Search - Tales from the Darkside: The Movie on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Adult Situations, Adult Language, Profanity Movie Release: 1990 DVD Release: 09/25/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 33 mins Studio: Paramount Members Wishing: 4 Genres: Horror, Creature Film, Supernatural Horror See Also: Tales From the Darkside: The Movie [Circuit City Exclusive] [Checkpoint], Tales from the Darkside: The Movie

This feature-length spin-off of the popular television horror anthology is directed by John Harrison, who directed many episodes of the television series. The film consists of four grisly and gruesome horror teasers. "The Wraparound Story" stars Deborah Harry as Betty, a chef with a kitchen complete with Cuisinart and dungeon. She plans to cook a little boy, who delays his execution by telling Betty three tales of terror. The first tale is "Lot 249," based on the mummy story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The tale concerns Bellingham (Steve Buscemi), a bug-eyed graduate student who has raised a mummy from the dead. The second tale, "Cat from Hell," adapted by George A. Romero from a Stephen King story, deals with a broken-down millionaire (William Hickey), who has made his millions by developing habit-forming painkillers. He is convinced that, since 5,000 cats have been killed in his lab experiments in order to develop his pills, a stray cat has killed his family. He hires a hit man (David Johansen) to track down the cat and rub him out. The third tale, "Lover's Vow," is based on "Woman in the Snow," one of the episodes in Kwaidan.James Remar plays an artist who strikes a deal with the devil and is rewarded with a beautiful wife (Rae Dawn Chong) and a respectful art career. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Deborah Harry - Betty
Christian Slater - Andy Smith
Rae Dawn Chong - Carola
William Hickey - Drogan
James Remar - Preston
David Johansen - Halston

The TV classic became a 1990 feature-length film with the release of Tales From the Darkside: The Movie. Paramount has done a so-so job on this horror title, the so-so part being the lacking 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This transfer suffers from much dirt and grain, as well as a moderate amount of edge enhancement. While the colors and black levels are usually even, overall this is a disappointing transfer for a film that is not very old. Audio is presented in a new Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack and certainly sounds better than the Dolby 2.0 Surround track also available on this disc. Directional effects are utilized, though not to the full extent one would hope. The effects, dialogue, and music are all clear of distortion and hiss. Also included on this disc is a Dolby 2.0 track in French as well as English subtitles. Paramount has seen fit to include a great extra feature on this disc in the form of a commentary track by director John Harrison and writer George A. Romero. While there are a few gaps in the track, overall it's an entertaining and informative track for fans of the genre. Also included on this disc is an anamorphic theatrical trailer for Tales From the Darkside: The Movie. This may not be the best presentation of the film, but the inclusion of the commentary track makes this edition of Tales From the Darkside: The Movie worth seeing. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide