Creepshow (1982)
A horror anthology based on the stories a boy reads in a horror comic, Creepshow is a display of some of the great horror masterminds of our time- both in the film and literature world.
Creepshow (1982) is a horror anthology that I cannot get enough of. Like most kids, I was constantly looking for cartoons to watch in any form when there was nothing on tv. After cartoons were over and Soul Train had come on, I was always on the hunt for some animation to keep me from going outside a little longer. While going through our movies, I found Creepshow. Having remembered catching a glimpse of some animation in it while my parents were watching it one night, I decided to check it out. And it was not what I was expecting at all.
The anthology contains 5 stories, as read from the kid’s comic book. The comic acts as a framing device for the story, often transitioning between stories with cuts of animation (hence, my initial reason for checking it out). A quick rundown of the stories:
Fathers Day - A rich and snobby family mourn (not really, they dgaf) the family patriarch, having been murdered years prior- only for him to return to serve just deserts.
The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill - A hillbilly (played by Stephen King) discovers a meteor has crashed onto his farm, and he starts dreaming of the riches soon to ensue from his luck. But having touched the meteor, he soon finds out that having a green thumb isn’t always a good thing- especially when it comes to things not from this world.
Something to Tide You Over - A cold-hearted man leaves his adulterous wife and her lover buried on the beach up to their necks, leaving the tide to come and wash away them both. After returning to the beach and discovering the bodies are missing, he learns that the ocean can be a whole lot colder than the hearts of men- including the things that emerge from it.
The Crate - By far my favorite from the movie. A janitor discovers an old crate under the stairs, and calls over some of the nearby faculty to inspect the crate. A creature reveals itself, and you are left thinking that maybe some stones are better left unturned.
They’re Creeping Up on You - A ruthless businessman, who happens to be a germaphobe, hears the ‘good’ news of the suicide of a business owner whose business he had recently acquired. But before he even has time to celebrate, his apartment quickly becomes infested with roaches- a fate deserving to this scum of a human being.
As you can see, there’s a whole lot of fun in the movie, which is one of the many things I love about it. Besides that, the movie has so many creative minds working in it- written by Stephen King, directed by George A. Romero, and showcasing the amazing designs of makeup legend Tom Savini, it’s hard not to enjoy it. Can it be a bit corny and over the top? Of course. But it’s so hard to not appreciate the creativity of it.
Rating: I give the movie 9 horror comics out of 10 because of the people involved and the creativity of the whole thing.
What do I wish there was more of? Only more stories- which, luckily, they did with Creepshow 2 (and three apparently?! I hadn’t heard about this until recently, so I can’t vouch for it ladies and gents). I also wish they had expanded each story a little bit more, just for the fun of it. But I suppose you should always leave them wanting more.
If you are looking for more movies to get into that are similar, start with Creepshow 2. It’s another great anthology that is full of shorts almost as good as the ones in the first movie. You can also check out VHS, a modern horror anthology that I love as well. The premise is a bunch of lowlife criminals are offered a large amount of money to steal a mysterious tape from an abandoned house. As they search for the tape, they find tapes full of strange things… things that don’t make sense… We as viewers get to watch many of the strange tapes they find while searching, and they are terrifying to say the least.
...Terrifyingly GOOD.
But seriously, it’s great. Check it out.
Need a good book to check out? Anything Stephen King will have similarities. King wrote two of the segments for Creepshow, so you’ll surely enjoy his work. Nightshift and Nightmares & Dreamscapes are two great short story collections from King. They contain pieces of his stories you will be sure to recognize in one way or another. If you are looking for something a bit longer Frankenstein is a well-known novel by Mary Shelley and should be on your list. A brilliant scientist does the unthinkable and creates life, only to be haunted by his creation. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski has also been talked about everywhere. A man working on a documentary discovers that the house he and his family have moved into somehow measures larger inside than the outside, leading us as readers on a very terrifying (and twisting!) ride. Be on the lookout for that review soon!
Let me know how much you loved Creepshow and when you want to help me plan my Creepshow-themed party! Also, if you have any horror books or movies, send them this way. I’m… DYING to hear them.
Had to do it.
Until next time…
-M