Vault of Horror – 1973
Posted by Scott on 23 Oct 2008 at 01:03 am | Tagged as: Back in the Day Films
This edition of Shocktober takes us across the pond to jolly ol’ England. Do you remember the classic comic book Tales from the Crypt? Not the HBO retread from a few years back, but the original comic book? Every kind of scary scenario, be it vampires, werewolves, zombies, ghosts, etc., were transformed into stars on the pages of this seminal comic. The weird and the macabre came alive with terrifying results. Vault of Horror was one the first cinematic adaptations of these spooky stories. Five bloodcurdling tales guaranteed to make your spine tingle.
Five men get off an elevator and step into a basement chamber to have a drink. While relaxing with their favorite spirit, the men agree to share nightmarish anecdotes that are frighteningly real. First up is boastful Rogers, who relays a dream in which he searches for his sister in a remote town populated by vampires. Second to speak is Critchit, an anal dapper dandy whose set-in-his-ways lifestyle drives his dutiful wife to insanity. The third episode features Sebastian, an arrogant magician who resorts to murderous ways in order to find a new illusion for his act.
The fourth tale is told by Maitland, a man so desperate for riches he concocts an insurance scam that involves him being buried alive. Of course, the plan goes horribly awry and has a “head-popping” outcome. The final story takes us to Haiiti where a struggling artist named Moore enlists the aid of a voodoo priest to reap vengeance upon those in the artworld who have wronged him. As wicked as these yarns may sound the real mystery is why these five men have gathered. The reason proves to be much more ominous than any of the stories recounted.
Vault of Horror falls into the B-movie category but that shouldn’t be taken as a slight. All the plots are comical, bordering on ridiculous. That acting is appropriately over-the-top without impacting the drama. Tom Baker, in particular, gears up the ham meter in his portrayal of the frustrated artist. The third and fifth installments contain the greatest level of creepiness and still manage to hold up after 35 years. I can’t recommend purchasing Vault of Horror, although you could probably get it cheap. Instead, look for it on your cable/satellite this month and you might catch it. I saw it on “Chiller” last weekend so be on the look out — if you dare.
The trailer for Vault of Horror:
