Tales from the Darkside: The Movie

Last updated
Tales from the Darkside: The Movie
Talesfromthedarkside.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by John Harrison
Screenplay by
Based on
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyRobert Draper
Edited byHarry B. Miller III
Music by
Production
company
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date
  • May 4, 1990 (1990-05-04)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$6 million [1]
Box office$16.3 million

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie is a 1990 American comedy horror anthology film directed by John Harrison, serving as a spin-off of the anthology television series Tales from the Darkside . The film depicts the frame story of a kidnapped paperboy who tells three stories of horror to the suburban witch who is preparing to eat him.

Contents

Plot

Prologue

Betty, an affluent suburban housewife and modern-day witch, plans a dinner party for her fellow witches. The main dish is to be Timmy, a young boy whom she has captured and chained up in her pantry. To stall her from cooking him, the boy tells her three stories from a book she gave him, titled Tales from the Darkside.

Lot 249

Graduate student Edward Bellingham has been cheated by two classmates, Susan and Lee, who framed him for theft to ruin his chances of winning a scholarship for which they were competing. As revenge, Bellingham reanimates a mummy and uses it to murder them.

Susan's brother Andy kidnaps Bellingham, forces him to summon the mummy, then destroys it and burns its remains. He also burns what he believes to be the reanimation parchment. He considers killing Bellingham, but in the end cannot bring himself to commit real murder.

However, Bellingham resurrects Susan and Lee (having switched the reanimation parchment with a similar one) and dispatches them to Andy's dorm. They greet the terrified Andy by saying that Bellingham sends his regards.

The Cat from Hell

Drogan, a wealthy old man who uses a wheelchair, brings in a hitman named Halston for a bizarre hire: kill a black cat, which Drogan believes is murderously evil. Drogan explains that there were three other occupants of his house before the cat arrived: his sister, Amanda, her friend Carolyn, and the family's butler, Richard Gage. Drogan claims that one by one, the cat killed the other three, and that he is next. Drogan's pharmaceutical company killed 5,000 cats while testing a new drug, and he is convinced that this black cat is here to exact cosmic revenge.

Halston does not believe the story, but is more than willing to eliminate the cat since Drogan is offering $100,000. But when Drogan returns to the house to see if the deed is done, he finds that the cat has killed Halston by climbing down his throat. The cat emerges from the hitman's corpse and jumps at Drogan, giving him a fatal heart attack.

Lover's Vow

Preston is a struggling artist. He lives in a studio with a skylight, through which a large stone gargoyle on the neighboring building, peers down. Preston's agent calls, asking to meet with him at a bar a few blocks away. The agent tells Preston that his artwork is unpopular and not selling. Dejected, Preston drinks heavily and at the end of the night, the bar owner who is a friend of his, offers to walk him home.

Along the way, Preston stops to relieve himself in a back alley, when his friend sees and shoots at a gargoyle monster. The creature attacks, severing his hand and then decapitating him. Terrified, Preston tries to run away, but the creature corners him and speaks, agreeing to spare his life if he swears never to reveal what he has seen. The monster scratches Preston's chest, saying "Cross your heart?", then vanishes.

Preston runs into another alley where he bumps into a lone woman named Carola. She claims to have become lost while going to meet friends and was searching for a taxi. Preston convinces her to call a taxi from his apartment, where Carola cleans the gargoyle-inflicted wound on his chest, and they have sex.

Preston's life soon improves, and his struggling art career becomes wildly successful, mostly thanks to Carola's connections. They eventually marry and have two children. Preston is still tormented by memories of the gargoyle though, and his vow of silence weighs heavily on him. On the tenth anniversary of him first meeting Carola, Preston breaks down and tells her about the monster. Carola appears uncomfortable by his revelation and then emits a heartbroken wail, "You promised you'd never tell!", revealing herself as the creature that killed his friend.

With Preston's vow broken, Carola can no longer remain human and begins transforming back into a gargoyle. Their children are screaming in the bedroom as they also transform into gargoyles. Carola, now fully transformed, wraps her wings around Preston and the couple proclaim their love for each other, but with the vow broken, Carola is still reluctantly forced to kill him by biting his neck, before flying away with her gargoyle children. The final scene shows the three gargoyles now turned to stone and sitting upon the building ledge, staring down at the city with sorrowful expressions.

