New Horror Movies Ep. 154: Top 200 Horror Movies of All Time: No. 33 - Creepshow (1982)

Welcome to Jay of the Dead's new horror movies, the gold standard of horror movie podcasts. I'm your host, Jay of the Dead, and this is a special episode where we are taking a one-episode break from reviewing new horror movies so we can review...

you just one at a time the top 200 horror movies of all time as determined by the exploding heads horror movie podcast and by the way you can hear the Exploding Heads three-part episode 200 where they took top 100 lists from 44 horror fans, myself included, and compiled... The top 200 horror movies of all time. It is such a blast. It is a must listen. But in order to hear it, everybody.

You need to subscribe to the Exploding Heads Patreon page, which I would highly recommend. I'm a subscriber and I'll have that linked in the show notes for you. Now, Jay of the Dead's new horror movies here. This has a total of nine horror hosts. And for this particular episode, you'll be hearing from three of us. Allow me to introduce my other two buddies here. Podcasting from just outside Philadelphia, PA, I want to welcome the amazing but subtle Dr. Shock.

Thank you very much, Jay, and happy Convoy Day. Yeah, absolutely. I'm glad you're not going to stop until that becomes a thing. I know. Absolutely. And I'm glad you brought that up because I'm actually going to ask you about that in a second. The first thing I want to ask you, though, is. If you're excited to review Mother of Tears tonight on here.

No, because I did not rewatch Mother of Tears, nor will I ever Mother of Tears. I ended up watching Texas Chainsaw, The Next Generation twice for podcasts, and Greg Amortis got me to watch it both times. And there's no way in hell I'm going to watch that movie a third time. I don't think I'm going to watch Mother of Tears a second. Unless we do what we had planned, where you and I sit down together and we do like a commentary on it. We will. Then I will do it. We will. We're going to.

Okay, and I will watch it at that point. Okay, that's not what we're reviewing tonight, though. No, thank God. Thank God. Yeah. I doubt that would make any...

That wouldn't make a top $2,000. We'll see. We'll see about that. Now, next I want to welcome one of the masterminds behind the Exploding Heads Horror Movie Podcast. And in fact, he is the guy who compiled and tallied. That top 200 list, welcome Dave Z. Oh, you're making me blush, Jay. Thank you. You said all these great things about the podcast. Called me a mastermind. Said join the Patreon. I'm like, you're the greatest, buddy. Thank you. Well, thank you. And I like you, Dave Z, because.

Because you like Argento and you appreciate Mother of Tears, unlike Dave Becker. Which? Let me say that. OK, Dave, let me ask you this. Do you think that Mother of Tears is on the level of suckiness as the next generation Texas Chainsaw? Is that how bad? No, no, no, no, I don't. Well, you know, it's been a while since I've seen it.

I can't put it on that level. But I just remember Jay championing that movie on a podcast after I'd seen it. And I'm just watching it going, man, this is just this is not good. Now, I'm not going to say it's the worst Argento I've ever seen. But it might be. Did you only see it once, though? Because I'm betting that you just happened to not be in a good mood when you watched it. I bet it's that. I bet. Oh, I was in a great mood when it started. I wasn't by the time it was over.

Let me ask you this. Did you watch it? I forgot the context of this. I know that this has been an ongoing thing with you two, but let me think about, I don't remember the context, but I'm going to ask you, did you watch it as part of a trilogy? Like, did you watch? Suspiria and then Inferno and then Mother of Tears right after? I did not watch them all three together.

I had seen it. I had seen Suspiria already. I don't know if I'd seen Inferno at that point, but I had seen Suspiria and Mother of Tears. We were just reviewing. for the podcast. And I don't even know that I realized all three of those were, what was it? It was on a horror movie podcast, by the way. Sorry to cut you off. Horror movie podcast. Okay. Yep.

Was it for HMP? I don't think it was. I thought it was before that. It had to have been. It had to have been because Bill Shetty was on that show. I don't think that's true. I don't think that's true. I'm telling you, it was not for HMP. I think it was Horror Metropolis. Or what was the one that we did where we all picked movies for each other? The Weekly Horror Movie Podcast.

That's it. Yeah. My first horror podcast. Anyways. The weekly horror movie. You said horror movie podcast. I was thinking HMP. Yeah. Weekly horror movie podcast. Yes. That would be what it was for. Right. See what you started, Jay, just bringing up mother of tears. Ten minutes of bear. I know. I know. It's fun to poke the bear. But no, Dave Becker, I have two Daves on here, so I got to watch. Dr. Shock, he mentioned that today as we record this, it is June 6th.

And it is Convoy Day. What is Convoy Day, Dr. Shock? That's just something I tried to start because the first lines of that, I think, who is it? E.W. McCall? I can't remember who it is who sings Convoy. But that song Convoy, it was the dark of the moon on the 6th of June. So every time it's the 6th of June, I think about the song Convoy.

And I tried to make it something years ago. I think that might have been HMP. Yeah. And I tried to make it something and then you remembered something else that happened on June. That's right. That's right. This is what happened. And we have this weird thing that we do.

It was June 6th of 2014 when Edge of Tomorrow, that Tom Cruise film, hit the theaters and I saw it on opening day. And it was also that same day there was a little boy that I knew. I wasn't... close to the family but I was acquaintance with the family this little kid he was like six or seven years old and he was riding in his neighborhood alongside a garbage truck and the garbage truck turned right

and this little boy kept going straight on his bike and so he got crushed and killed under that truck And it was just a very and it was very sad. It was very sad and heartbreaking. But that was that was that same. It was June 6th. It was the day I saw Edge of Tomorrow. And when I came home from the theater and found out that tragic story.

