Richard Greene | Scott's Film Reviews-1,521 Reviews posted!!! RECENTLY LAUNCHED-MY TOP 250 FAVORITE FILMS AND TOP 40 HORROR FILMS!!!

Tales from the Crypt-1972

Director Freddie Francis

Starring Joan Collins, Ian Hendry, Robin Phillips

Scott’s Review #1,200

Reviewed November 25, 2021

Grade: A-

Tales from the Crypt (1972) is a delicious British anthology based on stories from the EC Comics series. Each of the five chapters is eerie storytelling that offers horror fans glimpses into the minds of depraved, devilish characters with sinister motives.

The sheer joy is witnessing their comeuppance.

This film is the predecessor to Vault of Horror (1973) and can be watched as a companion piece.

Below is a summary, review, and rating of each vignette.

Intro

Five strangers are suddenly compelled to join a tourist group to visit the old catacombs.

Separated from the main group, the strangers find themselves in a room with the mysterious Crypt Keeper (Ralph Richardson), who details how each of them may die.

…And All Through The House- A

Joanne Clayton (Joan Collins) brutally kills her husband Richard (Martin Boddey) on Christmas Eve to get her hands on their insurance money.

She prepares to hide his body but hears a radio announcement of a homicidal maniac (Oliver MacGreevy) on the loose.

She sees the killer (who is dressed in a Santa Claus costume) outside her house, but cannot call the police without exposing her crime.

Her daughter is upstairs in her bedroom, unaware.

This is my favorite chapter, and it’s nonstop action. Collins is terrific as the greedy Englishwoman put in peril. The audience will cheer for her to get her just desserts, especially after she callously disregards a lovely Christmas gift her husband bought for her.

Reflection of Death- B+

Carl Maitland (Ian Hendry) abandons his family to be with his secretary, Susan Blake (Angela Grant). After they drive off together, they are involved in a car accident. He wakes up, having been thrown clear of the burned car. He tries to hitchhike home, but everyone he meets screams with horror when they see him.

This vignette is slightly confusing in terms of the events’ timeline, but compelling as we wait to see what Carl’s face looks like and what has happened to Susan and his wife.

Poetic Justice- A

James Elliott (Robin Phillips) lives with his father Edward (David Markham) across from the home of elderly dustman Arthur Edward Grimsdyke (Peter Cushing), who owns several dogs and entertains children in his house.

James hates Arthur’s ramshackle lawn and embarks on a scheme to rid the neighborhood of the older man.

I love seeing Cushing play against type as a kindly grandfatherly character, and this chapter is the ultimate revenge fantasy, and quite satisfying to see what happens to James.

It’s also a perfect watch for Valentine’s Day, since the holiday is in play.

Wish You Were Here- A-

Businessman Ralph Jason (Richard Greene) is on the verge of financial collapse. His wife Enid (Barbara Murray) notices the inscription on a Chinese statue the couple owns.

They are granted three wishes. Enid decides to wish for a fortune and, surprisingly, the wish comes true, but with dire results.

This one wonderfully cascades a chain of events that leaves the characters in peril. The theme is once again about greed, specifically surrounding insurance money. The fast-paced nature is appealing, and the ancient Chinese wishes leave one character in eternal suffering.

Blind Alleys- A-

Major William Rogers (Nigel Patrick) becomes the new director of a home for blind people and exploits his position to live in luxury with his dog, Shane. At the same time, his drastic cuts to food and heating worsen the residents’ living conditions.

Led by George Carter (Patrick Magee), the residents revolt after a fellow resident dies of hypothermia. Rogers and Shane are locked in the basement, where Rogers must navigate through a maze of razor blades and a now ravenous wild dog who will hungrily eat his owner.

Though far-fetched, Blind Alleys is delicious fun and contains my most hated character. This is all the more satisfying as he ‘gets it’ in the end!

Finale

After completing the final tale, the Crypt Keeper reveals that he was not warning them of what would happen, but telling them what has already happened: they have all “died without repentance.

The conclusion does nothing more than put a satisfying cap on the viewer as each character once again pays for their shenanigans.

The Little Princess-1939

Director Walter Lang

Starring Shirley Temple, Ian Hunter

Scott’s Review #827

Reviewed November 6, 2018

Grade: B+

The Little Princess (1939) is a latter-day Shirley Temple film released when the child star’s popularity declined.

The film is also Temple’s first production filmed in Technicolor and the last of her major successes. It is perfect, though not the first I would choose as a starting point in her collection. The film is saccharin, wholesome, and predictable, which are also adjectives audiences adore about the star’s cinematic projected film, looselyosely based on A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnfilm, was criticized at the time release for deviatingaying too far from the original novel.

The time is the turn of the century in England, and the backdrop is the Boer War. The film’s setting is a highlight for American audiences amidst the First World War and on the cusp of World War II, allowing for a timely and relevant film quality.

In the story, Temple plays Sara, the wealthy daughter of a military Captain (Ian Hunter) who is left to reside in a well-to-do girl’s school when her father is called away to serve in the war. When he unexpectedly dies in battle, Sara is left penniless and forced to work as a servant in the school she once attended.

At first, the staff treats Sara like royalty, but her treatment gradually harbors resentment among the principals, especially the dastardly headmistress (Mary Nash). Sara keeps her chin up, insisting that her father is not dead, and she becomes determined to find him in a local hospital.

In 2018, Shirley Temple’s films mainly served as a source of nostalgia rather than critical acclaim or cinematic dissection—what was the point?

Her films are a wholesome trip back memory lane to a simpler time for many. Ironic that the film is the first color picture in the collection, this detracts from the enjoyment and adds too much of a modern element foreign to Temple fans.

My preference is for the black-and-white productions of the early and mid-1930s.

The supporting characters spice up The Little Princess quite a bit.

Most notable is Cesar Romero as neighbor Ram Dass, who fills the void Sara needs after losing her father. The chemistry between Romero and Temple is terrific, and in a tender scene, the kindly Dass leaves warm blankets for Sara.

As the main villainous, common in Temple films, Mary Nash, as Miss Minchin, does her job flawlessly. As the main foil, Nash perfectly blends rigid mannerisms and the brunt of Sara’s tension.

The overall tone of The Little Princess (1939), hence the title, contains a riches to rags, Cinderella in reverse, type of story. The film is above average but not the best in the bunch.

Venturing to say that the film is a forgotten work save for the Shirley Temple series fans, it does what it sets out to do and entertains.

With drama, musical numbers, and a happy ending, the result is a similar experience to her many other films.