Before it was an iconic HBO show (which is unfortunately now nearly impossible to watch), Tales from the Crypt was a 1972 movie. And, like the HBO show, it was based on Al Feldstein, Johnny Craig, and Bill Gaines’ 1950s EC Comics line of the same name. The anthology film was directed by Freddie Francis (who also helmed an episode of the HBO show’s final season) and manages to get away with showing quite a bit, though of course not to the extent of the late ’80s to mid ’90s show. Other than the basic concept of showing multiple stories introduced by a Crypt Keeper, however, the two projects couldn’t be any further apart tonally.
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But, watching the 1972 movie, one can see certain tracks being lain. In other words, the movie walked so the show could run.
What Is Tales from the Crypt About?
Excluding the wraparound segment which, of course, comes equipped with a twist ending, Tales from the Crypt is made up of five stories. There’s “…And All Through the House,” starring Joan Collins of Dynasty fame, “Reflection of Death,” “Poetic Justice,” starring Star Wars: A New Hope and Hammer Horror’s Peter Cushing, “Wish You Were Here,” and “Blind Alleys.”
Two of the stories, “Reflection of Death” and “Poetic Justice,” are entirely unique to the film. They never received so much as loose adaptations in the HBO show.
“Reflection of Death” follows Carl Maitland, a man who leaves his wife and children to run off with his secretary. They get into a car accident at which point he is thrown from the vehicle. As he awakens, he attempts to walk home only to realize his appearance terrifies all those who see him. When he gets to the home of the secretary, he learns she was blinded during the accident, which not only occurred two years ago but also took his life. He’s now a decaying zombie. Carl then wakes up once more, still alive and behind the wheel of the car…right as it gets into the accident.
“Poetic Justice” focuses on Cushing’s elderly Arthur Edward Grimsdyke, a kindhearted man who loves dogs and loves entertaining local neighborhood children. He’s an innocent person, outside his proclivity for the occult. When two mean-spirited neighbors start to tear apart his life, Grimsdyke ultimately takes his own life, but not before ensuring he’ll rise from the grave and seek his revenge.
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What Are the Similarities Between Tales from the Crypt the Movie and Tales from the Crypt the Show?
The other three stories were all adapted to various extents for the television show. The clearest companion is “…And All Through the House,” which was remade practically verbatim with Lethal Weapon and Die Hard‘s Mary Ellen Trainor standing in for Collins as a woman tormented by an axe-wielding serial killer who is making it awfully hard to get away with murdering her husband.
The adaptation of “Blind Alleys” isn’t quite as exact, but it’s close. The underrated Season 6 episode “Revenge is the Nuts,” starring Teri Polo and Isaac Hayes features a very similar concept, in that a cruel man runs a home for the blind with an utter lack of care for the residents. And, by the end of the story, the residents get their revenge via a trap involving razor blades.
“Wish You Were Here” was only loosely adapted. Specifically, Season 7’s “Last Respects” also adapts W. W. Jacobs’ short story “The Monkey’s Paw.”
It’s odd to know that HBO’s 1989-1996 series is harder to watch than the niche 1972 movie, but that’s the case thanks to complicated rights issues that have been hovering over the premium network television show for years. How many years? Enough years that even back in 2018 a reboot couldn’t get off the ground despite the backing of M. Night Shyamalan.
Even still, for now, you can stream the 1972 movie for free with ads on Tubi. Not to mention you can stream the excellent Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight with a STARZ add-on on Apple TV and rent the not-so-excellent Bordello of Blood on Amazon Video. As for the HBO show itself, you’re just going to have to go DVD shopping.