It was extra bizarre because there's a scene in Edge of Tomorrow where Tom Cruise's character gets run over by a truck. And it was just the most bizarre thing. And by the way, the city that that happened in, that's the town it happened in. Tooele the town where Raul the monster slayer is or eating Raul is from but anyways yeah so

Dave brings up Convoy Day, which reminds me of that little boy dying and Tom Cruise. Terrible. Let me ask you, Dave Z, how can I possibly continue to... like i was really thinking i can make convoy day something i can make this actually a thing and then jay says oh yeah that's the day that a little boy was crushed by a truck and i said well okay

That sort of deflates convoy day a little bit. So much for that. And I was going to say something else about June 6th. And now I think it'd be in poor taste. So I can't say it. But I'll give you a hint. It has to do. With another little boy that we know of. It's in the horror genre. That's why I didn't bring it up. But it's June 6th is somebody's birthday. Fictionally. Tell it. You gotta tell it. I'll tell you. It's Damien Thorne. There you go. Yeah, because six, six. And was he born in 1966?

That I don't remember, and the only reason I know that this is his birthday, and it might not even be official. I think it is. All the times I've seen the Omen trilogy, you'd think I'd remember it. But when they came out with the remake, they released it on 6606 for that very reason.

Wow. And I remember that being, I actually went there to the drive-in that night and I saw it. And consequently, I never saw it again. I don't think it was bad, but I just never saw it again. I don't think it was great, but anyway, that's that. Damien Thorne's birthday.

yeah pretty cool so now that we've uplifted everyone dave becker yes thanks for your convoy day memories um we're here to our feature review this is why we're here so what i do is i took Exploding Heads list of 200 movies and I cut up little slips of paper and I put them in this big Kool-Aid pitcher and I have it here on my desk and I randomly draw a movie and no matter what it is.

I'm just going to review it because I'm going to go through all 200 of these films. Some will be first time watches for me. Some will be revisiting. And this is a good one. So I selected out number 33 and it is Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Creepshow. Cre

From 1982. And Dave Z says it's what he calls the best horror anthology. Coming soon. Jolting tales of horror Creepshow From the author of Carrie, The Shining, and Cujo, and the creator of Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, you'll scream ghastly ghouls. cringe at weird kids and shiver at the doings of evil doctors. This is going to be extreme.

Do you stand by that, Dave Z? This is the best horror anthology to you? Yeah, I've always said that. And I think that every other one has to be compared to it. In other words, that's the... The level, that's the bar. You know what I mean? Everything should be compared to Creepshow. I believe they've earned that right.

That's right. Okay, so this was just to do a little setup, and then I'm going to kick it to you guys. This was directed by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King. And isn't that remarkable to think about? I know that they teamed up a few times on a few things because they were friends. But isn't it remarkable now, you know, this many years later to think?

Of those two titans of horror working together and collaborating. That's so cool to me. But anyways. I agree. I think it's awesome. I agree 100%. And Tom Savini at the height of his game. When he really elevated his work from just being the slasher guy, because the last four he did prior to that were slashers. And then this movie kind of elevated his makeup. And then after this, we go to Day of the Dead, which is probably his best makeup, period.

And the thing about this movie is that when people talk about best George Romero movies and when people talk about best Stephen King based movies, this is a movie that I don't think comes up a whole lot. I think it deserves to. It's my number nine movie.

We made the list. It's my number nine. It's a top ten horror movie for me. So, of course, I love it, but it seems to me like people, they give it props, but they kind of disregard it when you're speaking upon Romero and King. Do you guys agree with that?

Yeah, I mean, I think Romero especially because with Romero, it's a lot, you know, with the walking dad, the living dad and all. Yeah. And it seems to me, Dave Z, that most horror anthologies are kind of relegated to some sort of like second tier. of horror movies. I don't know if you all have that sense, but I get that feeling.

Maybe. Yeah, I can see that. But I will agree with Dave Z. This is the cream of the crop. This is the best horror anthology. I said the same thing in my review of it on the blog. It is hands down the best horror anthology out there. He's right. All the others do have to be compared to it, whether they came, you know, there were plenty that came before it, but you still compare them to Creepshow. Yep.

So this was released November 10th, 1982. And I don't know about you guys, but I ended up seeing this. I don't know if you can remember. You two are both older than I am, but I ended up seeing it in my cousin's house, right? And they always had... HBO and Cinemax and it just seems to me

that i i saw it on one of those two channels and and i i ended up seeing different portions of it you know depending on you know how you come into a movie and you start watching it from that point on so i ended up seeing this in a couple different sittings but man This stuck with me. What about you two? Do you remember seeing this the first time? For me, it was on cable as well.

And it would have been back in the 80s. This did play regularly on probably HBO. I'm thinking I probably saw it on HBO. But like you, I don't think I saw the whole thing. I definitely remember The Crate. Oh, yeah. And something to tide you over? I believe that's what it's called. Something to tide you over. That's correct.

I remember those two distinctly, but I did not have as sharp of a memory of the last one or the first two. I mean, I've seen it several times since then, obviously, all the way through. But those two really stuck with me. over the years yeah what about you dave z when do you remember first seeing this

I'm going to have to guess and say that the first time I saw it was just on HBO. I don't think I'm sure I rented it by the time I came to VHS because that was my heyday of renting. But the thing about this movie is. Again, I don't know 100% when the first time I saw it was or even how, but it's a movie for me, and there aren't many like this when I think about it. It became an instant classic for me, an instant favorite, I should say. As soon as I saw it, I loved it.

And all these years, it's just held on strong. It's one of the few movies that's done that. So you don't think so. So Gilman Joel has this thing that he always says where he talks about cinematic nostalgia disorder, CND. And so you don't think this is something that you were fond of it when you were younger. And so it's kind of grandfathered in with you. You genuinely think this is still incredible material, obviously, if it's your number nine.

Yeah, more and more. See, a lot of the movies that I loved as a child, I began to appreciate... on a different level as i've gotten older like i still love it for maybe for part of the nostalgia and being young but i saw a whole bunch of movies when i was that age and i don't know it's hard to say like They don't hold up now still some of them. So it might weigh in, but it's like I said, I...

