[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Tales from the Crypt (1972)

What better way to begin the weekend (Friday night) than with Tales From the Crypt.

Sir Ralph Richardson plays the crypt keeper who traps five individuals in his crypt and tells them a narrative that foreshadows his or her destiny.

There's Ian Hendry who can't grasp that he's dead, Peter Cushing as old Grimsdyke who returns from the grave to seek out his sadistic neighbours in what is a really sad tale, Richard Greene and his variation on The Monkey's Paw and Patrick Magee as a blind man victimised by those who allegedly look after him and the murderous Joan Collins who offs her husband on Christmas Eve before falling victim to a psycho Santa which is my personal pick of the bunch and the reason i love watching the film over the Christmas period.

The famous comic book panels produced by E.C. Comics have been faithfully recreated and there are several moments which make me shudder. In particular Nigel Patrick and the tight corridor of razor blades. Thanks to Milton Subotsky's script and Freddie Francis' direction this comes across as a fun filled, occasionally creepy film and probably the best of Amicus portmanteau horror films. In fact for me it's the only one in which every story is a 7+ out of ten.

Of course i've seen this before but not on Blu-ray. I'm delighted to say it looks a damn sight better than Vault of Horror does from the same Final Cut Blu-ray double bill.