What was then the latest in a fairly consistent line of Horror offerings from, Amicus Studio's who during the sixties and seventies proving to be their only major rival, Tales From the Crypt proved to be one of their more critically and commercial successful, raking in $3million at the U.S. box office on a £140 thousand budget. The anthology concept by this time wasn't the most innovative having been done countless times before, going as far back as, 1945's Dead of Night. Looking to, the Tales of the Crypt publications for the source of their material and utilising the oft-used wrap around motif to set up the procession of stories. Having five unconnected strangers who are exploring old catacombs with a tourist group separate from the rest of the main group, and happen across the shrouded Crypt Keeper (Ralph Richardson) who one by one imparts on them how each one of them is going to mate a horrible fate. Fairly standard stuff but it sets up the rest of the movie rather neatly as we are introduced to the first which is:All the Through the House, and stars Joan Collins as Joanne Clayton, the much younger wife of her sixty something year old husband who live with their young daughter. It's Christmas Eve, and while their little girl is tucked up in bed, the wife cold murders her husband. No motive as to why is ever given but I suppose it's not off to much consequence to story, which as events unfold she hears over the radio that an escaped maniac disguised as Santa Claus is wandering the streets. Of course we all know where this is going to go. Incidentally this story was remade or should I say, re-adapted for the 1989 HBO TV series, and to be quite frank was pulled off somewhat better than what it is here. I think the fact that it benefited from a more ominous and imposing looking Santa Claus in actor Larry Drake helped. It's not the cleverest of stories but at only around twelve minutes in length it's diverting enough and at least doesn't overstay it's welcome. Joan Collins, not a great actress by any means is still fairly effective although there's little in the way of dialogue but it could have benefited from having that dark, foreboding atmosphere that the TV series knocked out of the park.Followed by, Reflection of Death, this is a rather forgettable tale which concerns Carl Mailtand, (Ian Hendry) who leaves his family to be with Susan Blake (Angela Grant), his younger lover who he is having an affair with. While driving away together, Carl who is driving feels tired and therefore Susan offers to take over. While sat in the passenger seat, Carl nods off to sleep and that's when the car accident occurs. I won't say any more than that but to suffice to say this is a rather ho-hum offering which has been similarly done before,in the likes of, the 1959 Twilight Zone episode, Perchance to Dream and despite decent performances it ranks as the worst of the the collection. Next there is, Poetic Justice which provides an upturn in quality and is thanks largely in part to the inclusion of the late, great Peter Cushing. Here he portrays a kindly old gentleman, Arthur Grimsdyke, a dustman who lives in the same street as a pair of snobbish neighbours, father and son Edward Elliot (David Markham) and his slimy son James (Robin Phillips) who resent his existence. He owns a number of animals which include dogs, and entertains the local children. The son, in a quest to rid the street of Grimsdyke sets off on a campaign of cruelty which sees the removal of Grimsdyke's dogs by the police, turning all the parents of the local children against the poor old man so that they forbid them from visiting him, and on Valentines Day sending him cards with cruel poetry which pushes the Grimsdyke towards the edge. This is more memorable less for it's bloody denouement which is fittingly poetic as the title would suggest, but the sympathetic portrayal of Arthur Grimsdyke, an old widower who obviously lonely, misses his late wife and communicates with her via a Louisa Board, and David Markham is so thoroughly loathsome as the underhanded James that your hatred for him intensifies until it's satisfying conclusion. It's not the smart of conclusions but still ties up the story neatly enough. The penultimate segment, Wish You Were Here revolves around, Ralph Jason (Richard Greene) who is teetering on the brink of financial ruin. His wife Enid, (Barbara Murray) finds an old Chinese figurine with a poetic inscription carved in which states that it will grant three wishes to whoever possesses it. Enid flippantly wishes for a fortune in cash not expecting it to come true. However in a cruel twist of fate, when Ralph is killed in a motorcar accident she inherits the insurance money. However, with two more wishes left she won't stop there and the grieving widow wants her husband back. Essentially a variation on, The Old Monkey's Paw story which is actually reference, this marks the best of the quintet. It's all silly hokum but good dark, twisted fun none the less with a wonderfully macabre pay off. It is very nasty though, and given the movies denouement at the end Ralph's ultimate fate does seem rather unjust in context. Never the less with fine performances all round with veteran actor Roy Dotrice offering some further support as the couples friend and lawyer it's rewardingly grim and adds what was then a fresh new twist on the classic tale. Finally there's, Blind Alley which focus's on Major William Rogers, (Nigel Patrick) an incompetent and aloof director of a care home for the blind comprising of elderly and middle aged men. When the Major makes cuts to the homes budget by reducing heating and rationing food, the pleas from the homes residence whom he threatens with setting upon his Alsation, Shane upon them if they don't tow the line. Inevitably enough proves enough for the browbeaten residents who set about exacting a chilling revenge. This as with the previous story is of course fanciful hokum, but that's what's to be expect and as it goes it's passable enough although I can't say there's any real great twist in the conclusion. Merely another case of poetic justice but it's efficiently enough well handled, with some appropriately cheesy dialogue which befits the nature of the source material. Patrick is suitably unwavering in his callousness towards those he's been charged with caring, while actor Patrick MacGee is enjoyably stone-faced and stoic as the ringleader of the rebelling residence of the home. All rounding up to a hardly shocking conclusion, which in hindsight you might have seen coming and is merely a contrived means to set up the stories, Tales from the Crypt despite a couple of stories which stand out the best among the rest, a solid enough if underwhelming addition to the old Horror anthology sub-genre. It's for the most part it's a movie that will likely be soon forgotten after it's viewing, but as a means to wile away an hour and a half of your time it passes the time. Just don't expect anything anything of particularly high caliber.

