“I can hold my breath for a long time!”
This is one of the best comic book adaptations
that was not from a comicbook but was based on a series of comicbooks from the
1950’s was 1982’s horror anthology “Creepshow”. The comics that inspired this collaboration between
horror legends George A. Romero and Stephen King were the EC books like Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror and
House of Mystery. They told grotesque tales of horror that
usually ended with a twist of the supernatural or just plain human nature gone
evil. The five shorts that make up “Creepshow”
are two based on King’s short stories and the other three and bookends starring
King’s own son Joe and future author Joe Hill are originals.
The first
tale which begins as panels on a comicbook is straight out of “The Twilight
Zone”, only more rated ‘R’ with a family reunion years after the brutal murder
of their father who had the fortune they all want. I think this was the first time I had seen
anything by Romero, and I remember being fascinated by the crazy camera angles
and bright colors out of nowhere. It’s a
creepy short with an awesome ending.
The next is “The
Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill” another in the long line of great Stephen King
names. Here King himself plays the main
character, a hick who sees a fallen meteorite as a big payday, only things don’t
go his way. This one terrified me as a
kid. I was old enough to stay at home by
myself when I saw this on cable years later and the thought of being infected
by something and not knowing what to do about it was and still is
horrifying. Though the infected crotch
moment is still funny.
The third story
revolves around a subject I couldn’t relate to at the time, love
triangles. All I remember thinking, was
why was the “Airplane” guy torturing that bartender from “Cheers”. This is my favorite one now, the tension and
build-up to the end is really good, as is the hammy acting of both Leslie Nielsen
and Ted Danson.
The fourth
story is much like the first one, only instead of daughter wanting to kill her
father it’s a husband wanting to dispose of his alcoholic wife. Which he finds his chance with a 100 plus year
old crate that lives a creature with huge fangs and an appetite for
humans. I still like the monster, the
story is so-so.
The fifth
and final tale of terror is the one most people remember because of the
universal hatred of cockroaches. A rich business
man lives in a sterile, sealed off apartment with electric locks and
cameras. The creepy crawly-ness begins
during a lightning storm that unleashes a horde of roaches that invade the man’s
home. The final shot is the one that
sticks with people.
Watching “Creepshow”
now, you can see how it’s aged, but still has remnants of that classic nature of
anthologies. I do miss them, I wished
more were made. It did make me want to
watch “Creepshow 2” again which in its own right, is a solid follow-up to the
original, and in my mind has the more quotable lines. (you know you all just
said “Thanks for the ride lady.”)
Nothing however takes away from the great collaboration between Romero
and King, who both were able to capture the feel of terror, gore, and that
little bit of humor that always seem to fit in the great films of horror.
--Robert L.
Castillo
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