George Romero and Stephen King bring you five tales
of terror inspired by the horror comics of the 1950's. HORROR
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Creepshow (1982)Directed by George A. Romero
Written by Stephen King Starring Hal Holbrook, Leslie Nielsen, Stephen King, Ted Danson, E.G. Marshall, Ed Harris, Viveca Lindfors, Adrienne Barbeau, Fritz Weaver |
Horror fans should be fully aware of the EC Comics of the 1950's. They were a famous, and infamous, run of comics known for pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable in regards to violence and horror in comics. Unfortunately, censorship would prevail, and EC Comics was met with an untimely end. But, horror fans won’t let things die and a legacy was born. A legacy that was famously displayed twice. First, was 1982’s Creepshow. Then, HBO’s hit adaptation, Tales from the Crypt. While I would love to talk about the latter, we are here to talk about the former.
Creepshow is the winning combination of George A. Romero and Stephen King. You heard me right. Two of horror’s biggest names came together to create one of the most fun, classic horror films ever. And if you need any more convincing, Tom Savini. Yes, Savini came on board to do the practical effects and help maintain the spirit of the comics the creators were so intent on doing. And boy, does it show. While I’ve seen plenty of comic book movies due to the superhero genre taking over, Creepshow is the only one I’ve seen that actually feels like a comic. The use of exaggerated colors, panels ripped straight from the comics, and other techniques help bring all the comic elements to vivid life. As for the anthology aspect itself, never have I watched one where I liked all the stories like I do here. But, with that said, I still have favorites. Mine being “The Crate” and “They're Creeping Up on You” (Fluffy is terrifying. Fans will know what I mean). I can’t go on without mentioning Leslie Nielsen. Primarily known for his comedy work, he does a fantastic job of doing a complete turnaround playing a villain. I love Creepshow. It’s a great horror anthology that honors the source material and is helmed by some of the biggest names in horror. While they did try to keep it going in the form of two sequels, they couldn’t match the magic that was struck here. This is a timeless classic which will live on for years to come. Now, I can only hope the upcoming Shudder series is good as well. The talent is there, and the trailer was great. Let’s hope the end result is great. If not, we still have this 1982 classic. |
With the dynamic duo of Romero and King at the helm, Creepshow is an interesting horrorfest with a different twist each story. 'Father's Day' brought us the tale of a family with dark secrets that emerge from the grave to have their revenge. 'The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill' was a funny yet sad story starring Stephen King as a moronic farmer who gets infected by some strange meteor goo.
'Something To Tide You Over' was definitely one of the best, with Leslie Nielsen as a psychotic scorned husband and Ted Danson as the target of his rage. 'The Crate' was easily the scariest, with the star being a freakish gorilla monster created by Tom Savini. Needless to say, I'll be having nightmares about that one. Finally, 'They're Creeping Up On You' was definitely the most unsettling, featuring thousands upon thousands of cockroaches plaguing E.G. Marshall. Creepshow is a timeless cult classic that still holds up and should be a staple of every Halloween party. |