Tales from the Crypt

The movie 'Tales from the Crypt' is a 1972 British portmanteau horror film directed by Freddie Francis and based on the classic EC Comics series of the same name. It is the only film from the series that is not an anthology, as the other films are comprised of individual segments based on the comic book stories. The film is an adaptation of the 1954 'Tales from the Crypt: From EC to Heaven and Beyond', which is the sixth issue of the comic book series, 'Tales from the Crypt', released by EC Comics. The film follows a young couple, John and Miriam Grey (played by Patricia Hodge and Robin Clarke), who are on their honeymoon at a mansion. John, a young solicitor, and Miriam, his wife, visit the mansion to meet John's eccentric uncle, Frederick 'Uncle' Dudley Grey (played by Richard Dawson). As they arrive, they find that Mr. Gray (Uncle Dudley Grey) has gone missing. The mansion's butler, who claims he can no longer serve the master, tells them that Uncle Dudley is dead. However, they soon discover that Uncle Dudley is, in fact, still alive and is a rather gruesome sight. It turns out that Uncle Dudley is a grave robber and was killed and hidden in a nearby crypt. Uncle Dudley is eventually discovered, dead and buried in the crypt, but as they exhume his body to prove it to the young couple, it's revealed that they've unearthed him in the wrong crypt. Five other people have also been buried in the nearby crypt, each for a different reason they've been accused of murder. These individuals are all found with a single silver bullet in their mouths, which are the reason for their burial. One of the five people is a young man who is accused of murdering a wealthy merchant's children, and another is a husband who is accused of murdering his wife and child. As a twist of fate, it's revealed that Uncle Dudley himself was one of the five people buried in the crypt, not just a witness, as it turns out he was involved in the crimes and was the one who was ultimately killed and buried. Uncle Dudley was revealed to have been responsible for a series of gruesome crimes in the area and had been using his position to orchestrate their cover-ups, and that's why he was ultimately found in the crypt with the other five. The story is told through a framing device, a prologue featuring the Crypt Keeper, played by Sir Ralph Richardson. He tells the tale of Uncle Dudley and the five other people buried with him in the crypt and explains how Uncle Dudley was one of them. This framing device provides a sense of context and sets the tone for the rest of the film. Throughout the film, several subplots are woven together that showcase the darkness and horrors that each character must endure in the crypt. The atmosphere is eerie and suspenseful, and the tension builds towards the film's bloody climax. 'Tales from the Crypt' is a gripping horror film that masterfully weaves several complex storylines together to create a terrifying tale of death, crime, and ultimately, murder. In conclusion, 'Tales from the Crypt' is a haunting and suspenseful horror film, based on the classic EC Comics series and written by Robert Bloch, the author of the novel 'Psycho', which was inspired by the real-life Ed Gein murders. The film is a testament to the enduring power of horror and the importance of the EC Comics legacy. Directed by Freddie Francis, the film showcases stunning visuals and atmospheric settings that contribute to its eerie tone and suspenseful storytelling.