The performances and the score and other things about the movie make me love it. Just like I said with Suspiria. When I first saw Suspiria, there were things I missed out on when I was a kid. I just loved the gore and other stuff. But as I got older, other things.

started to stick out more and that with creep show that's one of those movies because technically the look and the style of it the way the colors being used like our general kind of and the comic book gimmick and the way how how perfectly it's executed It just adds to it, like from a technical level. So I'm like, yeah, it's even better now, it seems to me. Yeah, absolutely. Dockshock, you have anything to say about that? It's not cinematic.

nostalgia disorder for you either, right? Not for me either. I mean, I think this is a strong horror film, you know, even now. There's one moment and one sequence that we'll get to as we're discussing the different stories that still makes me jump now. And I know it's coming, but it still makes me jump.

Nice. I think I know what it is. It's like that scene of the thing where they're testing the blood. Yes. You know, for the longest time, I forgot who it was who's, you know, when they were testing the blood, it like jumped up. And that got me for a while as well. I still jump at a sequence in this movie. I bet I know what it is. I can't wait to get there. I have a feeling I know what it is because it's something I thought when I saw it. I go.

This is the best jump scare in this movie, bar none, and I've always thought it's a classic. So I bet that's the one, but we'll see. Cool. So I don't know about you guys, but I think with this horror anthology in particular, but I think that... There's like this mood or feeling that comes with, it's almost like you're cruising through a neighborhood of horror stories because you're going in and out of these tales. I don't know, there's a certain way that it makes you feel.

And I can't even articulate that, but I have a feeling that horror anthologies affect other people that way too. I mean, do you guys have some sort of, because you know how eight, I can't even, it's putting it into words is even difficult.

Do you guys know what I'm getting at? It's like, what is this next horror adventure? And then you go in. Yes, I know what you mean. Because if one of them is not connecting with you, there's still a little bit of anticipation because you're like, oh, there's another one coming. And this one's...

only going to last for so long but then like if if you're really into one you're like wow i can't wait to see what the next one's going to be it is it's it's like i mean that's a good way of putting it it's like they've they've lined up you know these short films and put them in a collection and said yes we can make these one movie and along a certain theme

or whatever you know whatever they decide to do i mean like what was it tales from the crypt i'm talking the movies from the movie from the 70s with peter cushing even going back to uh the the 40s oh boy what was the one called in the 40s doggone it i'd have to look that one up dead of night dead of night that's yes thank you dead of night you know as you're watching them you're like okay yeah i'm digging this this story this is this is good and let's let's see what comes next and

Then you have the wraparound story, you know, the thing that's joining them all together. This may be the first movie, I think, where you really don't like Tom Atkins. Right. Right. You're right. I think it's the only one. Yeah. That's so funny. Yeah. So in terms of structure here, yeah, we have a horror anthology. It does have a wraparound story as well. A prologue and epilogue that bookends this film, so to speak.

But otherwise, we have five short horror stories, one called Father's Day, The Lonesome Death of Geordi Verrill, Something to Tide You Over. the crate, and they're creeping up on you. We can move through each one and talk about them individually, but just a quick question. I mean, this is from 1982. I'm hoping the listeners will be watching along on these with us as we go through.

I mean, I don't know how to talk about these short films in this anthology without going into spoilers. So I feel like we need to give a spoiler warning right here. Don't you guys agree or not? I agree. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, but one last, one last general overview question and then we can delve in. Do you guys feel like, cause usually, as you said, Dr. Shuck, usually. When you're watching a horror anthology, you know, it's kind of like the Neapolitan ice cream. It's like...

If you don't love strawberry, you still got chocolate and vanilla in there, you know, or whatever. But usually it's that way in a horror anthology. There's one that's like one or two that you don't love. Do you feel like all five of these? are equally as strong because I feel like there's one that's a little weaker but the rest I think are pretty solid. What do you guys think? I always thought that they all have their charms.

You know, there was none of them that I was like I was like thinking, OK, you know, let's let's get through this as I'd watched it over the years. Now there's one that I'm kind of like, okay, let's just sort of get this one done and get on with the rest of it. It just doesn't engage me as much as it did. I mean, I don't think there's a bad one in the bunch. I don't. I don't think there's like a terrible one in the bunch.

You can't say that about all, you know, anthologies. But there is, I will agree with you, there is one that, because of the tone of it, I want to say that it's just... I'd put it at my fifth favorite of the five. I still don't think it's bad. I just would put it at my fifth favorite. Interesting. Okay. Dave Z, what say you, sir? I agree. I think that they're all great. Every one of them.

But I think that one is just a little bit not as great as the other. But that's okay. I still enjoy it, and I actually have picked up on more in it over time, other stuff that – that I get out of that episode. Wow, I wonder if we all have the same one. I'm so intrigued. That'd be interesting. Jay, I'm going to predict that you do have the same one. As you do? Okay. Yes.

I'm not sure with Dave Z. I'm not sure with Dave Z. I think you and I probably have the same. Let's just whip them out and put them on a table right now. For mine, they're creeping up on you, I feel is the weakest one of the crew. I am completely wrong. For me, it would have been the one with Stephen King in it. Jordy Verrill. Jordy Verrill. Okay. And I agree with you. I'm on the same place with you, Dave. Okay. There you go. And it's...

Well, we'll get into it a little bit later, but it's King's performance. It is like pitched so high, so high that it just becomes to the point you're just like. okay you know what steve back it down you know what you're a great writer you're not a great actor It's just him. He never, he never brings it down. I mean, even, even to the, to like the Gomer Pyle stare that he does and things like, I don't even think Gomer Pyle did that stare, but it's just this.

you know, playing the dumb hick and it was just too much. Okay. Well, yeah, let's, let's come back around to that. Cause I do have a, believe it or not, I have some defense of that, but believe it or not.

Spoilers for Creepshow begin right now. Okay, so the way the film opens, Dave Z, you want to take us into this and how you feel about the prologue to this film? I love the pro. I love the second. This is one of those movies. As soon as it starts, I already have a big smile on my face because as soon as it opens, it's right in. You got that John Harrison soundtrack immediately, which is something that also that score is just so.

overlooked by horror score fans. I don't hear people talk about it enough and I think it's fantastic. But as soon as it starts, you see the pumpkin in the window. So like, okay, it's got a little bit of Halloween flavor. I usually watch it during October and into the family.

we go and and like it's some somebody said that you know this is the only time that you don't like Tom Atkins maybe it's because he shaved his mustache I don't know maybe that gives him some type of power yeah he takes it off and he becomes a jerk You know, but it's cool. See, it's a good wraparound. It's a good way to kick it off. Sometimes you see them and it's so long nowadays. This is the perfect length. It gives you exactly what you want.

