Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990)

Intro
"Tales from the Darkside: The Movie" is a 1990 scary anthology film directed by John Harrison and based upon George A. Romero's popular tv series of the very same name. The ensemble cast boasts the talents of Debbie Harry, David Johansen, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, and James Remo.

Story and Plot
The film is structured around 3 different cooling tales narrated by a captive boy named Timmy to the suburban witch, Betty, who plans to prepare and consume him. He tries to stall his execution by telling her horror stories from a book he discovered in her home entitled "Tales from the Darkside".

Lot 249
The very first story, "Lot 249", based upon Arthur Conan Doyle's eponymous short story, follows a defeated university student, Bellingham, played by Buscemi. After he finds and reanimates a mummy by means of an ancient scroll, Bellingham offers a dreadful taste of vengeance to those who mistreated him.

Feline from Hell
Motivated by Stephen King's short story, "Cat from Hell" unfolds with a rich, elderly gentleman who employs a hit man to kill an enigmatic black cat. Uncannily, all previous inhabitants of the mansion-- 3 of his family members-- have passed away mysteriously and the man blames the feline for these deaths. The cat shows much more difficult to eliminate than they expected, eventually turning the tables on them.

Fan's Vow
"Lover's Vow", the final and most dramatic story, is an initial narrative. It starts with a having a hard time artist who comes across a monstrous, gargoyle-like creature that slaughters his best friend. The creature spares the artist's life under one condition: he must never reveal its existence to anyone. After concurring, he fulfills a stunning woman with whom he falls in love. They marry and have children, but this joy is short-term as the guaranteed trick evaluates the course of his life dramatically.

Conclusion
As Betty finally completes hearing Timmy's last tale and prepares to put him into the oven, Timmy rises into action, sidetracking Betty and pushing her into the oven instead, outsmarting the witch. Mixing the horror with dark humor, the boy goes home, leaving the witch to roast.

Important Reception
"Tales from the Darkside: The Movie" amassed combined reviews from critics who applauded its effort to remain in line with the 80s series' odd and dark spirit. The outstanding efficiency of the cast and the terrible yet appealing story catches the audience's focus throughout the movie. Despite its perhaps cliched story, it still feels fascinating due to its execution and visually attractive special effects. It's a pleasurable film for those who appreciate the anthology format filled with a dosage of grisliness, horror, and dark humor. It really is a direct successor of the original series and has since gotten a cult following among horror fans.

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