You have already paid for the entrance when you crossed the threshold of my tent... 1996 was memorable for the fact that it was then that the cult series “Tales from the Crypt” ceased to exist, which upset many people, not only viewers, but also writers and directors of the middle hand. And in order to pay tribute to the famous series, and perhaps, what the hell is no joke, to resurrect it only slightly changing the concept, films began to be released, which were a kind of almanacs and contained three or four stories related to a common theme, usually by the person who told these stories. Unfortunately, and perhaps fortunately, the original goal was not achieved, although many, including the author of these lines, perceive the series “Goosebumps” as the ideological continuation of “Tales from the Crypt”. Yes, it was aimed more at the audience that went to school ... *laughs* but if you think about it, they were the main audience of “Tales from the Crypt”, which was not so much frightening as entertaining the respectable audience. This is not about these two series. Now we will talk about the film, which is not only the ideological heir to “Baek”, but also the script was responsible for two of the most terrible, in the good sense of the word, authors of America – Clive Barker and Stephen King. Sounds intriguing, but if so, let’s get acquainted with the film.
Charlie Granger is a cunning and agile guy who makes a living by robbing people. Women, children, disabled people. Nothing is sacred to Charlie, and he doesn't think he's doing anything wrong. People need to help each other, and if they don’t want to do it voluntarily, well, they’ll have to ease the wallets of others. And it just so happened that while walking through the carnival, Charlie goes into the tent, where very strange exhibits are shown - a hanged mummy, a guillotine, a severed hand, whose fingers serve as candles. It's kind of creepy. And then the owner of this strange circus, Aron Quixilver, appears. And not only does the guy look like he was spewed by the underworld itself, so the name suggests bad associations. It's time to get out of here. No, it won't. Some conscious citizen began to vote not in her own voice that she was robbed, but if so, then you either have to mix with the crowd, or pretend to be a “wall” and with a stupid smile to listen to the story that Aaron Quicksilver intends to tell.
The story tells about a talented plastic surgeon with the face of a clever thief Charlie Granger, the hero is called the truth differently, but this does not change the essence - he is the same arrogant, narcissistic and cunning person, yes, no longer a crook, but still the same deft. That's only the quirkiness comes to him sideways when his own hands rebel and try to make a revolution.
In general, the first novel resembles such films as "Hand", "Evil Dead 2" and "Wax Museum 2", with the only difference that this novel is not a horror story in the usual understanding of the word and it is closer to Gogol's "Nose" - a kind of satire over modern reality. Judge for yourself - many people do not learn from what they dreamed of becoming, they work where they do not want to work and do what they do not want to do. And so the hands decided that everything, they had enough - give the revolution and freedom from all and all fetters! Well, given that this is a satire, novice revolutionaries will listen to the one who shouts the loudest and will follow him anywhere, because he promises a bright future. It is a lie, you beast, but it is so selfless that everyone listens to it.
The second story tells of a couple of newlyweds who were driving from "point A" to "point B" and stuck somewhere in "point C" - on a deserted road. And the young husband had no better idea than to leave his wife alone in the car, telling her a terrible story before that, and then headed forward along the road in the hope that soon he would reach the city or the gas station. The woman, left alone, and even in a wedding dress, soon began to be nervous, and when night came she was completely overwhelmed by anxiety - her husband is still not. And at the very moment when the woman was ready to go in search of her narrowed out of the darkness, a car emerged behind the wheel of which she was sitting ... who would you think? Yes, that's right, our old friend - the owner of a terrible circus - Aron Quixilver, himself. Naturally, he stopped next to the woman and offered the latter to have dinner in his house on wheels, which the girl did not refuse. Not the best solution, yes. In any case, soon there will be a conversation between a circus owner and a pretty bride, which evokes an analogy with an angel and a demon that talk about the meaning of life. Well, so that the conversation does not turn into an intellectual dispute, which would end in a stabbing Quixilver decides to dilute what is happening by telling another of his stories.
Bill Hogan is a salesman who, returning from work, got into a dust storm and decided to stop at the nearest gas station to catch his breath and hope that the storm will subside. Alas, none of this happened, plus you still need somewhere to get a gift for your son’s birthday. I wonder where to find a toy in such a wilderness! Oh, here's the answer. At the gas station, terrible teeth were sold on legs, and Bill immediately realized that this was a great gift for his son. Well, what, and in children, the hero of Rafael Sbaj definitely does not understand. However, in addition to one stupid act, Bill commits another – he picks up a fellow traveler who turns out to be a bandit and a murderer. And to be quite fun, winding teeth come to life and crave someone to cut. Don't tell me, Bill Hogan will have something to tell his grandchildren if he stays alive, of course.
Such stories will appear before the viewer. Stories that do not scare, but do not entertain the viewer, as it was with the same “Tales”. Of course, the film starred good actors and they play completely serious, even though what is happening smoothly slides into a “flash”, but was it really so necessary? Oh, no, I'm not talking about the actors themselves, it's nice to see Christopher Lloyd and Matt Freuer on the screen. I mean, the crew got too serious about making a movie that is a theater of the absurd. Or maybe the whole thing is that there is no atmosphere in this film as such and what is happening is taken for granted? Who knows. But I’ll tell you what – the film is quite good for a one-time viewing, but if you miss it, you will not lose anything.
5 out of 10