Tales From the Crypt [1972]

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1971
Running Times: 92 mins
Format: colour
Ratio:
Sound: stereo

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Metromedia Producers Corporation presents an Amicus Production
Copyright: © Metromedia Producers Corporation MCMLXXII
Production Executive: Paul Thompson
Executive Producer: Charles Fries
Produced by: Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky
Production Supervisor: Arthur Stolnitz
Production Manager: Teresa Bolland

SCRIPT
Screenplay by: Milton Subotsky
Based on stories written by Al Feldstein, Johnny Craig and Bill Gaines, originally published in the Comic Magazines 'Tales From the Crypt' and 'The Vault of Horror' by Bill Gaines
Wish You Were Here also suggested by The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs [uncredited]

DIRECTION
Directed by: Freddie Francis
Assistant Director: Peter Saunders

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Norman Warwick
Camera Operator: John Harris
Photographed in Eastmancolor

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Teddy Darvas

MUSIC
Music Composed and Conducted by: Douglas Gamley;
Bach's from Toccata and Fugue in D Minor played by Nicholas Kynaston

SOUND
Sound Mixer: Norman Bolland
Sound Editor: Pat Foster
Dubbing Mixer: Nolan Roberts
RCA Sound Systems

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Chief Make-up: Roy Ashton
Chief Hairdresser: Joan Carpenter
Wardrobe Mistress: Bridget Sellers

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Tony Curtis
Set Dresser: Helen Thomas

MISCELLANEOUS
Continuity: Penny Daniels
"Shane" Trained by: Michael Walsh

CASTING
Casting Director: Ronnie Curtis

CAST
(opening credits)

Starring
Joan Collins
Peter Cushing
Roy Dotrice
Richard Greene
Ian Hendry
Patrick Magee
Barbara Murray
Nigel Patrick
Robin Phillips
Ralph Richardson

with
Geoffrey Bayldon
David Markham
Robert Hutton
Angie Grant
Susan Denny
Manning Wilson
Chloe Franks
Kay Adrian
Carlos Baker
Martin Boddey
Dan Caulfield
Melinda Clancy
Paul Clere
Clifford Earl
Edward Evans
Frank Forsyth
Peter Frazer
Irene Gawne
George Herbert
Harry Locke
Oliver MacGreevy
Stafford Medhurst
Jayne Soflano
Peter THomas
Tony Wall
Hedger Wallace

Arranged by story
Ralph Richardson [the crypt keeper]
Geoffrey Bayldon [the crypt tour guide]

1. And All Through the House
Joan Collins [Joanne Clayton]
Chloe Franks [Carol Clayton]
Martin Boddey [Richard Clayton]
Oliver MacGreevy [maniac in Santa suit]

2. Reflection of Death
Ian Hendry [Carl Maitland]
Angie Grant [Susan Blake]
Susan Denny [Mrs Maitland]
Paul Clere [Maitland's son]
Sharon Clere [Maitland's daughter]
Frank Forsyth [tramp]

3. Poetic Justice
Peter Cushing [Arthur Edward Grimsdyke]
Robin Phillips [James Elliott]
David Markham [Edward Elliott]
Kay Adrian [Mrs Davies]
Carlos Baker [Mrs Davies' son]
Dan Caulfield [postman]
Ann Sears [Mrs Carter]
Edward Evans [Mr Ramsey]
Irene Gawne [Mrs Phelps]
Stafford Medhurst [Mrs Phelps' son]
Clifford Earl [police sergeant]
Melinda Clancy [Mrs Carter's daughter]
Jamie [dog]

4. Wish You Were Here
Roy Dotrice [Charles Gregory]
Richard Greene [Ralph Jason]
Barbara Murray [Enid Jason]
Peter Thomas [first mortician]
Hedgar Wallace [police inspector]

5. Blind Alleys
Patrick Magee [George Carter]
Nigel Patrick [Major William Rogers]
Robert Hutton [Mr Baker]
Manning Wilson [vicar]
Harry Locke [cook]
Tony Wall [attendant]
George Herbert [old blind man]
Carl Bernhard, Ernest C. Jennings, John Barrard, Chris Cannon, Hugo de Vernier, Louis Mansi [blind men]
Shane [dog]

