!), John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini and the uber-smokin’ hot Sherilynn Fenn. I guess this was around the time that Zemeckis was having fun implementing real life people into films like he’d just successfully done in Forrest Gump! Another odd, note-worthy mention is that one of the episodes intros starts out with the Crypt Keeper and Death, played by William Sadler! I assume it was some kind of tie-in with Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey because Sadler reprises the version of Death he portrays in that film! So weird!

Overall, there’s enough lurking thru-out the season to make this yet another worthwhile investment. It’s quite a few hits, sprinkled with a couple of misses, but overall, it features everything we love about Tales From The Crypt! –Robg.

Buy it on Amazon.com!

Posted by RobG at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)