I remember, you know, all the lines in it. So it's something I think that's pretty cool. Well, OK, but let me ask you something about this, because do you think and I'm being half serious, but half kidding. But you know how we got. And I think it started in the 80s. We got to this place in the 80s where like sitcoms would disrespect the fathers of the family and like the fathers would be...

treated like they were idiots and then they would be just totally disrespected. Do you think that this is in the beginning of that wave of where fathers were starting to be less valued? Because when the boy, when the son played by Joe Hill, by the way, Stephen King's actual son when he says I hope you rot in hell I'm like dang that's strong that's some strong dialogue right there well

He's attracted to that stuff. He's attracted to the creeper who comes to his window. He's just a kid that's interested in dark stuff at the time. It's kind of like playing off of... kids that are horror fans. And of course, you know, Tom Atkins is a jerk and it's all about the comeuppets to, you know, to, to people that are jerks throughout the whole movie. So why not there? I think I love the way it plays out.

Yeah, and I agree with you to a point, Jay, but I don't think all of the 80s sitcoms were that. I mean, think of Family Ties. Yeah. You know, that had a strong father even into the 90s. Cosby show. I don't know that some of the more popular ones had that. I don't know. What ones were you thinking of? Well, I'm just I'm just saying that over time, the father ended up.

becoming a buffoon and we still see that today i mean yes like more and more it began to occur and i'm just wondering if there was some sort of wave in our culture that happened back then and this was the beginning of it probably not probably just i don't think it would have been

It started then. It's too early, I think. Too early for that. Because you're still looking at 70s shows, although in the 70s you still had Archie Bunker and you had George Jefferson, which were kind of... buffoons in their own way but that's true lovable at the same time i don't know with their uh with their beliefs and whatnot yeah right that's a good point and i know by the way that probably everybody says i'm sure i've heard people

say this, but there's a toy scene in this where I had that Godzilla, that plastic Godzilla, and I had that Incredible Hulk. And my buddy had that like monster with the orange belt around it. So it is so nostalgic for me to see those in this. But anyways. Awesome. Okay. So anything else about the prologue before we keep moving?

no i agree i think it's i think it was the the right length and i think it started it off well you know and it and i liked how when it i like the animation in this yes i thought that was really cool I love that. Yeah, the opening animation. Now, I read, and you guys can teach me about this, I'm sure. I read that Tom Savini was responsible for depicting the comic book feel and look of this. So...

I mean, how was he responsible for that? Like, what did he do exactly? I didn't know that. I know that it was King's idea to have it presented in a comic book style. I didn't know, and I wish I would have had the time to watch Just Desserts again. I didn't know that was the case with Savini getting credit for that. If so, that's surprising and cool. Yeah. I'm not sure. I mean, the transitions they do, sometimes from scene to scene, it's like they're shifting from panel to panel.

That certainly wouldn't have been Tom Savini. Yeah. Unless he suggested that is the only thing I could think of. I mean, I don't know how the, you know, with the makeup effects, how he would have been able to. to do that so it says this is I found where I read this according to Wikipedia which I know is not always trustworthy it says Romero hired long time effects specialist Tom Savini to replicate

Comic-like effects. Very colorful. Maybe that's it. There's a lot of colors in these. Okay. Great. But yeah, I love those transitions and especially the animation, as you said, Doc Shock.

Okay, Dr. Schrock, take us into Father's Day then, our first main segment here. All right. It is about, well, it's this family sitting around. They're reflecting on something that happened in the... I guess not too distant past, where the patriarch of the family, a nasty old guy named Nathan Grantham, played by Joe Lormer, was murdered by his adult daughter Bedelia.

And the rest of the family sitting around, including Ed Harris, who's just married into the family, a young Ed Harris. I don't know that this is his first movie because I know he worked. I think he worked with Romero on Knight Riders as well. I think he was in that movie also. But they're waiting for Bedelia. You know, she shows up on Father's Day. This all happened. I went down on Father's Day. She shows up, goes out to the grave, and they think, you know, her sister.

I don't have the actress who played her here, unfortunately, says she goes out and meditates for an hour. Well, she doesn't. She just sort of goes out there and curses out the old guy because he was a nasty SOB. He really was. I mean, he was somebody you wanted to see get hit on the head with a heavy ashtray, which is what happens to him. But this particular Father's Day, it seems that dear old dad does not want to stay dead.

In the clip that we're showing from the day that he was murdered, he was calling for his cake. He wants his cake. Bedelia, where's my cake? You bitch, bring me my cake. And that's the end of him. Well, he's come back from being in the grave. I want to say seven years. And he's intent on ruining a family dinner and getting his cake. When he erupts up out of the grave, do you think that they were riffing on or influenced by Fulci's zombie? Because it reminded me so much of those zombies.

when he was coming up out of there. It had that look. It had this sort of gooey look. Of a Fulci zombie. In worms. You know, this was not, it's interesting because this was not a Romero zombie. Right. It did seem more like a Fulci zombie. And Savini did Romero zombies. So in Dawn of the Dead, it was them two teamed up. this did not look like that yeah but were they going for zombie because this guy can talk

I think Savini was trying to showcase his talents and be a monster man and create different monsters to the best of his ability. And that's what I think he did starting with this one. like what would this guy look like after seven years in the ground yeah yeah little side note another sad kids dying true story oh no when the headstone falls and crushes Ed Harris' character. That really was pretty impactful.

To me, because there were in my hometown back east in West Virginia, there were kids playing in this old graveyard and they were playing by this headstone, and it fell over on them and crushed both of them. So that's another little uplifting story for everybody. Thank you. Everywhere you go, children seem to be in danger. I'm just a ray of sunshine for everybody on this convoy day.