Epilogue

Betty remarks that Timmy saved the best story for last, but he says that the next one is best, and has a happy ending. She replies that none of the stories in the book have happy endings and it is too late as she has to start cooking him. As Betty advances on Timmy, he narrates his own actions: throwing some marbles on the floor, causing her to slip and fall on her butcher's block and impaling her on her own tools. Timmy releases himself and pushes her into her own oven. The film ends with Timmy helping himself to a cookie and breaking the fourth wall by saying "Don't you just love happy endings?"

Cast

Production

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie was a film adaptation of the TV series of the same name, a horror anthology series created by George A. Romero in the wake of his success with the anthology film Creepshow (1982). [2] Romero and author Stephen King had previously collaborated on both Creepshow and Creepshow 2 (1987), but did not return for the third installment, Creepshow 3 (2006). [2] Subsequently, some, including Creepshow series effects artist Tom Savini, have referred to Tales From the Darkside: The Movie as the true Creepshow 3, due to its similar tone, feel and production ties to the first two films. [2] Director John Harrison had previously worked with Romero on many projects, including the Tales from the Darkside TV series [3] and Creepshow, providing the musical score for the latter. [4]

The first segment is an adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1892 short story "Lot No. 249", written by Michael McDowell. The second segment is an adaptation of Stephen King's 1977 short story "The Cat from Hell", written by George A. Romero. The third and final segment is an adaptation of the legend of the Yuki-onna from Lafcadio Hearn's 1904 book Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things , also written by McDowell.

"Cat from Hell"—as well as another King story, Pinfall —was originally going to appear in Creepshow 2 but was scrapped, due to budgetary reasons. [2]

Reception

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie was a modest box office success for Paramount Pictures. The film was released on May 4, 1990 in the United States, opening in third place that weekend. [5] It grossed a total of $16,324,573 domestically. [6]

The film has a rating of 46% on the ratings aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, based on 24 reviews, and an overall grade of "C" at Box Office Mojo. On Metacritic, the film has a rating of 54 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [7]

Los Angeles Times writer Michael Wilmington criticized Harrison's directing choices ("too much ritzy film noir styling and self-conscious comic book frames") but said "there's more brain than usual beneath the blood and guts". [8] The Washington Post panned the film, calling it a "lame effort". [9] TV Guide deemed the film a "Dull, derivative horror anthology", finding it to be "overrun with flashy camerawork and film noir stylistic flourishes that pad, rather than propel, the already weak stories offered." [3]

In retrospective reviews, Odie Henderson of Slant Magazine observed that "Each mini-movie has the same tally of moments of greatness, grossness, and dullness, giving Tales from the Darkside: The Movie an even-handed feel", adding, "Wraparound story notwithstanding, they want you to root for the underdog, even if the underdog represents evil." [10] Padraig Cotter of Screen Rant noted that, while the film "wasn't a huge hit, it was an effective, entertaining anthology", and agreed with the notion that it was the true successor to Creepshow 2. [2]

Aborted sequel

Laurel Productions initially announced a sequel to the film in October 1990. A screenplay was written by the first film's screenwriters, Michael McDowell and George Romero, along with Gahan Wilson. [11] Segments planned included an adaptation of Robert Bloch's "Almost Human", alongside adaptations of King's short stories "Pinfall" (originally planned for Creepshow 2) and "Rainy Season". [12] This sequel, however, never came to fruition. [2]

Related Research Articles

An anthology film is a single film consisting of several shorter films, each complete in itself and distinguished from the other, though frequently tied together by a single theme, premise, or author. Sometimes each one is directed by a different director or written by a different author, or may even have been made at different times or in different countries. Anthology films are distinguished from "revue films" such as Paramount on Parade (1930)—which were common in Hollywood in the early decades of sound film, composite films, and compilation films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George A. Romero</span> American filmmaker (1940–2017)

George Andrew Romero Jr. was an American-Canadian film director, writer, editor and actor. His Night of the Living Dead series of films about a zombie apocalypse began with the original Night of the Living Dead (1968) and is considered a major contributor to the image of the zombie in modern culture. Other films in the series include Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985). He later revived his attachment to the sub-genre with Land of the Dead (2005), Diary of the Dead (2007), and Survival of the Dead (2009), his final film. Aside from this series, his works include The Crazies (1973), Martin (1977), Knightriders (1981), Creepshow (1982), Monkey Shines (1988), The Dark Half (1993), and Bruiser (2000). He also created and executive-produced the television series Tales from the Darkside from 1983 to 1988.

