Okay I just finished watching Stories of a Gravedigger Chapter 1: The Deadtime Stories. I actually have mixed feelings about this film. I like the idea and some of the scenes, but overall I can't say it was all that great. It has elements of Creep Show or Tales From the Crypt as it is an anthology with entertaining characters linking the stories. The connecting story is an animated tale about two kids dressed in Halloween costumes sneaking into a cemetery at night to take pictures of tombstones. To their surprise they run into a gravedigger (I assume) that is like a rock 'n'roll grim reaper.

He tells them he will take them to find exciting tombstones to photograph and tell them the stories behind them. Well, he does tell them stories, but I'm not so certain about the exciting part. But the animation is cute and original. The opening credits are also full of comic book style art that is pretty cool. The stories themselves leave a little to be desired, but the imagination is there. The first tale, "Just Another Night" involves a night security guard at a (presumably) mental hospital. Jon is a bad boy.

He has done bad things. And one night all his deeds come back to haunt him. Our next short is called "La Diable" and centers around six friends who are attempting to navigate a river. They begin by telling stories around a campfire and then before you know it, folks are dropping left and right. Who is doing it and why? Will you care? Yes. You just might. Finally we come to stay a night in "Room 66." Here we find a writer who needs to finish his film. The desk clerk tries to talk him out of staying in this room, but the writer cleverly convinces the clerk that renting him the room will propel his career(?). Unfortunately the rest of this narrative makes little more sense than the beginning. We then wrap up the tales with a final nudge from our cartoon trio to bring it to a close. Even that leaves me a little wanting. It does have several good moments but it also has many technical flaws that drag it down.