8. The Grim Reaper Rides On Triumph Tales From The Crypt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vye5NNnF4IQ&list=PL5286C8572B441290 In 1971, publisher Russ Cochran became a hero to horror and comics fans around the world. It was then that Cochran made a deal with comics producer William Gaines to start reprinting Gainess famous and long-defunct horror comics, including the titles The Vault of Horror, The Haunt of Fear, and, most famous of all, Tales From The Crypt. In the 1980s, these reprints would come to the attention of producer Joel Silver, who would go on to turn the comics into one of the most beloved TV shows ever made. However, long before Silver would get his hands on the comics, a small British film company, Amicus Productions, would notice the reprints. Amicus was known for making horror anthology flicks, and the studio executives saw a wealth of material in the books. A deal was struck with EC Comics (Gainess publishing company), and Amicus went on to make two anthology flicks based on the comic books. The most effective of the two films is the first, titled Tales From the Crypt. There are many memorable moments in the film, but the most effective comes during a story titled Wish You Were Here. The story, inspired by W.W. Jacobss classic tale The Monkeys Paw, tells the story of a couple who come upon a small Chinese statue that grants the owner three wishes. The couple take advantage of the statues offer, only to find themselves a little too rash in their wish-making, as each wish comes true with very unsavory consequences. The first wish the couple makes is to gain a vast amount of money. As soon as the wish is made, the husband is called by his boss to come and see him right away. The call is weirdly vague, but mention of money is made. Expecting that the visit will lead to the granting of their wish, the husband hops into his car and leaves his house, followed closely by a mysterious motorcyclist wearing all black. As the husband drives, he becomes aware of this motorcyclist, who is constantly gaining on his vehicle. Each time the husband looks in his rearview mirror, the motorcyclist is much closer than before, until he looks in the mirror for the last time, finding the motorcyclists head filling his rearview mirror. The motorcyclist lifts his head, revealing A SKULL UNDERNEATH THE HELMET! A scare chord perfectly accompanies this revelation. I first saw this film when I was thirteen, and, like the Twilight Zone scene, this moment scarred me for life. It was years before I could work up the courage to see this film again. This scene, like the Twilight Zone scene, is not sophisticated in its methods (in fact, the scene is part of a pretty outlandish plot development), but it does what horror is supposed to do: jolt your nerves and leave you changed forever. Oh, and for the record, I know that the skull-man is not riding a Triumph in this scene (in fact, its a Norton Commando). However, the word Triumph made for so many good puns that I couldnt resist utilizing a little creative liberty. Oh, and by the way: in the video above, you might want to skip to 4:34 to reach the scene in question.
Alan Howell
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Alan Howell is a native of Southern California. He loves movies of any and all kinds, Hollywood, indie, and everywhere in between. He loves pizza, sitcoms, rock and pop music, surfing, baseball, reading, and girls (not necessarily in that order).
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