Tales from the Crypt

This ghoulish series of horror short stories is an absolute treat to watch

^{Review by Sunday Simmons}

Scary bedtime stories for the MTV generation, Tales from the Crypt sits somewhere between 50’s schlock horror, and Goosebumps - although definitely not suitable for very young children! Hosted by the creepy Cryptkeeper and his gallows humour, this cult classic became a firm favourite amongst fans of the horror genre when it first aired on US television in 1989.

This ghoulish series of horror short stories is an absolute treat to watch, and the 30-minute run time per episode is just enough to sink your fangs into. Gory, silly, campy, it’s perfect humour-filled horror for bingeing as the nights draw in. It’s an extra treat if you’re a fan of TV adaptations of comic books, as most of the stories are based on the 1950s’ EC comic book of the same name.

And so, to the series itself. I have to start with the Cryptkeeper himself, of course. A mouldering corpse, telling tales from his dingy crypt and voiced by Al Feldstein (artist for EC comics), the Cryptkeeper is nothing short of a horror icon. Sassy, funny and suitably decaying, this guy gives Beetlejuice a run for his money as ‘host with the most’!

Throughout the show’s 7 year run and 93 episodes, guest stars flowed thick and fast – far too many to mention them all, but to name a few Corey Feldman (Goonies), Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator), Cheech Marin (Cheech and Chong Up in Smoke), and Brad Dourif (Child’s Play). Honestly, the cast list is a veritable feast of household names. It also boasts a theme composed by the brilliant Danny Elfman (Nightmare before Christmas), and Joel Silver (Die Hard), and Robert Zemeckis (The Frighteners), as part of the production team.

It’s hard to choose notable episodes when the entire series is one great episode after another, and the Cryptkeeper’s pun-filled intros are equally as entertaining. But I’ll have a go. The Ventriloquist's Dummy sees failing entertainer Bobcat Goldthwaite (Police Academy) visit his childhood hero in hope for some much-needed career advice – which in true Tales from the Crypt style goes ghoulishly wrong. The inherent creepiness of ventriloquist dummies may be an overdone horror staple, but it’s still a standout episode for me.  The Werewolf Concerto, starring Timothy Dalton (James Bond), is another outstanding episode, with an Agatha Christie style mystery whodunit, but make it werewolves.

I’ve left my favourite episode of the entire 7 seasons for last. The Death of Some Salesmen starring the legendary Tim Curry (Rocky Horror, Clue) in 3 roles – Ma, Pa, and Winona Brackett. Sheer brilliance, and done in a way only Curry can, this episode is an absolute stand out for me. It has a Tales of the Unexpected vibe, and the twist is spot on. The mundane day in the life of this particular salesman does not end with a ‘Hi, honey, I’m home!’ that’s for sure.

Spawning 3 feature films, an animated series, and serving as inspiration for many of the horror anthologies that followed in its wake, there’s little doubt that Tales from the Crypt remains one of the most popular horror series of its time. A planned remake by M. Night Shimalayan was shelved due to copyright issues, but that doesn’t stop us boils and ghouls from indulging in a little Cryptkeeper binge. And you can do that right now, with episodes available to stream for free on Pluto and Youtube.