The horror genre has had may forms of storytelling which is part of what keeps it alive; one of the most famous was of course the EC comics which for their time were the most daring content, though nowadays it's content is more commonplace. EC comics spirit has never died as it has been the inspiration for the "Goosebumps" book series from R.L. Stine, the film "Creepshow" written by Steven King, a little of John Carpenter's "The Fog" you name it. But most importantly EC comics showed that the horror tradition is here to stay.
This show is my fifth favorite anthology horror TV show, one of my favorite live action comic book adaptations as it is done right because it keeps true to the spirit of the classic EC horror comics, but most importantly one of my favorite TV shows.
I've seen this show when I was about 12 to 13 years old, I was highly into anthology horror and this show and this show caught my eye and I never even knew about the existence of the EC comics at the time.
I love the horror host "The Cryptkeeper", the design is great, the puppeteering and animatronics are all on cue. But I really love the voice which is by one of my favorite voice actors John Kazir. His voice just fits like a glove as he convey the both comedy and even creepiness/craziness. This guy is just hilarious as he has some of the best lines as well as puns that are so deliciously bad their good.
The music is great, I really love the theme song which is one of my favorite theme songs of all time composed by one of my favorite composers "Danny Elfman". Really like the opening which is kinda creepy but fun as the camera is constantly moving forward though some foreboding enviorments from the gate, mansion, right down to the crypt. I remember as a kid always pretending I'm the person running forward as the camera was in motion.
Effects are fantastic, this show has some of the best gore effects I've ever seen and is something I've never seen in any horror anthology show. Their basically the payoff element to the stories and they sure as heck pay off. It really went to show that this show wasn't messing around it was going to go all the way.
The stories are great and memorable (as well as well know producers, directors, writers, and actors to boot), I like that they keep not just the gruesome beauty of the comics but also the morality tale aspect intact as to me, "Tales from the Crypt" and the other EC Comics series to me were our modern folklore, Brothers Grimm, a somewhat twisted version of Assops Fables. Though also what makes them stand out are the humor which is really dark but it works, just like in the comic stories they don't take themselves too seriously and give the horror a bit of a strange lighthearted sensibility but maintaining it's dark side at the same time.
And also another thing that stand out is in most of the stories the main characters are antagonists that are unlikeable which is interesting switch around from innocent protagonists. This is one of those rare time where you actually route for the main character to get nailed because they've done more bad crap then good and it's high time they pay the piper.
There are plenty of great and memorable stories. Four of my favorites "What Cookin" which was a dark comedy as a restaurant gets a boost from a new cuisine, want to know what it is, I'll give you a hint ever seen the film "Solylent Green". Third "You Better Watch Out" it's a Christmas horror tale with the killer Santa. Second Television Terror, this story as a kid gave me the creeps it was a haunted house tale but it was also a satire on the corrupt power of Sensasionalism. And of course my favorite is "Carron Death" which is suspenseful and darkly funny as a psycho is chained and forced to drag a body to his destination, little knowing it could be his final destination.
So come to the Crypt you in good company.
Rating: 4 stars
This show is my fifth favorite anthology horror TV show, one of my favorite live action comic book adaptations as it is done right because it keeps true to the spirit of the classic EC horror comics, but most importantly one of my favorite TV shows.
I've seen this show when I was about 12 to 13 years old, I was highly into anthology horror and this show and this show caught my eye and I never even knew about the existence of the EC comics at the time.
I love the horror host "The Cryptkeeper", the design is great, the puppeteering and animatronics are all on cue. But I really love the voice which is by one of my favorite voice actors John Kazir. His voice just fits like a glove as he convey the both comedy and even creepiness/craziness. This guy is just hilarious as he has some of the best lines as well as puns that are so deliciously bad their good.
The music is great, I really love the theme song which is one of my favorite theme songs of all time composed by one of my favorite composers "Danny Elfman". Really like the opening which is kinda creepy but fun as the camera is constantly moving forward though some foreboding enviorments from the gate, mansion, right down to the crypt. I remember as a kid always pretending I'm the person running forward as the camera was in motion.
Effects are fantastic, this show has some of the best gore effects I've ever seen and is something I've never seen in any horror anthology show. Their basically the payoff element to the stories and they sure as heck pay off. It really went to show that this show wasn't messing around it was going to go all the way.
The stories are great and memorable (as well as well know producers, directors, writers, and actors to boot), I like that they keep not just the gruesome beauty of the comics but also the morality tale aspect intact as to me, "Tales from the Crypt" and the other EC Comics series to me were our modern folklore, Brothers Grimm, a somewhat twisted version of Assops Fables. Though also what makes them stand out are the humor which is really dark but it works, just like in the comic stories they don't take themselves too seriously and give the horror a bit of a strange lighthearted sensibility but maintaining it's dark side at the same time.
And also another thing that stand out is in most of the stories the main characters are antagonists that are unlikeable which is interesting switch around from innocent protagonists. This is one of those rare time where you actually route for the main character to get nailed because they've done more bad crap then good and it's high time they pay the piper.
There are plenty of great and memorable stories. Four of my favorites "What Cookin" which was a dark comedy as a restaurant gets a boost from a new cuisine, want to know what it is, I'll give you a hint ever seen the film "Solylent Green". Third "You Better Watch Out" it's a Christmas horror tale with the killer Santa. Second Television Terror, this story as a kid gave me the creeps it was a haunted house tale but it was also a satire on the corrupt power of Sensasionalism. And of course my favorite is "Carron Death" which is suspenseful and darkly funny as a psycho is chained and forced to drag a body to his destination, little knowing it could be his final destination.
So come to the Crypt you in good company.
Rating: 4 stars