Creepshow (1982) Review

Written by: the5thdroog   

“It’s father’s day, and I got my cake.” Well actually I didn’t, but I did get to sit down and watch Creepshow with my kids like we do every year. This has to be one of, if not the best horror anthology movies out there. So it is always fun to watch it every time I get a chance. All those actors we got to know a little better later, looking a lot younger and some a bit out of their element. Stephen King working so well with Romero as not only the screenwriter, but also an actor. I guess I should actually get on with more of a review of the movie, but it is hard for me to believe that someone hasn’t actually seen this. If you haven’t here is a very brief overview.

The movie starts out with Stan (Tom Atkins) arguing with his son about the horror comic his son has been reading. Stan gets angry when the son mentions the girly mags he has seen in his dad’s drawer and actually hit’s the kid. Stan then decides to make a point to his son and throw the comic in the trash. He goes back in and his wife is asking him if he is sure he handled things with his son the right way. Stan then asks her if she saw what was in the book and goes on a tirade about the subject matter of things coming out of the grave and people turning into weeds. He then ends by saying he took care of it and that is why God made fathers.

The son is left stewing in his room with a very evil look on his face. He begins to grin a little wider and we find out he is actually smiling at the skeleton outside his window. That boney guest then becomes animated and guides us back to the trash can where the wind luckily blows open the comic book, Creepshow, open and starts with the first story of the five, not counting the wrap around with Stan and son, which is Father’s Day.

I’m just going to quickly give a premise of each story so as not to get too drawn out on a review for a movie that most have seen. “Father’s Day” is mostly about a zombie out for revenge which comes in the form of a cake. “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill” is about a lonely hillbilly played by Stephen King who goes from being hopeful for finding a meteor in his backyard to fearful of the fact. “Something to Tide You Over” is about a love triangle involving Harry (Ted Danson) and Richard (Leslie Nielsen) that concludes with a breathing challenge in the ocean. “The Crate” has to do with a discovery under the stairs. A crate which seems to have been misplaced for sometime is inspected, but it is quickly understood why it has been hidden. Then the last story is “They’re Creeping Up on You”, which deals with an eccentric rich old man named Upson Pratt (E.G. Marshall) who is obsessed with cleanliness and being germ free. He learns that there is a reason cockroaches have been around for so long.

The acting is really good in this movie. It does have some moments where it seems to lag a bit, but the writing is so well done that I didn’t really care. Everyone I mentioned above did a great job and I was completely surprised with King’s performance. It made me wonder why he only does cameos in everything else. I didn’t mention Adrienne Barbeau, but she also does a great job in “the Crate” as the nagging wife. I fault any of the performances in this movie.

I only feel the need to say two word about the effects. Tom Savini. If I need to go on I’ll mention that the scenes in “The Crate” with “fluffy” were just great. I liked how easily the flesh seemed to come away under the teeth and claws of the creature, who also looked awesome. “They’re Creeping Up On You” had a wonderful effect for a finale. It is one that easily stays with someone long after seeing the movie.

I also want to mention the direction and the music for this movie. I loved how Romero edited in the scenes that were framed with the comic book storyboards. It just kept in the theme of the whole movie being just a book we were glancing through from a trash can. John Harrison’s music is also classic. Each piece is separately designed for each story and blends in quite nicely. One of my favorite soundtracks.

So if you couldn’t tell, I love this movie. It is something I grew up with and now I’m sharing it with my kids. Not that it is your typical family film, but if you like the EC comics, I don’t know how you couldn’t like this. If you haven’t seen it, I really think you should. And if you have, after reading this, do you think maybe it is time to see it again? For me, it is just as good today as when I saw it in the theater over 25 years ago.