Tag Archives: Clifford Earl

Horror On The Lens: Tales From The Crypt (dir by Freddie Francis)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

For today’s Horror on the Lens, we have 1972’s Tales From The Crypt, a British anthology film which features The Crypt Keeper (Ralph Richardson) informing five strangers of how they will die.  This classic, all-star film was based on stories that originally appeared in the Tales From The Crypt comic book.

In general, I’m not a huge fan of anthology films but Tales From The Crypt is an exception to that role.  It’s an entertaining collection of macabre stories and the cast is to die for …. maybe literally!

This Amicus-produced movie is probably best remembered for the segment in which Joan Collins is menaced by an evil Santa but the whole thing is good.

Horror On The Lens: Haunted House of Horror (dir by Michael Armstrong)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

First released in 1969, The Haunted House of Horror features a group of 20-somethings who, bored with the usual parties, decide to that it might be a kick to hang out in a supposedly haunted mansion.  Once they’re in the mansion, they decide that it might be even more fun to hold a seance!

(Seriously, what is the deal with people holding séances in haunted mansions?  That really seems like the last place where you would want to mess with potentially malevolent spirits!)

The party becomes much less fun once someone starts killing off the group, one-by-one.

This film is notable for two reasons.  First off, it features Frankie Avalon in one of his attempts to break free of his Beach Party typecasting.  Secondly, the role of Richard, who is played by Julian Barnes, was originally offered to a young singer named David Bowie.  Reportedly, Bowie was quite excited about doing the film but, in the end, the producers worries that he and Frankie Avalon would not get along.  I’m not sure why.  David Bowie had a sense of humor and, judging from his Casino cameo, so does Frankie.