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Creepshow - The Series

Started by St_Eddie, June 21, 2019, 02:31:27 AM

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St_Eddie


Coming to Shudder later this year is an anthology series based upon the classic horror film Creepshow (a cinematic collaboration between Stephen King and George A. Romero).  Sadly, with the passing of Romero a couple of years back (that one still stings), he obviously won't be involved with this new production but a couple of King's short stories (and one of his Son's) are being adapted for it.  The showrunner for the series is Greg Nicotero (of KNB effects fame).

Some of the actors appearing in the series include horror icon Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator), Adrienne Barbeau (whom also starred in my favourite segment of the original film), Bruce Davison (The Lords of Salem), DJ Qualls (Supernatural) and Tobin Bell (Saw).

Here are the brief synopses for the show's episodes (there will be two stories per episode)...

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'All Hallows Eve'

Written by: Bruce Jones

Directed by: John Harrison

Even then they're a little too old, this group of friends still want to trick-or-treat but getting candy isn't all they are looking for.

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'Bad Wolf Down'

Written by: Rob Schrab

Directed by: Rob Schrab

A group of American soldiers, trapped behind enemy lines during World War II, finds an unconventional way to even the odds.

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'By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain'

Story by: Joe Hill, adapted by Jason Ciaramella

Directed by: Tom Savini

Her dad died looking for the monster living at the bottom of Lake Champlain, and now, will she?

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'The Companion'

Story by: Joe R. Lansdale, Kasey Lansdale & Keith Lansdale, adapted by Matt Venne

Directed by: Dave Bruckner (The Ritual)

A young boy, bullied by his older brother, sneaks into an abandoned farm that is protected by a supernatural force.

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'The Finger'

Written by: David J. Schow (The Crow)

Directed by: Greg Nicotero

An unhappy man discovers a severed, inhuman appendage on the street and brings it home, where it grows into a loyal companion with some deadly quirks.

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'Gray Matter'

Story by: Stephen King, adapted by Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi

Directed by: Greg Nicotero

Doc and Chief, two old-timers in a small, dying town, brave a storm to check on Richie, an alcoholic single father, after encountering his terrified son at the local convenience store.

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'The House of the Head'

Written by: Josh Malerman (Bird Box)

Directed by: John Harrison

Evie's discovers her new dollhouse might be haunted.

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'Lydia Layne's Better Half'

Story by: John Harrison & Greg Nicotero, adapted by John Harrison

Directed by: Roxanne Benjamin (Body at Brighton Rock)

A powerful woman denies a promotion to her protégée and lover but fails to anticipate the fallout.

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'The Man in the Suitcase'

Written by: Christopher Buehlman

Directed by: Dave Bruckner (The Ritual)

A college student brings the wrong bag home from the airport only to find a pretzeled man trapped inside, afflicted by a strange condition that turns his pain into gold.

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'Night of the Paw'

Written by: John Esposito

Directed by: John Harrison

A lonely mortician finds company in the ultimate 'be careful what you wish for' story.

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'Skincrawlers'

Written by: Paul Dini & Stephen Langford

Directed by: Roxanne Benjamin (Body at Brighton Rock)

A man considers a miraculous new treatment for weight loss that turns out to have unexpected complications.

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'Times is Tough in Musky Holler'

Written by: John Skipp and Dori Miller, based on their short story

Directed by: John Harrison

Leaders who once controlled a town through fear and intimidation get a taste of their own medicine.

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Creepshow is one of my all time favourite horror films and my absolute favourite anthology film of all time.  I sincerely hope that the series keeps the phenomenal live action EC Comics aesthetic of the original film...


The disappointing filmic sequel dropped said aesthetic due to budgetary issues.  There was also a straight-to-DVD third film but it was 'Creepshow' in title only (an unrealted ultra low budget anthology with 'Creepshow 3' slapped on it at the 11th hour) and also a steaming pile of horseshit, so that can be safely disregarded.

fatguyranting

'Gray Matter' is a great Stephen King story- will check that out.

Lisa Jesusandmarychain

Bah. For a minute there, I thought CaB had been given its own tv show!!!

Shit Good Nose

I was just going to say "BUT THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A THE SERIES!!!!!", and then realised I was conflating it with Tales From the Crypt.

DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

St_Eddie

Quote from: Shit Good Nose on June 21, 2019, 02:33:56 PM
I was just going to say "BUT THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A THE SERIES!!!!!", and then realised I was conflating it with Tales From the Crypt.

DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

It's understandable that you made that mistake, as Tales From the Crypt was an EC comic, later adapted into a television series and multiple films.  Creepshow is essentially an unofficial adaptation of EC comics and one which, unlike Tales From the Crypt, managed to translate the actual look of the comics its inspired by to the big screen (with onscreen panels and comic styled colouring).  I heartily recommend the film Creepshow for those who've never seen it.  Here's the trailer.

neveragain

The original Creepshow is one of the best*. Hope the series comes even halfway close.

*films

Rev+

I've been re-watching Tales from the Crypt recently and I'm not convinced there's a decent episode in all seven series.  It's schlock, and I'm always up for a bit of that, but it stands as an example of how badly this kind of thing can go wrong.  Bad stories told poorly.

This stands a chance.  There's probably no way that they'll be attempting the look of the first film - each episode will likely be separately produced - but a horror anthology series is always welcome, but you hope that they've learned from the ones before them.

St_Eddie


St_Eddie

Season 2 has just started.  The first episode was a slight improvement over the first season, as they seemed to have recieved an increase in budget and it was nice to actually see the iconic shock backdrops and comic book lighting of the movie, which was bizarrely almost entirely absent from season 1.  It was still a bit rubbish on the whole though.

The first tale was the better of the two on offer, but I laughed at the first story when the Mother with cancer coughed up some blood and then died that very same night (despite appearing fine and saying she was undergoing chemotherapy moments prior). That's not how cancer works! It was so rushed that it came across as a parody of a sentimental lifetime movie.

On that note, the ridiculously over the top Uncle was like something from a lifetime movie too. Someone like Wilma in the original Creepshow worked because you could understand and buy into why she was such an uber-bitch (an alcoholic in a sham marriage with a man whom she resents because he's such a drip). Whereas the Uncle in the first segment of season 2 was just a cartoon bully, who seemingly acts like the world's biggest monster for no apparent reason whatsoever.

The second tale is one big homage to The Evil Dead and is just weird.  I don't see what how it fits into the established tone of Creepshow at all.  It just felt like a new episode of the horrendously overrated shit fest that was Ash Vs Evil Dead.  Still, there was a Bob Ross stand-in, who was mildly amusing, I suppose.