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(Frights! Camera! Action!) TALES FROM THE CRYPT Season 4 Brings the Gore, the Guest Stars, and Tom Hanks' Directorial Debut

By. Davalyn Baker

 

With four seasons of TALES FROM THE CRYPT complete, this season has found its footing and audience. It amps up the gore, the sex, and the props for the star, the Crypt Keeper. Tom Hanks’ directorial debut comes in a hilariously gory and goofy episode about a murderous Casanova who targets lonely, rich elderly women in None but the Lonely Heart.

 

Noticeably, the Crypt Keeper’s costume budget has increased with an episode featuring him dressed as Elvis and one of The Beatles. His one-liners somehow seem to get cornier with each passing episode, but he’s so beloved that you honestly can’t help but give a little chuckle at the jokes.

 

Before diving into Season 4, check out our look at TALES FROM THE CRYPT Season 3, where the Crypt Keeper was still finding a few tricks left in his moldy old crypt.

 

Though the fourth season is not nearly as strong as season 2, it packs a greater punch than season 3, and the celebrity guest list is out of the park. This season features Mimi Rogers, Brad Pitt, Madge Sinclair, Treat Williams, Christopher Reeve, Tom Hanks, Donald O’Connor, Timothy Dalton, Lela Rochon Fuqua, and so many more popular faces from the 80s and 90s.

 

Werewolf Concerto - An Agatha Christie-styled whodunit where werewolves are normalized, Timothy Dalton stars as the mysterious Lokai, a werewolf hunter hired by overly flamboyant Antoine, the hotel manager played by Dennis Farina. There was this thing in the 90s when writers and directors wanted an audience to know that a character was gay, that they chose the most extreme, flamboyant characteristics they could. One can say it’s gotten better, but there’s still so much progress to make there. But Farina is having fun with the role, I’ll give him that. When it’s announced that a werewolf has murdered one of the lodge attendees, the rest of the guests accept this news like it’s completely normal, only hoping that the creature is caught soon. Lokai crosses paths with a beautiful pianist portrayed by Beverly D’Angelou. There’s a cat-and-mouse game that happens within the last fifteen minutes of the episode, and Lokai does not realize that he’s the mouse. This episode is quintessential to my journey through nostalgia as a 90s kid being raised by television I shouldn’t be engaging in. No one could ever make me hate this episode.

 

What’s Cookin’ - A lively episode that stars Christover Reeve and Tess Harper as married couple Fred and Erma. The story begins with the protagonists barely staying afloat in their squid-themed restaurant. Things take a turn for the better when their janitor, Gaston, played by Judd Nelson, changes the menu after murdering the landlord, Chumley, played by musician Meat Loaf. The reason for the success? Cannibalism. And what is horror without a taste of the human flesh? The best part is seeing Superman lean into the enjoyment of it after having his first bite. It’s a cute mash-up of Sweeney Todd and I Love Lucy that I think is one of the strongest episodes of the season.

 

Beauty Rest - Mimi Rogers stars as Helen, a woman being aged out of her profession despite her hard work and talent. The rejections have created bitterness in Helen that seeps into her personal relationships, especially her relationship with her roommate, Joyce, played by Kathy Ireland. When Helen learns that Joyce has gotten a job where she will win a rigged beauty pageant, Helen takes matters into her own hands. Initially, she plans to put Joyce to sleep so she can steal the win, but when Joyce seems to die from Helen’s concoction, she goes forward with this steadily increasing bad plan and arrives at the pageant. Helen’s desire to be seen and acknowledged eventually outweighs her morality when another contestant, Druscilla, catches her in the scheme originally set up for Joyce. But Helen wants to win! And despite her claims of not being a terrible person, she commits to completing terrible acts that give her a win that affects her life forever.

 

Maniac at Large - Blythe Danner stars as Margaret, a timid librarian who is new to her job in the inner-city. She spends the episode paranoid because the news and her coworkers have discussed that a serial killer has been spotted in the area. One night after being forced to work late by her supervisor, Margaret’s suspicions and paranoia only seem to grow. Margaret snaps in the remaining minutes of the episode, worried about her supervisor, the suspicion steadily creeping upon her. Blythe Danner is so great in the role of Margaret, taking center stage and mostly alone with her thoughts. The episode plays with the audience’s perception of what they can and can’t trust, and Margaret, as the unreliable narrator, only makes this more confusing. This episode has a great twist. Blythe Danner works well with the cast as well, and makes me wonder why she didn’t try her hand at more horror films. She fits right in with the misfit characters who make up this episode, including Clarence Williams III, Adam Ant, Salome Jens, and Obba Bobbatunde.

 

On a Deadman’s Chest - Danny Darwin, portrayed by Yul Vazquez is a rockstar leadman of a band called Exorcist. The episode is directed by William Friedkin, who horror fans will know as the director of The Exorcist. Danny bitterly announces to the crowd of fans that the guitarist and his best friend, Nick, who is newly married to Scarlett, played by Tia Carrere. Danny spends the episode with a hard-edged vendetta against Scarlett, using any moment in her company to hurl insults and threats. After an unsuccessful romp with a groupie named Vendetta, Danny is introduced to a tattoo artist named Farouche, played by Heavy freaking D. Farouche is something of a magician, giving the paying client a tattoo that represents their inner being. Unfortunately for Danny, he receives a tattoo of Scarlett on his chest. Angry and frustrated, Danny spends the rest of the episode trying to get rid of the tattoo - and the woman. Because of his own insecurities, he lets Scarlett get under his skin in more ways than one. I loved this episode for its use of practical effects and props. Seeing art created by prop artists and puppeteers adds to the appeal of this episode, despite it looking dated.

 

Season 4 takes risks and tries new genres that pay off. Though it’s still not as strong as season 2, it heads in the right direction and has sealed its fate as a cult classic. Season 4 is the season I can fully remember as a kid, without being terrified of the Crypt Keeper and fascinated with the different storylines where the characters clearly did not understand that their actions would have serious consequences.

 

Season 5 premieres on Shudder this Friday, May 29th. The Crypt Keeper isn't done yet. Continue your trip through HBO's legendary horror anthology as we head into Season 5, where the guest stars get bigger, the stories get stranger, and the puns somehow get even worse.

 

We’re halfway through the season, and this trip down memory lane has been quite entertaining.