There are certain ideas that seem to be
recycled every so often, which everyone is expected to treat as if
they're incredibly original. I don't simply mean “comic book
movies.” I mean things as specific as “a tribute to EC Comics
horror stories." Just to
name the movies I know of that used this formula: Vault of Horror,
Tales from the Crypt (3 or 4 films, depending on how you count
them, and two TV shows), Creepshow (3 films, two with the
original creators), Tales from the Dark Side: The Movie
(the unofficial Creepshow 3), and Trick 'R Treat.
Sadly, in my view, the best by far is Trick 'R Treat, which is
also among the least known. But, I wanted to start this writing by
highlighting the fact that the gimmick of Creepshow has been
done many times. Even removing the films that came after Creepshow
from the list, it was still the third. (The original Tales
form the Crypt, and The Vault of Horror movies were made
roughly a decade earlier). Creepshow, however takes the
tribute more literally than most, showing actual panels and coloring
backgrounds to display emotions at key moments.
Moving on from the issue of originality
to the issue of quality, I have mixed feelings. The movie is set as
a frame-story and I'm uncertain how much to discuss in terms of plot.
A little boy (Joe King) gets his comic taken away by his abusive
father (Tom Atkins), who throws it in the trash. At the end, the boy
kills his father with a Voodoo Doll that he ordered from the comic.
What happens in between is a bit unclear, but best as I can
understand a witch is letting the little boy experience the stories
directly, since he didn't get the read them. (Just go with it. If I
try to explain what's happening then I'll never talk about anything
else in this review).
As with the original comic series, the
stories tend to act as cautionary tales about the evils of patricide,
revenge, racism, and so forth. The tones of the stories also vary on
the scale of comedy and horror, with Stephen King personally starring
in the most comedic as a hillbilly turned into a plant by a meteor.
However, pretty much all the stories have an element of camp to them.
This movie was placed on the list
primarily because of one story, “They're Creeping Up On You,”
which is the unquestionably the most serious in the film. The humor
is derived solely from the eccentricities and prejudices of Upson
Pratt (E.G. Marshall); the racist, germophobic executive, and the
main character of the story. This was selected as the “movie
moment” to highlight for good reason. It's the only story that I
regard as truly disturbing.
The story is a metaphor for the way
Pratt sees other humans. He lives in a “bug-proof, germ-proof
apartment,” struggling to protect himself from vermin, both of the
two-legged and six-legged variety. He mocks a rival executive whose
company he was taking over, and he openly insults the black
maintenance worker who was sent to help him deal with his bug
problem. All the while he goes around his apartment killing
cockroaches that have somehow continued to get in. Naturally, the
roaches become more and more numerous, until the entire apartment is
eventually flooded, killing him.
This movie, for the most part, is just
gory fun. Most of the segments are enjoyable if you don't take them
too seriously. And yeah, if you're a horror fan, you should see it.
Check this interesting Review... #HorrorMovies
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