Product Details

• Actors: John Carpenter, Joel Silver, George A. Romero, R.L. Stine
• Directors: Chip Selby
• Format: AC-3, Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Surround Sound
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: CS Films, Inc.
• DVD Release Date: October 31, 2004
• Run Time: 240 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0006VMS76
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #82,147 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Horror > Series & Sequels > Tales from the Crypt

Editorial Reviews

Review
Packed with interviews from genre luminaries including Ray Bradbury, Al Feldstein, George Romero, John Carpenter, Jack Kamen, and Joel Silver, Chip Selby's brilliant doc chronicles the rise of EC's iconic horror comics of the 1950's through their persecution at the hands of Congress and Frederic Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent, and their eventual reappraisal as classics of comic storytelling and eventual translation into the medium of television. The 2-disc DVD set is packed with extras, including an extended director's cut of the film and additional interviews (the roundtable with Bradbury and EC Editor/Artist Al Feldstein is a must-see). --IGN FilmForce

Product Description
When William M. Gaines took over Entertaining Comics (EC) in 1947, the company was nothing special. That all changed three years later when Gaines and editor Al Feldstein decided to write horror stories. Kids and teens went wild over Feldstein's ghoulish host, the Crypt Keeper, and sales of the books went through the roof. EC's exceptional writing and art would raise the level of comic book storytelling to heights that had never been reached before - or since.

By 1954, however, the company found itself under attack from parents who considered the magazines too violent for children. Critics tried to link horror comics to juvenile delinquency and the U.S. Senate held televised hearings on the matter. The resulting backlash nearly killed the comic book industry. Many publishers banded together and created their own brand of censorship - the Comics Code Authority - which banned horror comics. Gaines was forced to fold the EC line.

But his legendary comics quickly acquired collector's item status, and in the mid-1970's, publisher Russ Cochran began reprinting them in hardcover volumes. The Cochran reprints soon caught the eye of Hollywood mega-producer Joel Silver, himself an EC fan, who created an anthology television series for HBO based on the comic book stories. Tales from the Crypt, and its host, the Crypt Keeper, became pop culture icons.

This documentary tells the story of these famous, controversial and influential comic books. In addition, several authors and film directors, including John Carpenter, George A. Romero, Joel Silver and R.L. Stine, discuss how EC's horror comics inspired their work.

The DVD is packed with more than 3 hours of bonus material, including the first-ever roundtable discussion between EC Editor/Artist Al Feldstein and legendary science fiction author Ray Bradbury (who had many of his short stories adapted by EC), and never-before-seen interviews with several EC artists, including Al Williamson.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shouldn't people who write reviews first see the show?, March 29, 2005

By	Chuck Flemming (New York , NY USA) - See all my reviews

John Q. Public is a perfect example of why Amazon should screen "customer" reviews. It's quite obvious that he never watched this documentary; if he thought EC comics and the HBO "Tales from the Crypt" series were "second rate," then why did he buy and watch this DVD in the first place? It is equally obvious from his other reviews that the sole purpose of his existence is to bash others (apparently he has it in for comic books - perhaps he had a traumatic experience reading Donald Duck as a kid).

As the editorial reviews attest, this documentary is hardly "cheaply done." Rather than "giving comics a bad name," this show shines a spotlight one of the most influential comic book companies of all time, and examines the controversy over horror comic books in the 1950s. Like the EC Comics themselves, this documentary is visually innovative, using vibrant montages and spectacular visual effects to highlight the original comic artwork. It is an exceptional program and highly recommended for fans of the original comic books, the later HBO television series, pop culture or even history buffs.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GODSEND FOR EC FANS, January 24, 2005

By	popular culture lover (Travelers Rest, SC United States) - See all my reviews

This is without peer, whether you'd like to learn about the EC comics of the 1950's, or if you're already a died in the wool fan who knows EC lore frontwards and backwards. The quality of the production is amazing, given the rather esoteric subject matter. And the second disc contains a wealth of information, additional interviews and the first face-to-face meeting between Al Feldstein and Ray Bradbury. Whatever you do, get this! EC for me, see.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN EC FAN MUST, March 18, 2005

By	David R. George (LAS VEGAS, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Whether you're an original EC Fan-Addict or a second- or third-generation EC enthusiast, Tales from the Crypt: From Comic Books to Television is a film that should be at the top of your want list.

Chip Selby's obvious labor of love brought me right back to those glorious days of the 1950s when I would haunt the neighborhood candy store every Tuesday, awaiting the arrival of the latest EC comics.

Using EC artwork, hundreds of EC comic covers, and numerous clips from movie and TV series, the video flashes through the viewer's mind with colorful 3-D graphics to tell the whole story of the rise and fall of the greatest comic-book company that ever was.

Rare stills and film footage of EC founder Max Gaines and his son Bill Gaines give the viewer an "inside" peek at the origins of the New-Trend era. Complementing this rich visual tapestry of EC are numerous, insightful interviews with EC artists, comic-book historians and noted EC fans, including: Jack Davis, Al Williamson, Jack Kamen, colorist Marie Severin, Bob Overstreet, horror directors George Romero and John Carpenter, and Russ Cochran.

Actual footage of Bill Gaines testifying before a televised U.S. Senate subcommittee is priceless. Also included in the more than three hours of bonus material is a roundtable discussion between EC editor and artist Al Feldstein and famed science-fiction author Ray Bradbury. This fascinating discourse - moderated by comic-book historian Jerry Weist - is alone worth the price of admission.

Don't miss this one, folks!