What do you want to say about this Father's Day short here? I love Father's Day. It's so simple and at the same time so great. And it sets up, it kicks it off where it sets the trend. for what's going to happen here. You're going to see rich people portrayed as bad guys, and you're going to see that they're paid for it.

The zombie and Nathan was probably the worst of them all. And he's now the zombie that's doing the damage. But still, I mean, he got what's coming to him with the ashtray. And now he gets to come up and do this and be a zombie with powers, which you never see. When else do you ever see someone come out of the grave and have the power to move the headstone like that? I think it's cool. Like the force, right? Yeah. Yeah, it's bad, man. Yeah, for real.

That scene, the way it was dragging out, I mean, it really built the tension because you're thinking, is he going to get out of there? Is he going to make it up? Because it did not happen quickly.

That was, like, really sort of slowly. It was happening slowly. And Ed Harris, and he's looking up, and he's like, can he move? And then he makes another discovery. And, well, we're going into spoilers. He sees Bedelia. That's okay. You can spoil. Yeah, we're getting into spoilers. So he's just waiting. And then all of a sudden, here comes Nathan, you know, looking all decayed.

Very much like, who was that? Griffin Dunn towards the end of American Werewolf in London. You know, just watch him decay throughout that movie. But this time, Nathan's already done. And the stone was just moving a little. And then a little bit. more and you're thinking this guy's gonna get away he's gonna you know the first time you watch he's gonna get away get away and no

It doesn't happen. But I liked how they did that. I liked how they didn't just, it wasn't quick. They let that go on for, I think, just the right length of time, Romero. And that went on just the right, perfect amount of time. Where it's building the suspense. It's building like, is he going to get away? You better move. You better do something to move. And he just, he was, every time he would try to move, it would move a little more. So he was afraid to move.

Yeah. So it was inevitable what happened. But I thought that was I liked the way they did that. That's something that stuck with me this most recent viewing. And then we know with short films, you know, especially with horror shorts, they're built like a joke where there's a punchline. And this isn't, you know, the punchline or like the stinger moment is the head on a platter. And he's like, I got my.

cake. And it's like, okay, you know, that's a passable head on the bladder, I thought. So, okay, moving into the lonesome death of Geordi Verrill. Now,

Now, I totally know what you guys are saying about Stephen King's performance. Well, no, I said that. Dave Z did not say that. I said that. I'm not sure what Dave said. He said it's not his favorite. Okay. Along with mine, you know, but he did not say that about Stephen King. I'm the culprit on that. Well, there's something about Stephen King, because I'm not a huge reader, but...

I have read some Stephen King. I know that's a terrible thing to admit, but the things that I've read, he does like to write doofus. slash comedic characters and yeah i think his performance is is definitely a little over the top but a little over there's something here there's something here though that's kind of freaky right for some reason i think this one is really unsettling i i actually think despite his performance that this is one of the the scarier shorts in this

I don't think it's a I don't think it's a bad short. I don't. And I like the concept behind it. And, you know, what did you think as far as what time period it was? Did they say what time period it was said? And it had to be. Well, we had Bob Backlund wrestling Samoan number one, didn't we, Dave? He said it was WWF Madison Square Garden time period. Early 80s, late 70s. There you go.

Right. That was it, man. It was 82 or 81. Because the movie came out in 82. So it was just present day. So it was modern. But he had the old-time phone. He had an old-time television there. When he'd go into the doctor's office, it looked like the doctor's office was from the 1950s. I wasn't quite sure. I mean, you're right. He was watching wrestling. And then after that, it was old movie.

So that's why I just wasn't the look of it. It felt as if it was set sometime. And maybe that's just the look that we're going for because it's something from outer space. And those were big movies in the 50s. So maybe that's just sort of the look that we're going for.

But that's because, look, he picked up that phone and that was like a very old rotary that he used. Not even, you know, I'm talking like the tall ones. Right. The tall phone. And seriously, going into the doctor's office, the doctor's office had a look of being like.

An old time doctor's office. And where he was going to sell, not just the doctor's office, where he was going in to sell the media. Yeah, my understanding of all that, Dave, is it's just a small town America. And, you know, it's like a, you know, that's kind of what I was thinking of. Okay. In terms of, you know, the, the era. But, but for me though, I think the reason this gets so creepy and why it weighed on me is like anybody who's ever had a poison Ivy or, or something like.

that's afflicting you and it's spreading. I mean, that's really a terrifying situation. And this, I mean, it's very upsetting. And the fact that he starts growing. things all over him and there's nothing you can do about it. I mean, it is a little bit of a bawdy horror story here. Oh, it definitely is. And it's funny because he even gets a warning at one point not to do something.

and he does it and then it just gets that much worse. Yeah. And you can say, we gave a spoiler warning, so feel free to talk freely. Okay. As like sort of comedic as I thought this sequence was, the ending is kind of chilling. Yes. That final moment and what he's saying is kind of chilling, you know, and I did and I did like I'd like the effects in this. And I did like that story about how this thing is spreading on.

Yeah, I have something to say about that too in a minute. But Daisy, first I want to kick it to you, brother. I want to make sure I didn't leave you out. No, no. The thing is, if you think about it, the body horror aspect and all that other stuff, it is... It is disturbing because that stuff does disturb me. Body horror and something like that happening and how you're going to deal with it. It really is. King, the thing is...

I know why he's doing what he's doing, but it fits the tone of the whole presentation. It's the music. It's just more of a lighthearted thing because it's a one-man show. He specifically wanted to play this part because that was one of the – when they made the deal, that's when he told George that this is the part he wants to play because actually Tom Atkins, when he brought Atkins aboard.

Atkins said, Romero said, you can play any part you want. He said, I want to play that part, Jordy Vero. And he goes, I can't. He goes, accept that. He goes, that's the one Stephen King wants. So Stephen King wrote it and wanted it and wanted to act goofy the way he did. But it was just.

I think that they just wanted to have one in there with that type of atmosphere at the time. Yeah. I just think it was – I think for some reason I almost find it ill-placed. You would think it would be the third one as opposed to the second, like a break in the action. But either way, I love the movie so much that it doesn't matter. But his performance is what it is. And it is goofy. I actually say a lot of the lines. I think it's funny. I think he is actually funny.

I'm along for the ride. And what I've noticed nowadays is everything that's going on the TV is sending messages to him. It's like these little commentaries. It's cute. And there's even more to it. And then the one thing is even some of it is actually even depressing.

When you hear what they're saying on the screen and how it's registering with his character. So there's scary moments, you know. And I think it's kind of funny that when he wasn't getting those messages from the TV, he wasn't like listening to them that finally someone came along and said.

hey doofus listen up you know like he got a straight message you know it was like somebody was trying to feed him the information he wasn't getting it someone said okay let's just straight out tell him now yeah and he still didn't get it Well, yeah. And the ending is just honestly, the ending is what gets me because, you know, basically this is an apocalyptic tale. It is happening now. It is. And even prior to that, though, is what chills me the most, I think, because.

What we have is an absolute horror tale of nihilism where he has been overcome by this alien infection and vegetation, whatever it is. And it's even on his vocal cords because his voice is scratchy and he can't talk well. And he completely gives up. And he is just hoping that all he can do is have one successful shot.

kill himself and that's that's very bleak and nihilistic so I love that kind of thing as sort of comedic as the rest of it was it had a very strong like very dramatic and very disturbing ending yes yeah yeah

Okay. And then next, I don't know about you guys, but this one is either my favorite or tied to be my favorite and is called something to tide you over. I think, I think this is my favorite. Yeah. Wow. Absolutely. It's my favorite. Yeah, so Dave Z, why is this one your favorite? Leslie Nielsen steals the freaking show. The writing in this. Leslie Nielsen is so funny with his delivery of lines. He is like a top 10 bad guy all time for me in this little freaking 25 minute short in one movie.

It is one of the most remarkable performances of a bad guy in horror to me. Everything he says just makes me laugh. He just has these lines throughout it, and it's just this certain type of humor in the way he delivers the lines. Either you're going to... really love it and it's going to make you laugh like it does me or you're not going to notice it it's just my type of humor just the way he talks like you know just he's great and on top of that

Of course, the story and what happens is the fact that Stephen King has the kind of mind that thought of this thought, that's what blows my mind. You got to be so good and so imaginative to say, OK. What's a good way to kill people? Have them unsuspecting and do this and do. And the fact that he came up with that idea of the sand and putting them in and waiting for the tide. And oh, my gosh, it's it's haunting when it happens because I have issues with.

suffocation and drowning and that one shot with Ted Danson gets me every single time I watch it. I know that it's in an aquarium and I know there's people there and I know it's a movie, but it does not matter. Just seeing that gives me like a little bit of anxiety. I agree.

I agree. I think that's the scariest portion of the entire movie, of all the sequences. That's the scariest part. And the jump scare I'm talking about, Dave Z, is after Leslie Nielsen shuts the door and then turns around. Close the door, yep. That's it, yep. I knew it! Every time.

It's a good one. Dude, it's great. It's the best jump in here. It reminds me of the one in Friday the 13th Part 2 when Ginny is pulling the doorknob and she puts the thing in front of it to block it and then she pulls and as soon as she backs up Jason's hand, comes through the window. Ah, same thing. Oh, man. Great jump scare. Just a great story. The soundtrack does so good with it. The score, the way it's used, and just the acting in general.

I mean, and everything that's going on with gangland Ross when she's performing and, but Leslie Nielsen and just his, his delivery of lines is just comic horror.

genius it is it's like it's like it's like almost like evil genius you know like he knows what he's gonna do and then ted dancing gets an i gets an idea um once they drive out to the beach and he goes running down there and he sees the hole you know and and he's got to get in he's like no i'm like well then i guess i gotta shoot you i know i wanted it to play out but okay you know and you get the feeling and ted he knows ted danson knows he is gonna shoot

So I better get down in the, you know, if I want to survive this, if I have a chance, I better get down in this hole. And then he's rationalizing with them. And then he says, and I do have the gun. Just the way he says it. He's brilliant. What I think is so fascinating about this, this is one of those examples where horror cinema has turned us to root for the monsters, quote unquote monsters, because... These monsters are sympathetic. Like they, you know, the drowned...

couple, they end up becoming some sort of, what kind of monster would you call him? I know Dr. Bishop would be very technical about it, but if there's some kind of, you know, waterlogged zombie. Whatever they are. That's what it's like. It's like a swamp monster. That's what I think. Swamp creatures or something. They're pelagic prowlers. That's what I'll call them. But yeah, they are...

They are monsters, and yet we are rooting for the monsters and not the living human. And I think that's really interesting when that happens. I think the only time we don't is in the first one with Nathan, but then none of those characters are particularly likable. right you know it's not like it's like anyone else in the family you like them any better but nathan is is really kind of a kind of a creep but i'm with you on this one i think you you are rooting for the two of them so cool

Yeah, for sure you are. But the great thing about this is, is that in the beginning, he's the bad guy. And yes, you know, he's doing something bad, but he's so he's so charismatic. You just – you love seeing him on your screen, bad guy or not. He carries all that stuff, and then you're happy when the monsters do their thing. So it's like – I don't know. It's like the tale of two halves. Initially, though, I mean –

I'm not as tough on Leslie Nielsen's character because I mean, he is, he's being cheated on, you know, like he, you know, that's terrible. So, I mean, I don't know, but, but, but yeah, this definitely has a real karma angle to it. Doesn't it? Yeah. Okay.

So moving on to the crate, and this is the other one that I would be tied with. I mean, there's something about this one that stuck with me all these years. It was the one that I remembered the monster the most from. And how little monster's found. Yes. So intriguing. It was so cool. It was really, really cool how it was found. The guy just, he dropped his quarter rolls in there. Mm-hmm.

