The semi-popular TV series (which was co-created by George A. Romero and ran four seasons from 1983 to 1987) makes its jump to the big screen for this anthology flick that contains three stories and one morbidly amusing wraparound. Deborah Harry (of music group Blondie fame) plays an everyday housewife who is preparing a little boy to be served to guests at dinner, the stories within are told to her by said boy (played by Matthew Lawrence, brother of Joey) to try and stay alive longer.

First up is "Lot 249" which is apparently based on a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story that's a darkly humoured tale of college student Steve Buscemi buying a mummy and resurrecting it to gain vengeance on a few fellow students who've wronged him. Things get twisted in the end though. This is the most entertaining of the stories and it contains a few pleasing moments of grue (the "coathanger" scene for instance).

The middle story, "Cat From Hell", is based on a Stephen King story and has old man William Hickey (who most of us will recognize from the first Puppet Master movie) hiring hitman David Johansen (who's also known as Buster Poindexter and had a hit song with the novelty tune "Hot Hot Hot") to take out a common black housecat that's quite evil. It's a battle of wits between kitty and assassin with a twist ending that has some fairly poor effects. Plus, really, common cats aren't that scary, are they? I do like how they did the flashbacks in a tinted gray though.

Lastly is an original story entitled "Lover's Vow" that has struggling artist James Remar seeing a gargoyle slaughter someone. He promises it he'll never to mention the event in exchange for his life only for things to get really messed-up after he meets Rae Dawn Chong and reveals the secret. This story has promise but it just feels too rushed, though there are some decent effects in the finale.

Overall this is an entertaining, if not overly spectacular, flick that's steadily directed and has enough fun moments to make it a good timewaster on a dull afternoon.

Directed By: John Harrison.
Written By: Michael McDowell, George A. Romero.

Starring: Deborah Harry, Christian Slater, David Johansen, William Hickey.