• Director: George A. Romero
• With: Ed Harris, Stephen King, Hal Holbrook, Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson, Viceca Lindfors, Joe Hill King, Adrienne Barbeau, E.G. Marshall, Fritz Weaver, Robert Harper, Tom Savini
• Music by: John Harrison
• Duration: 115 minutes
• Based upon the Graphic Novel ‘Creepshow’ by Stephen King and with art by Bernie Wrightson
• Rating: 7/10

Review:

Based upon a graphic novel Stephen King wrote that was illustrated by Bernie Wrightson, who would later return to do illustrations for King’s novel ‘Cycle of the Werewolf’, King would work together to adapt the graphic novel into this anthology movie, directed by George A. Romero.

In total there are five stories in this anthology and and an arch story, with Joe Hill (King’s son) in the lead role.

Billy is scorned by his father because he reads the Creepshow comics, something his father calls pure rubbish! To the bin with it! But the creepy figure on the cover of the comic makes an appearance at Billy’s window and the five stories are told from then on…

1. Father’s Day

A family is celebrating Father’s Day. While they wait for Aunt Bedelia, the story is told how Bedelia killed her father with an ash tray after she got sick of his constant whining about his cake! But now Father’s Day is returned, maybe father will return as well because he will want his cake!

2. The Lonesome Death of Jody Verill

Hillbilly Jordy Verill is living in a secluded cabin away from everyone and everything. One night he sees a meteorite fall down on Earth and his curiosity is too big to handle. But it comes with a huge price. (Look out for the sign that says ‘Castle Rock’, a well known city in King’s books)

3. Something to tide you over

Richard Vickers is a very jealous man and possessive about his wife, Becky. When he discovers she’s been cheating on him with Harry Wenthworth, he is looking for revenge. He drowns the both by burying them in the sand and let the tide wash over them. But not everything remains dead. It’s all a matter of holding your breath! (This story reminisces of ‘The Ledge’, a story that was adapted in ‘Cat’s Eye’ and was a short story in the collection Night Shift)

4. The Crate

When a janitor discovers an old crate he warns Dexter Stanley. When they open it they discover an arctic creature is in the crate. The beast kills a few people with Dexter witnessing, not being able to stop it. He tells his friend Henry Northrub about the crate and the creature. Henry is a weak minded man with a loud and very dominant wife. So Henry may have a great idea to use the animal to get rid of his wife Wilma! (See some references to John Carpenter and his remake of The Thing?)

5. Creeping up on you

A business man with a germ phobia locks himself up in his sterile apartment. His fear of insects might become the death of him though!

Billy will finally get his revenge as well. All it took was a little advertisement of a Voodoo Doll in the Creepshow comic. And darn it to Hell, it might even work!

And that garbage man with a love for comic books… that’s Tom Savini who created Fluffy (the creature in the crate)

For those who never read the graphic novel, it was rereleased a few years ago and I think it’s still available to buy somewhere!

This is old school horror with practical effects and brought in the style of the comic it was based on. A bit outdated this one… it spawned a few sequels (one again written and produced by King himself) and a tv-series. Fun to rewatch but it was never the best King adaptation in my opinion.