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Post by Tim on Aug 26, 2016 16:33:14 GMT -5
Through YouTube, I've been rediscovering this gem that ran on HBO in the early 1990's.
Because it was aired on HBO, it was one of the few anthology series to be allowed to have full freedom from censorship by network standards and practices at that time. As a result, HBO allowed the series to contain graphic violence as well as other content that had not appeared in most television series up to that time, such as profanity, gore, nudity and sexual situations.
The series was based on the 1950s EC Comics series of the same name and most of the content originated in that comic. In fact, many of the episodes were period pieces, no doubt to reflect the time that the story was originally written in. While some were updated to the then present of the 1990's, the ones set in the periods in which the stories were written captured the charmed of said story.
This show featured many big name actors(Kirk Douglas even did an episode). Most of the actors mostly did feature films. It was quite a coup getting them to agree to appear on this show.
The show was hosted by the Crypt Keeper, who has become one of the most iconic characters in television history.
If you like horror, I highly recommend this show. If you like comedy, then I recommend this show too (some episodes were downright funny).
So, has anyone else here seen this show?
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Post by Tim on Aug 26, 2016 16:34:37 GMT -5
Being on cable, they could get away with more gore than they could have if they'd been on a regular channel.
Still, one thing I liked about this show is that most of the characters that got their comeuppance were what TV Tropes calls "Asshole Victims". Meaning that they got into a situation because of greed, bigotry, cruelty, or any other such emotion. I guess it made it easier for the audience to cheer when said character got what was coming to them in the end.
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Post by Tim on Aug 26, 2016 16:35:15 GMT -5
Katherine wrote:
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Post by Tim on Aug 26, 2016 16:35:49 GMT -5
Yeah, the Crypt Keeper would be scary to kids.
One episode I saw yesterday involved one of the Asshole Victims I mentioned. This tale, set in 1950, involved a woman named Cathy (played by Demi Moore) who only had love for money. To say she was greedy would be an understatement.
Anyway, she catches the attention of an obese man named Charlie (played by Jeffery Tambor, who's made a career out of playing kooks and oddballs). Cathy goes to a fortune teller, who says Cathy will marry Charlie, after which he will inherit and fortune and die soon after. Of course, Cathy marries Charlie, despite that she can barely stand being in the same room with him.
Three months later, Cathy is getting frustrated, as there is no sign of any money. She goes to a diner she frequents and, on that day, she is the one millionth customer and gets an award of one million dollars.
The now rich Cathy then goes to Charlie and says she's leaving him, that she doesn't love him and never had loved him. Charlie then snaps and stabs Cathy to death.
The fortune teller's prediction thus came true. Charlie inherits a fortune, Cathy's money, when he kills her, and dies soon after, when he's convicted and executed for murdering her.
Cathy was clearly the Asshole Victim here as she willingly married a man she did not love for the sake of greed. Charlie's feelings were never even a factor in things.
There are many such episodes about people like this. Some even murder to get what they want, only to find out that the pay off is not what they expected.
These are characters you really can't feel sorry for when they get their comeuppance.
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Post by Tim on Aug 26, 2016 16:36:53 GMT -5
Katherine wrote:
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Post by Tim on Aug 26, 2016 16:37:20 GMT -5
It is interesting to note that, aside from the fortune teller's abilities to predict the future, this episode had no supernatural elements to it. Cathy's greed drove things. No one forced her to marry Charlie, she did because of the money the fortune teller had mentioned.
Remember the fortune teller was never specific on Charlie inheriting the money and his death. She just said it would happen. Still, Cathy had the choice, she could have walked away, but her greed got the better of her.
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Post by Tim on Aug 26, 2016 16:37:56 GMT -5
Katherine wrote:
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Post by Tim on Aug 26, 2016 16:38:36 GMT -5
I did notice that a lot of the Asshole Victims are con artists, out to swindle people of their money. Of course, said con artist always gets the tables turned on them on this show.
If they're lucky, they make it to the end of the episode alive.
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Post by Tim on Aug 26, 2016 16:39:10 GMT -5
Jennifer wrote:
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Post by Tim on Aug 26, 2016 16:40:58 GMT -5
Well, Jennifer, there are some episodes where it does get gross. I won't kid you.
Because it was on a cable channel, this show was able to get away with a lot more than it would had it been on a regular network.
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Post by Tim on Mar 24, 2018 23:25:10 GMT -5
One episode, Lower Berth, is the origin story of the Crypt Keeper himself.
Check it out.
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Post by nimue on May 30, 2018 10:42:31 GMT -5
I'm currently in the midst of watching Season 1, it's pretty good actually, and not that gory. The humour is a bit... peculiar, but that's what fun, I guess. The episodes are also pretty short, so it's easy to binge-watch
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Post by Tim on May 30, 2018 10:56:20 GMT -5
It's only later that the episodes got longer.
The final season was filmed in Britain.
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Post by Melinda Halliwell on May 31, 2018 1:35:35 GMT -5
Really? I had no idea Tim.
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Post by Tim on May 31, 2018 11:10:07 GMT -5
I wondered why, suddenly, it was all British actors. So, I did some checking and found out about the final season being produced over there.
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