Director George A. Romero and novelist/scripter Stephen King's tribute to EC horror comics of the 50s has five tales, each of varying quality of course, that are given a cartoony look (using strange framing devices and background images - such as when someone is shocked putting a whirly red line behind their head) and play out mostly pleasingly, even though I admit to liking the sequel a bit better.

It all starts off with "Mother's Day" which contains some zombie mayhem when an overbearing old man who was killed by his daughter comes back for his "cake". It's an alright tale with some morbid humour and a decent moment involving a gravestone.

Next up is the weakest story, "The Lonesome Death Of Jody Verrill" which gives non-actor King the chance to ham it up as a none-too-bright redneck farmer who starts turning into a plant monster when a meteor crash lands on his property. This one is played strictly for laughs, but the problem is it's just not that funny.

"Something To Tide You Over" comes next and contains Leslie Nielsen and Ted Danson (both of whom would go on to great success in comedy - Nielsen in The Naked Gun and Danson on TV's Cheers) with Nielsen playing a husband who decides to take revenge on his wife and her lover by burying them on the beach up to their necks in order to drown them. Chances are he didn't expect them to come back. The whole story is pretty blackly humoured and it plays out well with some decent "headshot" moments on our returned lovers.

The best tale turns out to be not only the longest, but also one of the last, with "The Crate". When a College janitor finds a crate hidden under a stairway it turns out it contains some sort of ancient monkey creature which proceeds to kill a couple of people. Well this turns out to be an advantage for a nebbish English professor who decides to off his obnoxious and drunkard wife (played with aplomb by Adrienne Barbeau). This story has the most thrills (if they're only mild ones) and has enough grue to please.

Lastly is "They're Creeping Up On You!" in which E.G. Marshall steals the show as a health freak jerk millionaire who finds his apartment overrun by cockroaches. You can only guess what happens. Let's just say that if you hate bugs you'll be squirming in your seat and this has the most memorable moment in the film.

Overall this is an affectionate homage that just doesn't seem to have enough of an edge to it to work as a creepy horror anthology, but if you're looking for something to put on during a rainy day, then Creepshow fits the bill nicely.

Followed by a sequel. (Chris Hartley, 5/13/04)

Directed By: George A. Romero.
Written By: Stephen King.

Starring: Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Fritz Weaver, Leslie Nielsen.

Picture Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen.

Picture Quality: The clarity here is for the most part bright and sharp, but there's a bit of grain scattered throughout and when the colours get really saturated (certain moments in the film the screen goes red for example) it gets a bit fuzzy.

Extras: Just a trailer.