|
|
 |
Tales from the Crypt: The Complete Sixth Season
R1 - America - Warner Home Video Review written by and copyright: Pat Pilon (30th July 2007). |
|
The Show
 This show has had a surprising amount of talent in it since it started its run. I mean, what other show can boast that they got Arnold Schwarzenegger a directing credit? Add to that the directorial debut of Tom Hanks, Michael J. Fox and Hollywood hotshot producer Joel Silver, and that's an impressive list! Even in its sixth season, the show still attracted the likes of William Malone, Mick Garris, Russell Mulcahy and even Robert Zemeckis (one of the show's executive producer). Generally, the shows take place in one or two places, with limited characters. For episodes with a claustrophobic feel, like 'Let the Punishment Fit the Crime' and 'The Assassin', this works very well, but for others, such as 'Operation Friendship', it really shows the limitations of the budget. The last episode of the season, 'You, Murderer', is great, though, and really shows what the show is capable of doing. It's original, entertaining and even innovative. Whatever else he does, John Kassir will always be known for his maniacal cackle, the perfect summation of the Cryptkeeper character. As the host, he does (despite the bad puns) a very nice job preparing you and setting the tone, which is mostly campy. The season also attracted some pretty nice on-camera talent (both stars at the time and in the future). With numerous Emmy Award-winning actors (and even a couple of Oscar winners!) the talent is always there. The acting is never a problem. Despite the gore, sex, swearing and such, the show, to me, seems aimed at teenagers. The same demographic that would hide under their bedsheets, reading the comic book is the one that actually couldn't watch this show (unless, of course, they saw it in its censored, syndicated form). This is kind of strange and makes me wonder how the show lasted for as long as it did. The show is very campy and the stories are a bit immature, but it hits the right spot. After watching a few episodes, I was hooked. It's a lot of fun. Amazingly enough, the show lasted longer than the comic book run that its stories are based on. The entertainment value ranges from kind of slim ('Only Skin Deep') to great storytelling ('Come the Dawn'). As enjoyable as the season was, the last episode really surprised me. If all the shows were up to that caliber, the season could have been a classic. If you're a fan of the show, then you have to own this set, otherwise, you can rent it. It's an enjoyable six hours of your life. Here is a breakdown of the discs and a description of each episode. Disc 1: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime (24:02) In a somewhat Kafka-esque story, a lawyer (Catherine O'Hara) is arrested, tried and condemned a court that doesn't seem to believe in American laws. Only Skin Deep (25:43) After having a one-night stand with a mysterious girl, a chauvinist man gets more than he bargains for when he wants to learn more about her. Whirlpool (20:44) Stars Rita Rudner and Richard Lewis. This is one of those stories that keeps repeating itself and the twist at the end is kind of silly. Not one of the better episodes. Operation Friendship (24:02) Tate Donovan plays a guy with an imaginary friend who’s a big more aggressive than most, and who gets him into trouble when he meets a new girl Revenge is the Nuts (26:45) Isaac Hayes is in this one. An eccentric idiot keeps blind people trapped in his mansion. These people then decide to get revenge. This is a pretty nice episode. The Bribe (25:58) Benicio del Toro finds himself in this episode as the manager of a strip club. A fire inspector decides whether or not to take dirty money to help his daughter go through college. Another good episode, except for the ending, though I have to say it's appropriate. Disc 2: The Pit (26:19) Marc Dacascos, Debbe Dunning and Wayne Newton find themselves in this episode. The cunning girlfriends of two fighters arrange for them to have a dangerous rematch. The Assassin (25:02) This time, Chelsea Field, Corey Feldman and William Sadler are stuck in this episode. Some CIA agents terrorise a woman whose husband they say used to work for them and needs to be taken care of. The ending of this one is kind of strange. Staired in Horror (24:16) You'll find D.B. Sweeney and Rachel Ticotin in this particular episode. A convict on the run holes up in an old lady's house while the police look for him. The lady, of course, has some secrets of her own. In the Groove (26:01) Slash has a small part this time. The episode centers around a shock jock who has a mother complex in a small town trying to boost his ratings. The style is nice and the ending is pretty nice. Surprise Party (24:16) A son who inherited his father’s farm (by not-so-ethical means) goes to claim his land, but while visiting the farm he has a strange party there. Doctor of Horror (24:06) Hank Azaria, Travis Tritt and Ben Stein are in this particular episode. A couple of morgue security guards get caught up in a crazy doctor's scheme to try to trap the human soul. This is a pretty good episode. Disc 3: Comes the Dawn (25:02) Vivian Wu and Michael Ironside are in this episode. A couple of poachers come into a small and want to find a guide to hunt. Obviously, on the hunt, they find encounter more than just endangered species. This is one of the bigger episodes they made and the production values are pretty good. This one would actually make a pretty nice feature. 99 & 44/100 % Pure Horror (22:36) The owner of a soap company and his trophy wife don't seem to be having perfect marital bliss, which ends in even bigger problems for one of them. You, Murderer (27:16) The last episode of season six is definitely the best. Never mind that John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini and Bogey himself star in the episode, the style is very good. You see a set-up, a murder and its aftermath, all from the point of view of the corpse, told in first-person camera perspective.
Video
1.33:1 full frame. Considering the episodes were from the mid-90s and didn't have the biggest budget, they look nice enough. Specks and scratches are gone, but the print doesn't look too sharp, which is one of the only real problems. The colours are good and the brighter colours are pretty vivid. The level of detail, though, isn't the best. Walls and backgrounds seem a bit fuzzy and lack a bit of definition, and even close-ups seem to lack a bit of definition. Fans of the show should be happy, though, because the transfer gives the show a certain look which goes will with the campy tone of the show.
Audio
The only audio track is an English Dolby Digital 2.0 surround track. It's adequate but it's not terrific. The range isn't too big, but then again, it's a TV show that doesn't demand too much. The scares are pretty predictable and the sound design is kind of primitive. There's no need for small creaks or cracks in the crevices of the sound environment, as everything you see is front of centre. As such, the dialogue, score and sound effects are all in the front. They're all clear and every sound element is heard. Not a bad track. English (hard of hearing) and Spanish subtitles are provided for you.
Extras
The only extras is Whirlpool: The Animated Comic Book (15:49). I found this interesting only to see how the show changed the story. Both versions have their strengths and weaknesses and none is better than the other. There's nothing terribly exciting about the animation style or the story. For comparative purposes, though, it's nice to watch.
Packaging
Warner split this season onto three discs, in one single-disc and one double-disc ultra-slim keep cases.
Overall
|
|||||
|