As Advent wends its incensed way towards the Big Day I've clocked another of my fave Chrimbo films, Tales from the Crypt from 1972.
Inspired by the 1950's EC comics, the movie was made by Amicus the anthology kings at Shepperton [a place I've only just realised I lived not too far from in the 80's when a mature student in Farnborough!], Crypt is a classic of the portmanteau format and like its stablemate Vault of Horror follows a group of five strangers brought together in eerie circumstances all with salutary tales of greed and the punishment thereof.
My favourite section without doubt is the first, And all Through The House. Starring Joan Collins and horror wunderkind Chloe Franks, it tells a story of foul deeds on Christmas Eve when a homicidal maniac is on the loose in 'Burley'.
Despite the horror, this segment says Christmas to me like nothing else. The contemporary set Amicus created might as well have been my parents' house in the late Sixties; the garish wall hangings, the mini-bar, the thick-cut glasses, the huge table lighter, the big radio in the middle of the room, the sparkling tree and the paper Fez hats. Its like a time capsule of my past with other people in the starring role! Simply fabulous film-making and a special treat every December when I watch it.
Here are a few shots of our own tree at Moonbase and the tree in the segment [I couldn't resist], the unfortunate husband placing a tag on a special Christmas gift for his beloved Wife, which he reads aloud before sitting down to browse the last newspaper he'll ever read, the Burley Observer!
And all through the house ..... is Tales from the Crypt a film you like readers?
Yes indeed! That segment of Tales from the Crypt, as well as being a great example of "short horror done well," brings back that era so superbly, its a classic, and a favorite of ours. SFZ
ReplyDeleteYay! It is great isn't it SF!
DeleteYup, one of my all-time favourite horror movies - an Amicus classic alongside the likes of Vault of Horror, From Beyond the Grave, Dr Terror's House of Horrors, Asylum and Dr Terror's House of Horrors. And on the subject of Christmas horror have you seen the excellent 1974 Canadian slasher Black Christmas?
ReplyDeleteFab! A fellow fan Paul! and Black Christmas is one of my must-see Xmas films every year. An amazing early slasher and soooo well done. I once did a short creepy video with a blurry illuminated Christmas tree at the beginning in homage to Black Christmases' opening scene. Here's the link Paul. The rest of mine is a bit rubbish! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp3WmL8SjCY&list=UUC6BM18W0fLCOz9AoOek7Ng&index=5
DeleteVery atmospheric, indeed, Paul! Reminds me of those BBC Christmas ghost stories, same sort of vibe - and that's a very good thing. Also, I meant to mention Torture Garden earlier and not Dr Terror's... twice!
ReplyDeleteTorture Garden, yes Paul! Superb! And there's Tales of Terror too. My fave bit of Dr. Terror's House has to be the voodoo jazz of Roy Castle. Its just wonderful. Thanks for the thumbs up re. my short film. I made loads of them that year, all on You Tube and starring my old doggy pal, Blue, sadly no longer with us. Praise indeed to be mentioned in the same breath as the BBC Ghost Stories. What terrific TV they are, being currently re-shown on Talking Pictures TV. Its the The Treasure of Abbot Thomas tonight, around 10pm.
DeleteIt was reader Evil Ed who told me about BBC Ghost Stories on Talking Pictures TV. Thanks Ed!
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