Creepshow Blu-ray Review
Fitting to use a skeleton to represent such a barebones release.
Creepshow, a creepy anthology of stories firmly entrenched in its ’80s roots, is definitely a case of “they don’t make ‘em like they used to”.
The predecessor to the revered Tales from the Crypt series, Creepshow has a very dry sense of humor, along with a good amount of chills, thanks to its handlers, George A. Romero and Stephen King.
It’s colorful and pulpy, but damn if it’s not entertaining.
Arriving on Blu-ray, the ailing film has gotten a new face lift, albeit a spotty one. And while the release isn’t everything its cracked up to be, Creepshow still proves to be an enjoyable jaunt down memory lane.
STORYTELLING:
Creepshow owes its origins to the pulpy yarns from early 1950s EC Comics, such as Vault of Horror and Tales from the Crypt.
Filmmakers George A. Romero and Stephen King show an unbridled enthusiasm for the source material, and that passion never lets up during the film’s 120 minute running time.
Even the opening pays homage to its roots, with an abusive father (played by genre staple, Tom Atkins) berating his son for reading such drivel and tossing away one of his horror books into the trashcan.
There is no pretentiousness here; Creepshow revels in its funnybook beginnings from the start – opening with an animated title credits sequence, and prominently featuring illustrated comic book panels throughout.
The film is broken into five segments, all written by Stephen King, that cover the spectrum of scary stories. Everything from aliens to monsters to the undead get screen time, but it’s usually the human characters that turn out to be the worst offenders.
Almost all the bits work, save for the second segment, which also happens to star Stephen King (in arguably one of the worst performances by a writer ever).
All he wants is some cake, what's the big deal?
What non-fans might notice is the cast, with unlikely genre stars such as Ed Harris, Ted Danson and Leslie Nielsen. Nielsen, in particular, turns in a particularly wicked performance that will feel alien to those who grew up watching him in fare like The Naked Gun, Airplane! and Scary Movie.
Ed Harris, on the other hand, is far more memorable for creating a spastic dance move that looks like someone feigning epilepsy.
All fit snuggly into their roles, with the exception of Stephen King, who should be barred from the Screen Actors Guild for life. Romero does an admirable job of directing a wide range of actors to hit their marks when needed, especially noteworthy because of the distinct shift in tone from segment to segment.
Creepshow won’t win any awards, but it’s a fun throwback to the type of silly horror that used to make conservative America throw their arms up in disgust.
And I can get behind that.
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