Mar '14 *
I love horror anthology movies. They're up there with slasher and zombie movies for me.
I think 'Creepshow' is probably the most well-known horror anthology film. Written by Stephen King and directed by George Romero, it's a fun ride with a lot of cool actors, all to the music of John Harrison (who also did the soundtrack for 'Day of the Dead'). It was followed by a not-so-well-known and not-as-good-but-still-fun sequel, 'Creepshow 2'. There's also a 'Creepshow III', but it apparently really sucks, so I've never bothered with it.
Between the first two 'Creepshow' movies, a series was started called 'Tales from the Darkside'. It's a lot like 'Tales from the Crypt' in how its episodes are. A different story of terror with each episode. But originally, it was going to a 'Creepshow' TV series. Several years later however, after 'Creepshow 2', came a movie called 'Tales from the Darkside: The Movie'. So that's pretty much the real third 'Creepshow' movie.
Enough on the history lesson though. I'm a big fan of the first two 'Creepshow' movies, as well as 'Tales from the Dark: The Movie'. How I feel about most anthology movies is, even if one segment kind of sucks, it won't be long before you get a different, and hopefully better, segment. But to me, it's not just about each individual story. It's also about the wrap-around story and how it's presented. Is there a 'host' of some kind, a character that knows each person's story in the movie or something along those lines? If so, that can make the wrap-around story even more enjoyable.
Well, years before the first 'Creepshow' movie, Amicus started putting out there own horror anthology films, starting with 'Dr. Terror's House of Horrors'. Then there was 'Torture Garden', 'The House That Dripped Blood', 'Asylum', 'Tales from the Crypt', 'The Vault of Horror', and 'From Beyond the Grave'. I won't really go into each film individually, though I will say my personal favorites are 'Asylum', 'Tales from the Crypt', and 'From Beyond the Grave'.
What I like about them most I'd say is the overall feel of them. It's hard to describe. It's a feel that I never get with any newer horror movie though. I guess just because of time those were made in. The settings and stories somehow just usually went together perfectly. Nothing really felt forced or out of place. Compared to the more recent 'Trick 'r Treat', which isn't nearly as smooth or intriguing. I don't hate 'Trick 'r Treat', but it's definitely a shell of what horror anthology films used to be.
I guess a big part of what made those Amicus ones work is also the actors that were involved, mainly Peter Cushing, who was in more of them than anyone else. Maybe it was something about UK actors from that era? Because I can't imagine those movies turning out quite the same if US actors/producers/directors had been involved. There would have been a very different feel.
Not to come off as some kind of pretentious snob who thinks only films made outside of the US are best (which would completely conflict with my 'Maximum Overdrive' article anyway), but in the case of horror anthology movies from that era, Amicus and all the people in the UK involved with those movies knew their shit. That said, I do think it's funny how most of the sources for their movies' stories came from US sources, like EC Comics and Robert Bloch.
There were a couple non-Amicus movies from then too. One was 'Tales That Witness Madness' and the other was 'The Monster Club'. Both involved people who were also involved with the Amicus movies though, so they also have a similar feel to them. However, 'The Monster Club' has a much cheesier vibe to it also than the others. Not sure if that's because it was made in the 1980s or because it had two US actors, Vincent Price and John Carradine. Of course, those two alone make the movie worth seeing.
I personally doubt that horror anthology films will ever make any kind of real comeback, but I'll always have an interest in them.
I think 'Creepshow' is probably the most well-known horror anthology film. Written by Stephen King and directed by George Romero, it's a fun ride with a lot of cool actors, all to the music of John Harrison (who also did the soundtrack for 'Day of the Dead'). It was followed by a not-so-well-known and not-as-good-but-still-fun sequel, 'Creepshow 2'. There's also a 'Creepshow III', but it apparently really sucks, so I've never bothered with it.
Between the first two 'Creepshow' movies, a series was started called 'Tales from the Darkside'. It's a lot like 'Tales from the Crypt' in how its episodes are. A different story of terror with each episode. But originally, it was going to a 'Creepshow' TV series. Several years later however, after 'Creepshow 2', came a movie called 'Tales from the Darkside: The Movie'. So that's pretty much the real third 'Creepshow' movie.
Enough on the history lesson though. I'm a big fan of the first two 'Creepshow' movies, as well as 'Tales from the Dark: The Movie'. How I feel about most anthology movies is, even if one segment kind of sucks, it won't be long before you get a different, and hopefully better, segment. But to me, it's not just about each individual story. It's also about the wrap-around story and how it's presented. Is there a 'host' of some kind, a character that knows each person's story in the movie or something along those lines? If so, that can make the wrap-around story even more enjoyable.
Well, years before the first 'Creepshow' movie, Amicus started putting out there own horror anthology films, starting with 'Dr. Terror's House of Horrors'. Then there was 'Torture Garden', 'The House That Dripped Blood', 'Asylum', 'Tales from the Crypt', 'The Vault of Horror', and 'From Beyond the Grave'. I won't really go into each film individually, though I will say my personal favorites are 'Asylum', 'Tales from the Crypt', and 'From Beyond the Grave'.
What I like about them most I'd say is the overall feel of them. It's hard to describe. It's a feel that I never get with any newer horror movie though. I guess just because of time those were made in. The settings and stories somehow just usually went together perfectly. Nothing really felt forced or out of place. Compared to the more recent 'Trick 'r Treat', which isn't nearly as smooth or intriguing. I don't hate 'Trick 'r Treat', but it's definitely a shell of what horror anthology films used to be.
I guess a big part of what made those Amicus ones work is also the actors that were involved, mainly Peter Cushing, who was in more of them than anyone else. Maybe it was something about UK actors from that era? Because I can't imagine those movies turning out quite the same if US actors/producers/directors had been involved. There would have been a very different feel.
Not to come off as some kind of pretentious snob who thinks only films made outside of the US are best (which would completely conflict with my 'Maximum Overdrive' article anyway), but in the case of horror anthology movies from that era, Amicus and all the people in the UK involved with those movies knew their shit. That said, I do think it's funny how most of the sources for their movies' stories came from US sources, like EC Comics and Robert Bloch.
There were a couple non-Amicus movies from then too. One was 'Tales That Witness Madness' and the other was 'The Monster Club'. Both involved people who were also involved with the Amicus movies though, so they also have a similar feel to them. However, 'The Monster Club' has a much cheesier vibe to it also than the others. Not sure if that's because it was made in the 1980s or because it had two US actors, Vincent Price and John Carradine. Of course, those two alone make the movie worth seeing.
I personally doubt that horror anthology films will ever make any kind of real comeback, but I'll always have an interest in them.
Recently, I bought the horror anthology tv-movie Trilogy of Terror, by Dan Curtis and starring Karen Black. That one is pretty fun, but I'm also biased, because Dan Curtis made Dark Shadows, which makes him a legend to me.