As most of you may know, this movie is based off the E.C. Comics. The anthology is filmed in good quality, acted wonderfully, has good effects for the time, has a wonderful music score, and contains very tasteful little jaunts through the horror that is E.C. Comics. Premise:When five people visiting a crypt suddenly find themselves face to face with the eerily gregarious crypt keeper (Ralph Richardson), they are regaled with 5 tales. The question is, what do these stories mean for our unfortunate friends? Brief Synopsis and Description of the Tales:1. "And All Through the House" (Joan Collins) - In this story, set at Christmas, a beautiful and conniving woman follows through with her plan to take her husband's insurance money when she's suddenly met with a not so holly jolly surprise. This one will have you locking your doors and windows every Christmas from now on haha. 2. "Reflection of Death" (Ian Hendry) - In this story, a man leaves his wife and kids behind as he flees town with his mistress, but there's an unfortunate accident along the way. As he attempts to find his way back home, he's met with strange reactions. I love the suspense of this one. It lends itself to one's imagination. 3. "Poetic Justice" (Peter Cushing) - When a snooty, heart-less, rich fellow sets his sights on removing the kind, caring old man across the street, he gets more than he bargained for. Valentine's Day will never be the same. The finale of this one is very much worth the ride. 4. "Wish You Were Here" - A spin-off of the old Monkey's Paw by Poe, this story focuses on a woman who loses her husband and uses her three Monkey Paw wishes for some rather shockingly unexpected results. Just goes to show that you should always think carefully, but choose even more carefully. 5. "Blind Ally" - In this story, a new director at a home for the blind begins to neglect the needs of his tenants as he redirects the home's finances toward his wallet to fulfill his own. When the tenants finally take a stand, things don't work out so well for the new director. When you watch this, you'll most likely struggle with believing that the people are blind. It's still enjoyable nonetheless. And so, we're brought back to the ending of the wrap-around segment and it's a very fitting and somewhat unexpected ending if I do say so myself.

This 1972 Amicus film is a portmanteau film made in the early seventies that is way better than the sum of its parts. The linking story in which the five main characters are revealed to be already dead and are about to be consigned to Hell is hardly in the Dead of Night class and although he was a great actor Sir Ralph Richardson isn't particularly good as the Crypt Keeper either. All five of the dramas have flaws such as unconvincing blood, poor special effects and all except perhaps the last, Blind Alleys, are underdone in terms of plot with the second,Reflection of Death, featuring the ever reliable Ian Hendry being particularly flimsy. But this is a smashing horror compendium that is directed with real flair by master cinematographer Freddie Francis with at least one great scary moment in each tale. Joan Collins features in the first story- ...And All Through The House- and fortunately she isn't given many words to speak as the scheming killer hoist by her own petard and the lack of dialogue throughout her vignette sets the tone for the film as Francis lets the pictures tell the stories. The two best tales are the third , Poetic Justice, starring the great Peter Cushing as a kindly dustman bullied by a grasping neighbour (the finale to this tale is one that made me smile as I watched it through the cracks in my fingers) and the final segment, Blind Alleys in which a cruel, complacent Nigel Patrick gets his comeuppance in as gruesome a way as you can imagine. This final tale features the brilliant Patrick Magee- always a reassuringly malevolent presence-at his most menacing. The weakest tale is probably the fourth, Wish You Were Here, but even it is all carried off with great panache. And I have always had a soft spot for Barbara Murray. The acting is mostly pretty good in this film and the scary moments are authentically scary. Of course it is cheap -at times the exterior shots look like something out of a public information film - and Tales From The Crypt is not exactly Citizen Kane or even The Shining. But if you want to while a way 100 minutes on a gloomy Friday evening you can do worse than going down into this crypt.

Tales From The Crypt features a good cast, 5 quirky stories, only 3 of which work well but are briskly told, and excellent (as usual) direction from Freddie Francis. Producer Milton Subotsky gained the rights to produce an adaption of the E.C. comic from WIlliam B Gaines' stable. And they would follow this a year later with Vault Of Horror, which is also an enjoyable if far from perfect portmanteau movie.Best of this bunch for me are the stories featuring Joan Collins, Peter Cushing and Patrick Magee. Cushing in particular is movingly effective as Arthur Grimsdyke - it must be the only time in his career he played a dustman! The wonderfully sepulchral Magee lends his considerable acting chops to the final tale of the residents of a home for the blind turning on its parsimonious superintendent. Both these stories are agreeably nasty, and the theme is bad people getting their comeuppance in various equally nasty ways.Richard Greene's story is an acknowledged re-tread of The Monkey's Paw, but is too brief to be effective. And Ian Hendry's turn as a husband leaving his wife and kids for his mistress is rather poor, but doesn't really detract from the movie in general.Perhaps not quite as good as The House That Dripped Blood or From Beyond The Grave this is still a watchable and occasionally (suprising, considering Amicus usually shied away from such things) gruesome film, Well worth a blue-ray issuance!