<i>Tales from the Darkside</i> 1980s American anthology horror TV series

Tales from the Darkside is an American anthology horror television series created by George A. Romero. A pilot episode was first broadcast on October 29, 1983. The series was picked up for syndication, and the first season premiered on September 30, 1984. The show would run for a total of four seasons.

<i>Creepshow</i> 1982 horror comedy anthology film by George A. Romero

Creepshow is a 1982 American horror comedy anthology film directed by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King, making this film his screenwriting debut. The film's ensemble cast includes Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Fritz Weaver, Leslie Nielsen, Carrie Nye, E. G. Marshall, and Viveca Lindfors as well as King himself. The film was primarily shot on location in Pittsburgh and its suburbs, including Monroeville, where Romero leased an old boys' academy to build extensive sets for the film.

<i>Creepshow 2</i> 1987 American comedy horror anthology film

Creepshow 2 is a 1987 American comedy horror anthology film directed by Michael Gornick, and the sequel to Creepshow. Gornick was previously the cinematographer of the first film, and the screenplay was written by George A. Romero who was director of the original film. The film's stars were Lois Chiles, George Kennedy, Dorothy Lamour, and Tom Savini. It was once again based upon stories by Stephen King, and features three more horror segments consisting of "Old Chief Wood'nhead", "The Raft" and "The Hitchhiker".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Atkins (actor)</span> American actor

Tom Atkins is an American actor. He is known for his work in the horror and thriller film genres, having worked with writers and directors such as Shane Black, William Peter Blatty, John Carpenter, Fred Dekker, Richard Donner, Stephen King, and George A. Romero. He is also a familiar face to mainstream viewers, often playing police officers and tough authority figures and is perhaps best known for his role as Lt. Alex Diel in The Rockford Files (1974–1977).

<i>Tales of Terror</i> 1962 film by Roger Corman

Tales of Terror is a 1962 American International Pictures comedy horror film in colour and Panavision, produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff, James H. Nicholson, and Roger Corman, who also directed. The screenplay was written by Richard Matheson, and the film stars Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Basil Rathbone. It is the fourth in the so-called Corman-Poe cycle of eight films, largely featuring adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories and directed by Corman for AIP. The film was released in 1962 as a double feature with Panic in Year Zero!.

<i>Two Evil Eyes</i> 1990 horror film by George A. Romero and Dario Argento

Two Evil Eyes is a 1990 anthology horror film written and directed by George A. Romero and Dario Argento. An international co-production of Italy and the United States, Two Evil Eyes is split into two separate tales, both based largely on the works of Edgar Allan Poe: "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar", directed by Romero and starring Adrienne Barbeau; and "The Black Cat", directed by Argento and starring Harvey Keitel, which blends a number of Poe references into a new narrative. Both of the tales were filmed and take place in contemporary Pittsburgh.

"Sorry, Right Number" is a teleplay written by author Stephen King for an episode of the horror anthology series Tales from the Darkside. It is the ninth episode of the fourth season. It was later included in King's 1993 short story collection Nightmares & Dreamscapes, and is the only such work that King has included in any of his anthologies. It appears in script format, and begins with an authors' guide for screenplays and abbreviations.

<i>Pet Sematary</i> (1989 film) 1989 film by Mary Lambert

Pet Sematary is a 1989 American supernatural horror film and the first adaptation of Stephen King's 1983 novel of the same name. Directed by Mary Lambert, with King writing the screenplay, it stars Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Blaze Berdahl, Fred Gwynne, and Miko Hughes as Gage Creed. The title is a sensational spelling of "pet cemetery".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Hill (writer)</span> American writer (born 1972)

Joseph Hillström King, better known by the pen name Joe Hill, is an American writer. His work includes the novels Heart-Shaped Box (2007), Horns (2010), NOS4A2 (2013), and The Fireman (2016); the short story collections 20th Century Ghosts (2005) and Strange Weather (2017); and the comic book series Locke & Key (2008–2013). He has won awards including Bram Stoker Awards, British Fantasy Awards, and an Eisner Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert West–Reanimator</span> 1922 horror short story by H. P. Lovecraft

"Herbert West–Reanimator" is a horror short story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was written between October 1921 and June 1922. It was first serialized in February through July 1922 in the amateur publication Home Brew. The story was the basis of the 1985 horror film Re-Animator and its sequels, in addition to numerous other adaptations in various media.

