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HBO's 7-season horror anthology, Tales From the Crypt, has garnered a cult following over the years, and now, 30 years after its debut, the classic series is still making a splash. Tales From the Crypt is currently the No. 1 most downloaded show on Vudu, becoming a PVOD hit.
The horror anthology originally aired on HBO from June 1989 to July 1996, with a total of 93 episodes. Tales From the Crypt was adapted from the 1950s EC Comics series of the same name, but the individual episodes actually take their stories from other EC comic series including, The Haunt of Fear, The Vault of Horror and Two-Fisted Tales.
What Is Tales From the Crypt About?
Each episode of Tales From the Crypt tells a different, standalone story, with a character known as the Cryptkeeper hosting the series. The Cryptkeeper, voiced by John Kassir, is an animated corpse who narrates the entire series and is performed by a team of puppeteers.
For the time in which the series aired, Tales From the Crypt was somewhat revolutionary. Being on HBO, a premium channel, meant that the show did not have to follow the same standards and practices as a network show, allowing them to get away with things that most other TV shows could not. The series featured graphic violence, strong language and what was considered explicit sex and nudity — mature content that was never really seen on television during that time.
Tales From the Crypt Regularly Featured Celebrity Guests
Every season of Tales From the Crypt brought in some A-list Hollywood actors that you wouldn't expect to see in such a campy series. Some of the guest stars included Brad Pitt, Demi Moore, Michael J. Fox, Ewan McGregor, Daniel Craig, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Hanks, and so many more that it would be impossible to list in just one article.
Brad Pitt's episode, titled "King of the Road," became one of the more iconic cameos of the series. The episode aired in 1992 and features Pitt as a psychopathic drag racer who challenges a retired police officer and former legendary racer. When the rivalry reaches its peak, it turns deadly, and the episode becomes a revenge drama. While most episodes focused on the supernatural, Pitt's episode delves more into psychological thriller/horror tropes instead.
The horror anthology also received some Emmy nods during its time. In 1990, actor William Hickey was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. In 1994, Kirk Douglas was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and Tim Curry was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor. It didn't win any of the seven nominations.
Today, Tales From the Crypt's fan base continues to grow, as seen from the show's rise in the PVOD charts. The show also recently made its streaming debut on Shudder this past May, where it's available to stream.
