The rise and fall of the legendary EC Comics is the focus of this entertaining documentary, which offers a fascinating snapshot of America's odd obsessions circa the early 1950s. Through its line of horror comics, most notably Tales From the Crypt, EC publisher William M. Gaines captured the imaginations of young readers with disturbing and (for the era) violent stories, but these comics also aroused the fury of self-appointed guardians of decency, who argued that comic books contributed to rampant juvenile delinquency (and viewed Gaines as being worst than Hitler). Incredibly, a Senate committee headed by Estes Kefauver actually investigated the comic book industry, focusing on Gaines' output, and while the brouhaha eventually forced a censorship code on the comic book industry and put EC out of business, the seeds were already planted: a new generation of horror storytellers, including filmmakers George A. Romero and John Carpenter, later used their EC inspiration to create the next wave of horror and sci-fi (although running clips from their films does feel like unnecessary padding here--horror fans know who Romero and Carpenter are!). The uncensored EC titles were finally reprinted in the 1970s, and Tales From the Crypt later became a popular cable TV series. Mixing delightful interviews with fascinating newsreel footage, this documentary serves up a joyous celebration of the powers of imagination over the forces of repression. The substantial DVD extras include a roundtable discussion featuring editor/artist Al Feldstein and author Ray Bradbury, and additional interviews, including an extended talk with Romero. Recommended. Aud: P. (P. Hall)
Tales From the Crypt: From Comic Books to Television!
(2004) 2 discs.</span> 56 min. DVD: $29.99. CS Films (<span class=SpellE>tel</span>: 410-526-7322, web: <a href="http://www.cryptdvd.com/">www.cryptdvd.com</a>). <span class=GramE>PPR.</span> <span class=GramE>Color cover.</span> ISBN: 0-615-12616-2. May 30, 2005
Tales From the Crypt: From Comic Books to Television!
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