Started rewatching the series recently, how I love this show to pieces. Don't mind me though, I'll just echo my thoughts in here as I watch the series from the beginning. Feel free to ignore it while you talk amongst yourselves.
It's rare that a show's first episode is one of the best but The Man Who Was Death is such a case. One of the few rare stories from the comic the show names itself from, it's a story of vigilantism done by all accounts a likable man. Well, I say that because Bill Sadler's incredible performance as Niles elevates the character from what normally would be an unlikable one. The true strong point of the episode is the breaking of the fourth wall, having Niles explain his motives and views throughout the episode. It feels like a noir pulp, you know what he does is wrong but it's hard to fault a man who explains himself. Overall, it's a classic tale of a man's descent into madness, one that set's the standard for the show to follow after.
All Throughout The House, a story that just happened to also be a segment in the 70's film. Here we see a more violent and frightening version of the tale, with one of Larry Drake's appearances in the series. He says very little but his demented Santa is the stuff of home invasion nightmares, a unrelenting force hellbent on finishing the job. Mary Ellen Trainor does a good job as the murderous wife, with a scream that should be on every top ten horror screams list. The black humor throughout the episode is a nice yet subtle touch, mixed in with horror in a fine blend. Another great gem from the first season.
Yes, on TNT if I recall. The Cryptkeeper won't be the classic one who know though, since HBO owns the rights to him.
It's interesting to note how much the Cryptkeeper's voice changes over the course of the series. It's like a raspy whisper in the beginning.
I was a huge fan of Tales from the Cryptkeeper too, I loved all those children's horror shows. When I saw a page in Mad magazine advertising a show called Tales from the Crypt a few years after Cryptkeeper had been off the air, my mind was blown. It looked so grown up and hardcore, and the Cryptkeeper himself was a sight to behold. I learnt that the episodes reran on HBO at like 2 am, so I would stay up to watch an episode or two every week. Soon it was something for my friends and I to look forward to during sleepovers. Some of my fondest memories are of this show and I really need to go back to it.
When I got notified that you had replied to this thread I knew it was some sort of update. You did not disappoint
And by that I mean the project was cancelled, I believe, in December or so. The M. Night interview was for the TNT upfronts when the project was announced, the rest are just clips from random films.
I was just going to ask, now that I've actually watched the video, why clips from random horror movies are in here. I was also surprised to see the Cryptkeeper used, since they said they were going in a different direction. My spidey senses, too, tell me this is bogus. Damn.
Since I'm at work, I guess I didn't get to watch the video close enough. Just saw M Night and a few random clips and got excited.