Apr '18
Am I crazy or something in thinking this is a legitimate, honest to God great movie?
Tales from the Darkside was a show I was obsessed with when I was a kid, so when a movie version was hitting the big screen, I begged my mom to take me to see it.
Sure, I've seen the movie many times since then over the years, usually in passing, like if it's on TV and I just sorta keep it there as background noise. But last night my girlfriend and I were looking for a movie to watch, she'd never seen it, so for whatever reason I settled on this - something I knew she wouldn't find offensively bad or boring or anything (we've wasted our time watching some clunkers lately), and would provide a light, breezy watch.
This is actually a really great, well-made and sometimes even pretty creepy movie. First of all, that fucking cast. Pretty much every motherfucker in this is a recognizable face, and they all turn in an admirable job. It's a mainstream movie with decent production values and a star studded cast, but it somehow manages to retain a sinister, low-budget '80s feel - both in atmosphere, direction, and special fx. It doesn't feel too watered-down like a lot of major studio releases. Where are the movies nowadays that balance that fine line between Hollywood glitz and something a bit more weird and on the fringes? Tales from the Darkside: The Movie does this.
I guess one of the reasons for this is choice of director: John Harrison, best known for frequently collaborating with George Romero. It's surprising that Paramount took a chance on him since he didn't really have any directorial credits to his name besides a couple of assistant directorial jobs with Romero. Was Romero ever slated to direct this at some point? I can only assume Romero vouched for Harrison and thats how he got the job. At any rate, I'm glad they did because in many ways, stylistically, it feels like a George Romero film. In "The Cat from Hell" segment, the stuffy, rich, miserable elderly people reminded me of the old people in "Father's Day" from Creepshow. Also, the way the story weaves back and forth between flashbacks, with actor William Hickey coming into the foreground was a cool touch, to say nothing of that muted, drab blue tint to the flashback scenes, it really lended an air of eeriness to a story that otherwise could've been underwhelming.
I think "Lover's Vow" might be my favorite story. The plot is compelling and unpredictable enough to keep you watching and wondering where this is all headed, particularly after we fast forward ten years in time. The ending is especially gut-wrenching: it's completely out-of-left-field and scary, but emotionally involving considering the life James Remar and the lovely Rae Dawn Chong made together. That the past came back to (literally) bite him after so much time had passed just leaves you with such a haunting feeling.
One thing though - the gargoyle transformed into Rae Dawn Chong's character to see that James Remar didn't speak of it, right? What if he hadn't grabbed her in the alley and invited her back to his apartment? Would the gargoyle have forced its way into his life as someone else, staying close to him, ensuring he never broke his promise? Was that the gargoyle's intention all along? I do feel that she (it) really did fall in love with him, though. Perhaps it never expected that?
I dunno. I feel this is a pretty underrated movie. Not in the obscure sense, of course, because everyone knows about it. But more in the "dismissed because most people find this an average, forgettable mainstream movie" type way, which I found it anything but.
Tales from the Darkside was a show I was obsessed with when I was a kid, so when a movie version was hitting the big screen, I begged my mom to take me to see it.
Sure, I've seen the movie many times since then over the years, usually in passing, like if it's on TV and I just sorta keep it there as background noise. But last night my girlfriend and I were looking for a movie to watch, she'd never seen it, so for whatever reason I settled on this - something I knew she wouldn't find offensively bad or boring or anything (we've wasted our time watching some clunkers lately), and would provide a light, breezy watch.
This is actually a really great, well-made and sometimes even pretty creepy movie. First of all, that fucking cast. Pretty much every motherfucker in this is a recognizable face, and they all turn in an admirable job. It's a mainstream movie with decent production values and a star studded cast, but it somehow manages to retain a sinister, low-budget '80s feel - both in atmosphere, direction, and special fx. It doesn't feel too watered-down like a lot of major studio releases. Where are the movies nowadays that balance that fine line between Hollywood glitz and something a bit more weird and on the fringes? Tales from the Darkside: The Movie does this.
I guess one of the reasons for this is choice of director: John Harrison, best known for frequently collaborating with George Romero. It's surprising that Paramount took a chance on him since he didn't really have any directorial credits to his name besides a couple of assistant directorial jobs with Romero. Was Romero ever slated to direct this at some point? I can only assume Romero vouched for Harrison and thats how he got the job. At any rate, I'm glad they did because in many ways, stylistically, it feels like a George Romero film. In "The Cat from Hell" segment, the stuffy, rich, miserable elderly people reminded me of the old people in "Father's Day" from Creepshow. Also, the way the story weaves back and forth between flashbacks, with actor William Hickey coming into the foreground was a cool touch, to say nothing of that muted, drab blue tint to the flashback scenes, it really lended an air of eeriness to a story that otherwise could've been underwhelming.
I think "Lover's Vow" might be my favorite story. The plot is compelling and unpredictable enough to keep you watching and wondering where this is all headed, particularly after we fast forward ten years in time. The ending is especially gut-wrenching: it's completely out-of-left-field and scary, but emotionally involving considering the life James Remar and the lovely Rae Dawn Chong made together. That the past came back to (literally) bite him after so much time had passed just leaves you with such a haunting feeling.
One thing though - the gargoyle transformed into Rae Dawn Chong's character to see that James Remar didn't speak of it, right? What if he hadn't grabbed her in the alley and invited her back to his apartment? Would the gargoyle have forced its way into his life as someone else, staying close to him, ensuring he never broke his promise? Was that the gargoyle's intention all along? I do feel that she (it) really did fall in love with him, though. Perhaps it never expected that?
I dunno. I feel this is a pretty underrated movie. Not in the obscure sense, of course, because everyone knows about it. But more in the "dismissed because most people find this an average, forgettable mainstream movie" type way, which I found it anything but.