And then they seize this crate. And then the guy, I can't remember the actor's name, who five years later would be the head in Re-Animator or become a head. Oh, Fritz Weaver? Fritz Weaver, yeah. Yeah, is the professor who they open the crate up. And it's again, it's not rushing it. They're not rushing to open this crate. They're taking their time. Like Romero takes his time with these stories.

and lets them play out so you're anticipating like you know it's a point where you're going get the crate open we want to know what's in there Yeah. Yeah. And it's so intriguing. I mean, you're really kind of on the edge of your seat to see what it is for the first time because you're just dying to know just as the characters are. And I love how, you know, it comes from the Arctic.

And it has the name Carpenter on the box, which is kind of cool because it's surely. But yeah, I mean, that's super neat. And then also this particular skit, watching it now as an adult. There is a degree to which it was kind of close to home on some levels. I was actually kind of thinking about that, Jay, as I was watching it again.

I'm like, where was this damn crate when I needed a damn crate? But no, I'm just kidding. I'm with you. But yeah, I mean, it's got a great beastly freak and really kind of a, almost like a shock ma. Yeah. But also like an abominable snow yeti, but a little one. It was just a very cool looking creature. It really was. Yes. And look, you know what? Let's let's be. I mean, Adrian Barbeau gets you to really. hate her in this in this story yes indeed yes billy yes billy yeah she's great man

She is. It's a great performance. Yeah. You know, she encompasses what she sets out to do. But the scene where they're at the party and Helen Holbrook goes, Billy, and pulls out the gun and shoots her and then everybody claps.

You almost think you think it to yourself, you know, it's sort of just a fantasy sequence, but you're almost thinking to yourself, hey, buddy, give it a try. I think people may react that way. Right. Yeah. Nobody's going to say a word. What about when the beastly freak creature does attack? I think it's super cool how the lighting changes and we get this red, blue, purple lighting during the attacks. It's really cool. That's neat.

It's like they did it in Something to Tide You Over when they put that sort of animated background behind the characters when the terror was really getting strong at the end there. They do that same thing there. several different things throughout this movie and I think all of them worked. Yes. One last question before we move on. Like I said, you're a little bit older than I am. What does the phrase off on one hell of a toot mean?

I just think of cocaine, tooting a line. Okay, tooting a line, gotcha. Interesting. I would say that. Adrian Barbosa says something about his cigar smoke makes me want to ralph. Yeah. Ralph. That's a great term. Frankly, it makes me want to Ralph.

I know this movie freaking word for word. It's the truth. It's amazing. I love that about you. Luckily, this is a short show. Yes, absolutely. Okay, so let's move into They're Creeping Up On You. And to me, you guys, I feel like this is the weakest of the stories because I just feel like there's not much to this story. But yeah, I mean, if you're afraid of bugs, if bugs and roaches creep you out, I could see

And it's one of the longest, isn't it? Well, it feels long, at least to me. I mean, I like it. I like it to some extent. And I do like how where he's living. He's like this Howard Hughes-esque guy who's kind of a germaphobe. And because of the nature of the decoration, like where he, the set design, the production design of where he's living, it does have this stylized look to it, which is kind of interesting. But I don't know. It just, it seems like there's just not much there.

In terms of story. I like E.G. Marshall in this. I think he gave a good performance. Playing that guy. And it is very Howard Hughes. With the germaphobe. That is very Howard Hughes like. You know what? I'll be honest with you. I started watching this again before we recorded and I thought we were recording at 1030. Okay. So I did not get, I was going to finish it right when we started recording. I did not get to see this one again.

Okay. So this one is not as fresh in my memory as the other four. Gotcha. But I do remember liking it. I mean, for me, I always thought, I always considered Jordi Vero one, the one that would be like the bottom rung for me. But this one might be like just above that one because I think the other three are so strong. And it may be because those other three have like you're talking like specific monsters in them.

Yeah. Whereas like the, in this, the bugs are the monsters, right? The little bugs. But Dave Z, it sounds like you love this one too, of course. What is it? What is it about this one that works for you? For the most part, it's a one man show and E.G. Marshall is just freaking extraordinary. The stuff that comes out of his mouth, the way he's portrayed and just this just being another morality tale and everything he's saying about bugs and comparing them to, you know.

People in the business world and people in general and just the attitude about everything and the clinical look of it all and the germophobia. It's so weird. Jay, what you said about this is what I feel about. jordy virile not enough happens but to this it seems like it hits the ground running like immediately spraying a roach it goes here he makes the phone call in these he gets a couple phone calls and a couple in the interaction with them you know

the guy that works there. So there's enough to keep it bouncing around, but the damn bugs, it just freaks me out. Cockroach, you put yourself in that position. It freaks me out. The thing with the cockroaches in your food and your cereal and just all that stuff. And all of a sudden he looks and when the power goes off, it's the worst part because you look up and you can see they're all on top of the ceiling on the outs. Oh, my gosh.

It's just horrific to me. Like if I saw all those cockroaches, you don't want them around. That'll freak me out, man. Right. I had this experience, not the exact, but pretty close. I had this experience with... fleas a flea infestation one time and i just about lost my mind so i can really relate to this as well with fleas i Freaking hate fleas. Anyways. I had a roach fall on my head once. How about that? Well, Las Vegas, if you don't spray for roaches, they'll come.

I didn't know this. I bought a house. Really? First time I ever bought a house. So I bought the house. Yeah, because we got them sprayed at the apartments hours and everything. Once a month, they will come and spray. It has nothing to do with being dirty or anything like that. It's just the dry heat. They're roaches. Roaches and spiders will get in the same way other animals.

whatever insects will get in where you live now but roaches will come in there so what happened is the people that we bought the house from the last like 30 days they were there or 45 days because they knew they were moving or maybe they moved out already they didn't spray and it wasn't

my mind the first month I was there yet and because of this all of a sudden I'm sitting on the couch one day and a roach falls from the ceiling right into my hair on the ground then I see another one in the house then I go outside and I get the spray and I spray it And I had like what you might call it desert landscaping, big rocks and this and that other stuff and little rocks. And I sprayed all the stuff out there and then I sprayed in the garage and roaches were coming out of.

