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Tales from the Crypt

Play trailer Poster for Tales from the Crypt PG 1972 1h 32m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 20 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
When people in a tourist group get lost within ancient catacombs, they meet the sinister Crypt Keeper (Ralph Richardson), who tells each of them their fate. The creepy figure's macabre stories involve Joanne Clayton (Joan Collins), a wife dabbling in murder, and Grymsdyke (Peter Cushing), a retired sanitation worker targeted by his suspicious neighbors. Among the other characters is adulterer Carl Maitland (Ian Hendry), who may face a fitting demise if the Crypt Keeper's yarns come true.

Critics Reviews

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Noel Murray The Dissolve 11/24/2014
3.5/5
The misanthropy of the Tales From The Crypt and Vault Of Horror movies is strangely enjoyable, because it comes packaged within some gleefully perverse ideas. Go to Full Review
Dave Kehr Chicago Reader 07/10/2012
This British production looks handsome enough under Freddie Francis's direction, and for those who say they'd watch Ralph Richardson in anything, well, here's your chance. Go to Full Review
Kim Newman Empire Magazine 07/10/2012
4/5
Imaginative and solidly performed ensemble horror. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 06/07/2021
3/4
The best vignette finds Peter Cushing delivering one of the finest performances of his long career. Go to Full Review
Craig Schroeder Battleship Pretension 01/07/2021
It's easily forgotten, but just as easily recalled for being a lot of fun. Which seems to fall perfectly in line with Tales From the Crypt's pop-culture legacy. Go to Full Review
Tim Brayton Alternate Ending 10/23/2020
4/5
The lows are still pretty good, and the highs are off the charts. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Melissa M @Lisey 6d Before there was the TV show. And the movies demon knight & bordello of blood. There was the 1972 Cult classic tales from the crypt. Here's a sleeper hit for you. A real rare gem. Peter cushing & Joan Collins are in the film. Five 5 strangers unfortunately get lost in a crypt. There is a mysterious man who describes to them how each of them are going to die. This movie is based on the stories written by al Feldstein, Johnny graig, & Bill Gaines. It was originally published in the comic magazines tales from the crypt & the vault of horror by Bill Gaines. This movie is a horror anthology film. Ralph Richardson appears as the crypt keeper he introduces each story and tells of the tale of the fate of each of the characters. This film is scary good & has a surprise ending. A must see for horror fanatics & fans. See more Homu L @AkemiLord May 3 Fantastic movie. I really enjoyed watching this. Great film! See more Joaquin U @Joaquin1 Apr 21 Entertaining, but for all the wrong reasons. The fun comes from watching the mountain of illogicality crammed into one film. Horror can be fantastical, sure—but dumbness isn’t a genre trait. The cast is solid, yet squandered. Meanwhile, critics handing this ketchup‑blood, tension‑free, poorly scripted, and clumsily directed mess a 90% rating is downright mystifying. If you’re in the mood for a laugh, go ahead—this is just another not‑so‑good attempt at horror. See more nick s @Nick_S Sep 10 Mediocre anthology of tales. The stories were passable but not memorable. The special effects may have looked okay on old CRT tellies, but on today's screens they look comical. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Aug 27 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas de terror são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Mark J @RT91128775 01/01/2025 Enjoyable distraction film. The majority of the stories were good, a couple to slow or not really enough story. Peter Cushing as amazing as ever. See more Read all reviews
Tales from the Crypt

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Movie Info

Synopsis When people in a tourist group get lost within ancient catacombs, they meet the sinister Crypt Keeper (Ralph Richardson), who tells each of them their fate. The creepy figure's macabre stories involve Joanne Clayton (Joan Collins), a wife dabbling in murder, and Grymsdyke (Peter Cushing), a retired sanitation worker targeted by his suspicious neighbors. Among the other characters is adulterer Carl Maitland (Ian Hendry), who may face a fitting demise if the Crypt Keeper's yarns come true.
Director
Fred Francis
Producer
Milton Subotsky, Max Rosenberg
Screenwriter
Milton Subotsky
Production Co
Amicus Productions, Metromedia Producers Corporation (MPC)
Rating
PG
Genre
Horror
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 8, 1972, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 26, 2020
Runtime
1h 32m
Sound Mix
Surround