John S. Harrison Jr. is an American filmmaker, musician, and composer best known for his collaborations with director George A. Romero and for writing-directing the miniseries adaptation of Dune.

"The Cat from Hell" is a horror short story by American writer Stephen King. King initially published the first 500 words of the story in March 1977 in Cavalier, and the magazine held a contest for readers to finish the story. The winning entry, as well as King's complete story, was published in the magazine in June of the same year. It also appeared in Gent Vol. 18 #6, credited to King and Marc Rains. King revised the story and it was reprinted in Tales of Unknown Horror (1978), in Year's Finest Fantasy (1978), in Magicats! (1984), and again in Twists of the Tale: An Anthology of Cat Horror (1996). This story was also adapted to film in the anthology film Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990). It was later reprinted as a bonus story in the paperback edition of Duma Key and again in Just After Sunset, Stephen King's fifth collection of short stories.

<i>Creepshow 3</i> 2006 American film

Creepshow 3 is a 2006 American comedy horror film, and a sequel to Stephen King and George A. Romero's horror anthology films Creepshow (1982) and Creepshow 2 (1987). It was directed and produced by Ana Clavell and James Dudelson. The film stars Kris Allen, A. J. Bowen, Emmett McGuire and Stephanie Pettee. Like its predecessors, the film is a collection of tales of light-hearted horror: "Alice", "The Radio", "Call Girl", "The Professor's Wife", and "Haunted Dog", although there is no EC Comics angle this time around. The film was panned by critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lot No. 249</span> Short story by Arthur Conan Doyle

"Lot No. 249" is a Gothic horror short story by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle, first published in Harper's Magazine in 1892. The story tells of a University of Oxford athlete named Abercrombie Smith who notices a strange series of events surrounding Edward Bellingham, an Egyptology student who owns many ancient Egyptian artefacts, including a mummy. After seeing his mummy disappear and reappear, and two instances of Bellingham's enemies being attacked, Smith concludes that Bellingham is re-animating his mummy.

Richard P. Rubinstein is an American film and television producer, who has worked mainly in the science fiction and horror genres. In the 1970s and 1980s he collaborated frequently with horror director George A. Romero, including on the seminal zombie films Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985). He also produced 1984–1988 anthology horror television series Tales from the Darkside. In the 1980s and 1990s Rubinstein produced a substantial number of projects based on the writings of horror novelist Stephen King.

"Pinfall" is an unpublished short story/film treatment by Stephen King and George A. Romero. It was originally written by King as a segment for the 1987 anthology film Creepshow 2, with Romero developing it into a script in 1984, but was never filmed. In 2016, a comic book adaptation of the story was produced by Jason Mayoh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George A. Romero's unrealized projects</span> Unrealized projects by American filmmaker

During a career that spanned several decades, the American film director George A. Romero worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond pre-production under him. Some fell into development hell or were produced after he left production.

References

  1. "Catalog - Tales from the Darkside: The Movie". American Film Institute .
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cotter, Padraig (April 11, 2019). "The Real Creepshow 3 Is Tales From The Darkside: The Movie". Screen Rant . Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Tales from the Darkside: The Movie Reviews". TV Guide .
  4. "CREEPSHOW: LIMITED EDITION". La-La Land Records. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  5. "Weekend Box Office May 3-5, 1990". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  6. "Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  7. "Tales from the Darkside: The Movie Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  8. Wilmington, Michael (May 7, 1990). "Movie Review: 'Darkside' a Clever Cut Above Horror Fare". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  9. Harrington, Richard (May 5, 1990). "'Tales From the Darkside: The Movie' (R)". The Washington Post . Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  10. Henderson, Odie (May 4, 2015). "Summer of '90: John Harrison's Tales from the Darkside: The Movie". Slant Magazine . Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  11. "Laurel Productions presents TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE THE MOVIE 2". Variety . October 15, 1990. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  12. Gingold, Michael (May 1993). "Shocker Sequel Checklist". Fangoria . p. 71.