Tales From The Crypt / Vault Of Horror

The double-feature Blu-ray release of "Tales from the Crypt/Vault of Horror" takes the best elements of horror and comedy and blends them into great back-to-back films. Scream Factory offers up this mostly bare-bones two-disc set for fans of both the HBO series from the 1990s and the E.C. Comics on which the films are based.

Joan Collins and Peter Cushing get star billing in the five-story anthology "Tales from the Crypt." Collins plays a murderous housewife in the deliriously over-the-top segment "All Through the House," which was remade for the HBO series. It's a brief tale (featuring a Santa Claus stalker) but has great suspense and direction. Of the four other stories, only "Reflection of Death" and "Poetic Justice" live up to Collins' first segment. Too bloated and long are the last two, "Wish You Were Here" and "Blind Alleys," yet both have nice horror elements.

What's most surprising is the lack of humor and one-liners from the Cryptkeeper's mouth, a wild variant from the 1990 series. "Tales from the Crypt" looks brand spanking new on Blu-ray, but no special features are to be found.

"Vault of Horror" was its quick follow-up in 1973..."Tales from the Crypt" did so well financially that a sequel was inevitable. Five stories are featured here as well; they're not as entertaining, yet future "Doctor Who" Tom Baker appears in the story "Drawn and Quartered." The uncut version of "Vault of Horror" can be watched for the first time ever on any home video release. Scream Factory also offers up the original theatrical cut and an open matte version, both on a separate disc.

"Tales from the Crypt/Vault of Horror"
Blu-ray
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