Five people are trapped in crypt where the crypt keeper tells them the reasons why they are there: in All Through the House, Joanne Clayton murders her husband and finds herself tackling a psychotic Santa Claus let into the house by her trusting young daughter. Reflections of Death has an unfaithful husband involved in a car crash that blinds his lover and leaves him horribly scarred. Poetic Justice tells the tale of Arthur Grimsdyke, a lonely old widower driven to suicide by Edward Elliot, his vindictive neighbour, on St Valentine's Day. One year later, he's back ripping the heart from Elliot's son James and sending it to Elliot as a macabre Valentine's gift. In Wish You Were Here Enid Jason is granted three wishes; the first, for money, kills her bankrupt antiques collector husband, Ralph and she inherits the insurance money; the second brings Ralph back from the grave as a zombie; and the third condemns him to a life of eternal pain as the embalming fluids flow through his veins. The final story, Blind Alleys has William Rogers, the cruel director of a home for the blind, finding himself on the receiving end when the patients revolt - as they close in on him with murderous intent, his only escape is either past a savage guard dog or down a narrow alleyway lined with razors.

One of the best of Amicus' anthology films. By now, Freddie Francis could direct this kind of thing in his sleep and Tales From the Crypt is as competent an example as any of the Amicus house style that Francis helped to develop. The formula rarely varied - a starry cast [here firing on all cylinders] is assembled to act out four or five tales that invariably comprise one duff one [here it's Wish You Were Here] and one memorable one among a couple of mediocre ones. Tales From the Crypt adheres strictly to the formula and is all the better for it.

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Cinerama Releasing
Video Distributor: CBS-Fox

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Lara Classics; American International Pictures [1978 reissue]

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Finland
Rating: K-18

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: X

USA
Rating: PG

1972
March
7: USA - theatrical world premiere in New York
9: USA - theatrical release

April
5: UK - rated X by the BBFC [for theatrical release]

September
11: Sweden - theatrical release

November
UK - theatrical release [at the Astoria, Charing Cross Road, London and The Metropole, London, on a double bill with The Burglars [1972]]

1973
April
13: Finland - theatrical release

1998
September
19: UK - television broadcast [on Channel 4]

2001
September
30: UK - television broadcast [on Channel 4]

2007
January
1: UK - television braodacst [on BBC One]

Death lives in the Vault of Horror!

Death Lives!

!crimenes, ambiciones y odios, enterrados en la cripta del terror!

Condenados de ultratumba - Spanish title
Geschichten aus der Gruft - German title
Im Horrorkabinett - German title
Racconti dalla tomba - Italian title

SEE ALSO
Tales from the Crypt [1989]
Tales from the Hood [1995]
The Vault of Horror [1973]

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
Mad Ron's Prevue's from Hell [1987]
Peter Cushing: A One-Way Ticket to Hollywood [1989]

MAGAZINES

Bild & Bubbla no.151 [December 2000] pp.102-106 [Sewden]
review [by David Haglund]

CinemaTV Today no.10001 [7 October 1972] p.32 [UK]
review [by Marjorie Bilbow]

Films and Filming vol.19 no.1 [October 1972] p.53 [UK]
illustrated credits, review [by Margaret Tarratt]

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.39 no.464 [September 1972] p.196 [UK]
credits, synopsis, review [by David McGillivray]

Shivers 36 p.36 [UK]
review

Starburst vol.4 no.2 / no.38 [1981] pp.32-37 [UK]
illustrated article [by Alan Jones and Phil Edwards]

Video Business vol.4 no.50 [18 February 1985] p.27 [UK]
review [Comic Horrors by anonymous]

BOOKS

Amicus: The Studio That Dripped Blood pp.84-93
illustrated synopsis, review, production notes, credits

Elliot's Guide to Films on Video p.783
credits, review

Reference Guide to Fantastic Films p.473
credits

Ten Years of Terror pp.157-158
illustrated credits, review [by Harvey Fenton]

KEYWORDS

anthology, comics into film, santa claus, christmas, children, nightmares, time loops, adultery, zombies, revenge, hearts, valentines day, dismemberment, monkeys paw, blindness, dogs

Last Updated: 15 July, 2007