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I find the character of Debbie and Joan Cusack's performance + the plot with Fester so underrated. Gomez and Morticia both have some great lines/scenes too throughout.
"That poor girl. Lurch, was she in there before you baked?"I find the character of Debbie and Joan Cusack's performance + the plot with Fester so underrated. Gomez and Morticia both have some great lines/scenes too throughout.
I was trying to remember how I knew of Body Bags and only remembered The Eye story solely due to Mark Hamill. I remember thinking the entire thing was decent but lacked the memorability of stuff like Cat's Eye but also didn't have the fun/charm of stuff like Amazing Stories or Tales From the Crypt.As a little bonus, we watched the anthology film made of three disconnected pilot episodes for Body Bags (1993), an attempt by Showtime to counter HBO's legendary Tales From the Crypt series. Helmed by heavyweights John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper, it's unfortunately easy to see why the series didn't get picked up, and why the feature made of what would've been the first three episodes has been somewhat lost to time.
Yeah, that was my takeaway. I've seen far worse anthologies, but if this was Showtime's intended response to Tales From the Crypt then I can see why it never took off.I was trying to remember how I knew of Body Bags and only remembered The Eye story solely due to Mark Hamill. I remember thinking the entire thing was decent but lacked the memorability of stuff like Cat's Eye but also didn't have the fun/charm of stuff like Amazing Stories or Tales From the Crypt.
It reminded me more of the lesser Tales From the Darkside/Outer Limits level stories overall.
"Lot 249" is the weakest of the three stories, but it's still a damn fine one. Julianne Moore delivers, as well, especially great given it's only her second role in a feature.Tales from the Darkside was filmed in 1987 but not released until 1990. By the time the film was released Christian Slater had already become a big star.
I like the Cat and Gargoyle stories more than the mummy one. TFTC would use a mummy story very close to this one a few years later starring Anthony Michael Hall.
You're goddamn right I am!
I heard that as well that the movie could've been darker/hit harder in some aspects. The best movies/documentaries that examine these types of serial killers, IMO, are the ones that understand their ability to be suave, engaging, pass for "normal" compared to the mental image of the "monster serial killer" who is completely remorseless and has no emotional projection. The bad ones also tend to project/victim blame as in, "How could they not see all these red flags?" in hindsight. To me it'd be like watching Tom Hanks or Brad Pitt, learning they are serial killers, and just ignoring how affable and likeable they are.This feels in contrast to how Alcala has typically been portrayed whenever brought up, of course, but for the movie? It works.
That's definitely touched upon, particularly in the insert scenes of what results in Alcala's capture, but hammered home in the actual game show portions. The parts detailing his final attempt at a kill, with the result being fairly true to what happened (according to what bits I've briefed over of the would-be victim's accounts), have him start as an intensely charming and artistically inclined individual. Then he tries to kill.I heard that as well that the movie could've been darker/hit harder in some aspects. The best movies/documentaries that examine these types of serial killers, IMO, are the ones that understand their ability to be suave, engaging, pass for "normal" compared to the mental image of the "monster serial killer" who is completely remorseless and has no emotional projection. The bad ones also tend to project/victim blame as in, "How could they not see all these red flags?" in hindsight. To me it'd be like watching Tom Hanks or Brad Pitt, learning they are serial killers, and just ignoring how affable and likeable they are.
A lot of these serial killers get away with and do so many murders because they can be charming, woo others, and don't come off as the weirdo/creep that people think.
I watched that back when it was on Shudder. It's a great movie, but I don't know if I could bring myself to watch it again because it's so disturbing.In that vein, I finally watched Angst. German film based on a real murder case. Very worth the time. Sorta bridges Henry Portrait Of A Serial Killer and Clockwork Orange. Not horror per se but these sorts of things hit me harder than most horror movies.