Tales from the Crypt

This film is brilliant and would be a brilliant double-bill with the Vault Of Horror (which is the un-official sequel)

The best stories are : The one with Peter Cushing as Mr Grimsdyke who gets his bloody revenge on the man responsible for his suicide, The one with Patrick Magee as one of the patients at a home for the blind who get their revenge on a selfish new owner, and the Monkeys Paw-esque one where the woman wishes her husband back from the dead and regrets it.

This film is surprisingly gory for it's time and some of the endings of the stories make you wince and think "Oh God, that would be really horrible" (especially the fourth and fifth ones)

a great film and probably the best of the Amicus horror compendiums

9.5 out of 10

Based on the old (and rather controversial) E.C. Comics of the mid-20th century, this horror anthology is an above average entry in an intriguing (and all but dead) genre. Here there is a tour group seen roaming through some ancient catacombs with five attendees obstinately staying behind, despite numerous warnings to stick close together. They find themselves severed from the group and wind up in a tomb-like room with creepy Richardson in a monk's robe doling out orders and insights. The quintet is made to sit while each one gets a glimpse into his or her recent life. Thus the five brief stories are presented in order, each one with a morbid, ironic or gory twist to it. Collins (looking svelte and attractive) is in the first one. She splits her husband's head open as he's benignly reading the newspaper while cheery Christmas music plays on the soundtrack. (Hilariously, she kicks him down the steps while "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" drones on.) Before she can properly dispose of his body, an escaped mental patient in a Santa suit starts terrorizing her! Then Hendry is shown leaving his wife and children for a younger woman. A fateful experience on the freeway changes his life forever. Next up, snooty Phillips is being driven up the wall by his neighbor - kindly, but eccentric, old man Cushing. Phillips continuously thwarts Cushing until he gives up...but does he? A fourth tale features Greene (as a greedy gunrunner) who is forced to part with his possessions, but his wife spies an inscription on an old statuette and discovers that she can use it to ask for three wishes. This doesn't work out quite as optimistically as she had hoped. Finally, Patrick is a militant, heartless administrator of a home for the blind. He pushes the male inhabitants there to their limit and winds up paying dearly for his sins. Though no story gets enough time spent on it to really flesh it out to it's greatest potential, most of them are really intriguing and usually very well acted. The spareness of the locations and effects help set a rather desolate and chilly mood. The finest acting is probably provided by Cushing in a very atypical role. The most memorable vignette is the last one which features an unforgettable comeuppance. Fans of British horror (and especially of anthologies) will rank this pretty highly, but it's interesting enough to lure other viewers as well.

"Tales From the Crypt" (1972) is one of seven horror anthology pictures released by Hammer rival Amicus over an eight-year period. "Tales" had been preceded by "Dr. Terror's House of Horrors," "Torture Garden," "The House That Dripped Blood" and "Asylum," and would soon be followed by "Vault of Horror" and "From Beyond the Grave." The five stories dished out in the "Tales" omnibus have as their linchpin Sir Ralph Richardson as the urbane Crypt Keeper (a far cry from the cackling HBO demon so many folks might be expecting), who looks into the minds of a group of lost tourists and sees their gruesome stories: In "And All Through the House," a particularly gorgeous Joan Collins plays cat & mouse with an escaped psycho Santa. "Reflection of Death" shows us what happens to philandering husband Ian Hendry after he and his mistress are involved in a nasty car wreck. Horror icon Peter Cushing, in "Poetic Justice," plays a kindly old man victimized by his neighbors, but who manages to deliver one horrible Valentine's Day surprise. In "Wish You Were Here," a variation of the old "Monkey's Paw" tale, a widow learns that it really is imperative to be careful for what you wish. And in "Blind Alleys," Patrick Magee and the other sightless residents of an old-man's home take a particularly grisly vengeance on their new martinet superintendent, played by Nigel Patrick. All five of these tales feature some startling and horrific bit of business; indeed, the film is memorably shocking in parts, and I was amazed at how much of the picture I recalled, after not having seen it for over 35 years. The impressive cast of British actors seems to be enjoying itself immensely, and that spirit of fun is certainly communicated to the viewer. Indeed, while watching "Tales" for the first time in all those years, I found myself happily grinning from ear to ear. From the opening strains of horror-film standard Bach's "Toccata & Fugue in D Minor" to its creepy final query from the Crypt Keeper himself, the film is nothing deep, nothing demanding, nothing innovative; just good fun. And oh...look out for that fire poker!

Tales From the Crypt is a movie, that is different than most horror movies. It starts out with people wandering through a tomb on a tour, they stray away and end up locked in a crypt with a strange man in it. He tells them stories about what happened or what is about to happen to them.

The movie itself is stylishly made, and somewhat suspenseful. The acting in it is above par, and although the film itself never goes to being a triumph, it does stay entertaining till the end, to a shocking final twist. But I must say even though the film is PG, it's like JAWS, it has quite a bit of violence and blood in it, and parents should be warned that if this was released now it would be PG-13.

So if you're a fan of thrillers that are intelligent, scary, and stylish, Tales From the Crypt is one for you. And if you're one that just wants to waste a couple of hours, this is a fun movie, that you won't regret seeing.

A vintage horror film financed by Amicus from producers Max Rosemberg and Milton Subotsky with a Great British Cast and formed by several episodes full of creepy events , chills, thrills , gore and guts. It stars with five strangers visiting eerie and old catacumbas .Later on , they find themselves at a grotto with the sinister Crypt Keeper , Ralph Richardson , the mysterious host tells them how each of the strangers will die . As they receive fantastic visions about their future . And now ...who is next....

It deals with 5 segments titled: All through the house, Reflection of death , Poetic Justice , Wish you were here, and Blind alleys , all of them are filled with mystery , suspense , terror , grisly killings , twisted events and horrible happenings . The British star-studded results to be pretty good with a plethora of notorious actors as Joan Collins , Richard Greene who a bit later on he passed away at the age of seventh four ,Ian Henry , the great Peter Cushing as a widower who often used an ouija to talk with his deceased wife , Roy Dotrice , Nigel Patrick , Patrick Magee and Ralph Richardson as the creepy Crypt Keeper who shot this major role in a day . Most stories previously appeared in American comic books as Tales of Crypt from EC comics as well as in The haunt of fear. Colorful , adequate cinematograhy by Norman Warwick , shot at Shepperton studios . It was compellingly accompanied by a thrilling and suspenseful musical score.

The motion picture was well and professionally directed by Freddie Francis . He was an expert cameraman who photographed prestigious films such as The straight story , Cape fear , Glory , Dune, The elephant man , Night must fall , The innocents, Room at the top and Hell in Korea . He also directed some movies , many of them terror films such as Dark tower , Doctor and the devils , The ghoul , Legend of werewolf , The creeping flesh , Trog , Torture garden , The skull , House of horrors , The evil of Frankenstein , Nighmare , Paranoiac , The brain and directed Tales of the Crypt TV series , episode 2 season 7 , titled Last respects. Rating : Above average . The motion picture will appeal to terror movies fans .