A look at the first season of Shudder's horror anthology series.
Review by Mike Vaughn
Created by: Greg Nicotero
Starring: Adrienne Barbeau, Tobin Bell, David Arquette, Bruce Davison, Jeffrey Combs
Shudder, the premier streaming channel for us horror freaks, gave us a ghoulishly fun treat when they rolled out Season One of Creepshow at the end of September of last year. The original content is of course based on the legendary film from 1982 directed by George A. Romero. The film provides the perfect format for a TV series, as each episode is a different fiendish segment.
As a whole, the series is a mixed bag but there are some gems throughout. Highlights include The Man in the Suitcase (Episode 3) and The Companion (Episode 4). I think what helps me forgive some of the so-so writing is that it has a lot of charm that harkens back to EC Comics, the obvious inspiration for Creepshow (1982) but also a sprinkling of the Tales from the Crypt TV series etc. The on-point visuals help, and each episode contains a great deal in the way of eerie atmosphere. Mimicking the '82 film's style, blue and red hues and comic book panels are wonderfully done. The cherry on this gory, goopy sundae is the amazing design of The Creeper, our host with the most. It’s clear to see that there is a lot of skill both in camera work and sharp editing.
Creepshow's cast boasts a nice array of genre-legends like Tobin Bell, Adrienne Barbeau, Jeffrey Combs and maybe my favourite, Bruce Davison.
Showrunner Greg Nicotero and the writers and directors know exactly what this is and thankfully, the series walks the line between horror and the delightfully over-the-top and tongue-in-cheek, which again helps gloss over some issues.
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[ READ MORE: New Release Review - You Don't Nomi ]
Of course, you cannot talk about the series and not give a huge shout out to the amazing practical effects work. It's not shocking though, seeing how Nicotero and his effects house KNB Effects (co-founded by Howard Berger) have literally won Oscars for their amazing work. In a sea of green-screen CGI it fills my black heart with happiness when I see amazing creature work and gore effects once again.
Creepshow Season One is the television equivalent to reading a brightly coloured, fright-filled comic under the covers with a flashlight, eagerly awaiting the chills and thrills lurking around every dark corner. It’s a blood-soaked good time!
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Season One of this show is now out on DVD and blu-ray from RLJE Films (I am reviewing the DVD version). Overall, the film looks good, even on Digital Video. Even without the sharp HD that blu-ray offers, the picture is still nice and crisp and showcases the great atmosphere of the show.
I was pleasantly surprised that this is chocked full of extras. Every episode has commentaries, which are a great addition and something you rarely see with series these days. In addition, there is a slew of behind the scenes featurettes, photo galleries and even some easter egg featurettes. The packaging is also great. The cover looks great but if you don’t like it, it has a reversible cover with another cool design. And, topping everything off is an embossed and Glow-in-the-Dark slipcover. Inside is a fun comic book, which serves as the episode guide. What a great addition!
Well done RLJE Films for giving fans of physical media a nice fright-filled treat. Season Two has been greenlit, so we will have more spooky-good-fun to look forward to!
Michael Vaughn is a rabid horror and cult fan who turned that love into a career. He is a writer, blogger and film historian and now author of 'The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema' which Shock Wave Podcast named their pick of the month, and Chris Alexander of Fangoria called “recommended reading.”
You can get your copy at amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Strange-Cinema/dp/0764354280
His other credits include Scream Magazine, Fangoria and websites like Films in Review and Bloody Flicks(UK). Please follow his Twitter @StrangeCinema65 and Instagram @gorehound_mike.
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