All these places that you wouldn't even know. And then the people had to come and spray. Luckily, not much was inside, but the garage was crawling with them and outside the house. And like I said, we had a handful inside and it was a scary experience for me. You just changed my mind about moving to Las Vegas someday. Brother, just spray once a month. You're cool, I promise. Oh my goodness. Because then as soon as that happened, I promise you, there was never a roach.

In that house again for the next four years I lived there. Wow. Wow. Once a month, you got to spray.

All right. Well, that was a scary story. Thank you for telling it. Now, in terms of the epilogue here where it wraps up, we find out that this boy wasn't just, you know. kind of inclined toward the macabre. He was a little psychopath because he has a voodoo doll and he's destroying his father. Did you guys, did you guys like that payoff? I mean, was that, how'd you feel about that?

Yes. Yeah, I mean, you know, it's in the context of the story. Yeah, I mean, I don't know that Tom Atkins, he was playing a jerk. I don't know that he deserved to die, but in this kid's eyes, he did. Yeah, to rot in hell, right? Right. Yes. All right. Well, let's do our ratings and recommendations here. Dr. Shock, what say you, brother? I would give this a 9.5 and say you got to buy it.

You have to have this in the collection. This is one you will go back to and watch multiple times. And it is, as we've been saying, it is the best horror anthology. And the one that all the others have to be compared to. And, you know, I liked the sequel, but I don't think it was it had as many strong stories as this one.

Nice. Okay. So 9.5 and Dr. Chuck says buy it. Okay. I'll go next. So I agree with you guys that there is a bar that is set with creep show here. And I do think that horror anthologies are. compared to this one. My personal favorite, you guys might stone me for this. My personal favorite horror anthology is trick or treat. My number two. I would not, I'm not going to hold you.

yeah no problem at all with that one that's a damn good one too but still i mean like if we did a top five list this would definitely be my top five horror anthologies but yeah for me creep show 1982 is a 7.5 out of 10 and it's a buy i own it so buy it dave's See what say you, brother.

Yeah, I love this movie. I think it's a special movie. I think it really is one of a kind in its presentation. Like I said, you got King, you got Romero, you got Savini. At the top of their game, you have the soundtrack, like I said. John Harrison. I think it's the best acted George Romero movie. There's a lot of really good performances throughout.

And it clicks along perfectly. And just the presentation of the cuts from live to comic and back. You know what I mean? And what they do and how they use the colors. They light it up like comic-y colors. They do like Suspiria-type lighting and stuff. I just think that it's...

Just in a class all its own. I think it's an amazing achievement of a movie. And I know it's weird to say that about a horror anthology, but that's the way I feel. And we have the luxury here of having it written all by the same person. That's something you don't see a lot anymore. I think that's why anthologies for the most part.

aren't as good as they used to be that they it's just kind of a you know let's get like four directors together and do this and do that and and then they got to find a way to connect them and there's budgetary uh constraints on each one this was all of them together doing what they do, and executed great. It's a 10 out of 10 for me. I own this movie in every way from the snap.

case freaking original dvd to all the different blu-rays even ones that are from the uk and stuff like that and the 4k is coming out at the end of them but i'll say this the shout factory blu-ray the scream factory is one of the better ones out there It's a very good looking Blu-ray. I'm going to say to own this movie, but I'm also going to say you might just want to wait until the end of June when the 4K comes out. Okay. But I'm with it. Yeah, buy it. Absolutely.

All right, there you go. That is our review of Creepshow 1982. I really appreciate Dr. Shock and Dave Z here reviewing it with me. And guess what, guys? I did our next pick, our next pick for the Exploding Heads horror movie. movie podcast top 200 horror movies of all time and it is their number 1-36, Silent Night, Deadly Night, 1984. We'll review that here in the summer. That's a lot of fun. That'll be a lot of fun to watch this movie in the summer. I love that movie.

Something I wanted to say. Say it, brother. About Creepshow. About Creepshow. Yeah. That I didn't mention. Do it. Did you guys notice the ashtray is in every single thing in the wraparound and in every single installment? Oh, I did not notice that. The one that kills Nathan Grantham. Yeah, the ashtray is in every installment, including the wraparound. Really cool.

I think it's more fun for people to look for it than for me to tell you where it is. But it's there. Right. Cool. That's awesome. Thank you so much. So, yeah, listeners, make sure you're subscribed to the Exploding Heads Patreon so you can hear their episodes. So 200, it's in three parts and they'll give you the whole list of 200 or you could just wait for like, what, the next seven years or whatever, guys, as we review one at a time. Yes, there you go.

Anyways, it was wonderful to have you guys again. Thank you for being here. Do you guys have anything you want to tell the listeners just for parting words? Any love you want to share? Happy Convoy Day. I'll say that. Happy Convoy Day. Yeah. You know, I'm not bugs. You can hear them at pretty much the end of every episode. And I'm getting a few too many. I'm getting tired of saying them all. Yeah. Nice. Okay.

Peace and love. That's it. Peace and love to everybody. Take care of each other. Be good to each other. That's so nice. Do what makes you happy. There you go. There you go. All right. That wraps up this episode of Jay of the Dead's new horror movies. We hope you enjoyed this show enough to support.

to this free podcast and spread the word to other horror fans. Remember, if you visit our website at newhorrormovies.com, then you can look in the show notes for any episode, including this one, and then find the links.

to our nine horror hosts and all their other podcasts blogs websites social media and so forth just like dr shock was talking about and i'd love for you to go check them out and support those guys you're gonna love what they're doing over there i also want to thank frederick ingram and nate jonovan who composed some of the music that was used for this podcast their links are also in the show notes so on behalf of the nine horror avengers that's uh dave dr shock becker the gill man joel robertson

Mr. Watson, Dr. Walking Dead Kyle Bishop, The Southern Gentleman, Greg Amortis, Count Macula, Ron Martin, and Dave Z. We all want to thank you for listening to Jay of the Dead's new horror movies, your new favorite horror podcast.