Tales from the Crypt

Dir. Freddie Francis, English, 1972

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Sun 25 October 2009 // 19:30 / Cinema

The third in the Classic British Horror season, from the 1970s. A classic horror-omnibus from Amicus Productions – starring Joan Collins, Peter Cushing and Ralph Richardson.

Five unfortunate people find themselves lost in a vault with a mysterious crypt-keeper as their host. As each is told the story of their last moments, we look on in horror... DEATH LIVES in the vault of horror!

Based on a 1950s comic book series and a precursor to the early 1990s television series of the same name, Tales from the Crypt is a prime example of British horror from the 1970s. Everyone is doomed, but how...

See the trailer here.

***Plus special guest: Professor Peter Hutchings, Professor of Film Studies at Northumbria University and expert in British Horror, will introduce and lead a discussion after the film. 

AMICUS

From the early 1960s to the mid-1970s, Amicus rivalled Hammer with its portmanteau horror-anthology productions. So, you get more for your money with these films – usually four or five stories woven together by a mysterious narrator and his doomed listeners.

As you can imagine, Hammer and Amicus get easily confused! Made around the same time, Amicus even used some Hammer stars, writers and directors. Amicus’s films are, however, contemporary in their setting, a little darker and play on the horrors inherent in man: greed, envy, pride, sloth, gluttony, wrath, and extravagance – yep, all seven.