Tales from the Crypt: About Face is set in Victorian England where a successful Priest & author named Jonathan (Anthony Andrews) gets a visit from a pretty sixteen year old girl named Angelica (Anna Friel) who claims she & her twin sister Leah are his daughters, she says that their mom died during giving birth & that the woman who had looked after them is very ill & they need a place to stay. Thinking about it Jonathan agrees since he doesn't want a scandal & taking two young girls in out of pure goodness on his part might make him look good. However Jonathan soon finds out that Leah is horribly disfigured & very mistrusting towards Jonathan as she thinks he will take her sister Angelica away from her...
This Tales from the Crypt story was episode 10 from season 7, directed by Tom Sanders one has to say I rather liked this episode & in particular the striking twist ending which I personally didn't see coming. The script was based on a story from 'The Haunt of Fear' comic book & for the most part is fairly dry but the last five or so minutes really makes up for it & makes all that exposition & character development really worth it as the story comes together nicely with a memorable twist ending. At only twenty five minutes in length the character's are well fleshed out, they are economic & slightly broad clichés but you understand their motives & who they are which really pays-off with the twist ending. The English Victorian period setting is very unusual for a Tales from the Crypt episode but a period in time when infidelity was frowned upon & when religious fear was at it's height was necessary & it serves both purposes admirably.
Since the production of Tales from the Crypt shifted from Hollywood to England for the seventh & final season the period production design is well realised since it was actually shot here in the UK. The costumes, the houses & interior decor all add up to a Hammer horror type feel although the photography is a little flat at times. There's a bit of gore in this one, there's a bloody slit throat, a strangulation, a stabbing, someone is impaled on a large crucifix & the deformed face make-up on Leah is pretty good too. About Face feels like a offbeat slightly twisted thriller for the most part although the unmistakable macabre Tales from the Crypt atmosphere & feel is definitely there & especially evident with the ending. Well known film & TV star Anne Friel puts in a decent performance in a dual role while Golden Globe winner Anthony Andrews does alright. The opening & closing Cryptkeeper sequences has him dressed as a Blues Brother complete with shades!
About Face is a good solid Tales from the Crypt episode that I rather liked, many say season seven was the worst but even then there are some good episodes to enjoy such as this. A good story with a twist & nice production values help make About Face well worth a watch.
This Tales from the Crypt story was episode 10 from season 7, directed by Tom Sanders one has to say I rather liked this episode & in particular the striking twist ending which I personally didn't see coming. The script was based on a story from 'The Haunt of Fear' comic book & for the most part is fairly dry but the last five or so minutes really makes up for it & makes all that exposition & character development really worth it as the story comes together nicely with a memorable twist ending. At only twenty five minutes in length the character's are well fleshed out, they are economic & slightly broad clichés but you understand their motives & who they are which really pays-off with the twist ending. The English Victorian period setting is very unusual for a Tales from the Crypt episode but a period in time when infidelity was frowned upon & when religious fear was at it's height was necessary & it serves both purposes admirably.
Since the production of Tales from the Crypt shifted from Hollywood to England for the seventh & final season the period production design is well realised since it was actually shot here in the UK. The costumes, the houses & interior decor all add up to a Hammer horror type feel although the photography is a little flat at times. There's a bit of gore in this one, there's a bloody slit throat, a strangulation, a stabbing, someone is impaled on a large crucifix & the deformed face make-up on Leah is pretty good too. About Face feels like a offbeat slightly twisted thriller for the most part although the unmistakable macabre Tales from the Crypt atmosphere & feel is definitely there & especially evident with the ending. Well known film & TV star Anne Friel puts in a decent performance in a dual role while Golden Globe winner Anthony Andrews does alright. The opening & closing Cryptkeeper sequences has him dressed as a Blues Brother complete with shades!
About Face is a good solid Tales from the Crypt episode that I rather liked, many say season seven was the worst but even then there are some good episodes to enjoy such as this. A good story with a twist & nice production values help make About Face well worth a watch.
