Another movie I saw at the Pequa Theatre was 1972's Tales From The Crypt. This British anthology film was based on some of the old EC comic book stories from the 1950's. Unlike mark Of The Devil, this film always stayed with me. Especially the scene with the razor blades!!
The movie tells the story of five tourists who are sight-seeing in catacombs located in Great Britain. They become separated by the rest of the tour group and find themselves trapped in a round chamber with five stone seats and a large stone throne. As they struggle to find a way out a man dressed in the robes of a monk appears and invites them to sit down. He is mysterious and begins to question them when they insist they must leave. One by one he asks them what will happen when they return to the outside world. He helps them see the fates that await them. We watch as each story unfolds:
Joan Collins stars as a woman who murders her husband only to learn there is a homicidal maniac dressed as Santa Claus on the loose. She can't call the police because of the dead body in the living room, but the deranged Santa wants to get in.
Next up is Ian Hendry as a man who plans to leave his wife and children and run off with his mistress. As they make their escape he is haunted by nightmares of a car crash with a gruesome outcome.
Then Robin Philips learns the fate that awaits him for tormenting his poor, harmless neighbor Mr. Grmysdyke (Peter Cushing).
Richard Greene's fate is next as his life becomes a tale similar to the classic story of a Monkey's Paw.
Then finally the officious Nigel Patrick learns the consequences for the mis-treatment he has given the sightless men in his care at the home for the blind that he manages.
All five stories are fun variations on Twilight Zone type stories with ironic or twist endings.
Pretty tame by today's standards, but a lot of ghoulish Halloween fun.
At the Movie House rating ** 1/2 stars
1 comment:
This movie could only be seen by a kid in 1972...under those circumstances, 4 stars!!!
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