Creepshow (George A. Romero, 1982, USA)

Inspired by the EC horror comics of the 1950s, Creepshow was the first collaboration between legendary horror maestro George A. Romero and Stephen King. While King and Romero tried to collaborate on numerous projects throughout the 1980s, including Salem's Lot, The Stand, and Pet Sematary, Creepshow was the first to hit the big screen. Its success launched a cottage industry of horror anthology films, which included among others Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) and King's own Cat's Eye (1985). Creepshow contains five (though some would argue six) separate stories, two of which were based on Stephen King stories written in the 1970s ("Weeds" and "The Crate"). As with the original EC comics, all of the stories focus on morally nasty characters who receive their just comeuppance.

The segments all have their strengths and weaknesses, and it seems there is no clear consensus on which is the "best" one. For us, the most memorable is the last segment - "They're Creeping Up On You!" For anyone with a fear of cockroaches, this segment - starring the late, great E.G. Marshall - is pure nightmare fuel. It almost didn't get made, as the film was going over budget. "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill" is another memorable segment, though many criticize King's lackluster performance (including King himself).

At two hours, Creepshow feels long, and certain segments such as "The Crate" could have benefited from being cut. That said, there is a reason Creepshow is iconic - it set the tone not only for the horror anthology film but also for the horror comedies that would become so prevalent throughout the rest of the 1980s. It is certainly one of Romero's best films, and also one of the best films King was ever involved with. For that reason alone, it is worth a watch.

8/10