Reviews & Ratings for
"Tales from the Crypt" King of the Road (1992)

8 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
Young punk vs. old racing legend. It's King of the Road!, 7 August 2006

Author: Danny Blankenship from Petersburg, Virginia

Several years ago when I first saw this episode of "Tales From The Crypt" I felt after the viewing this was one of the better ones. At the time I didn't get HBO, but my aunt did and she had recorded this episode off of HBO on VHS tape. When viewing this I knew that Brad Pitt was about at the time to become an up and coming star, this is one of his earliest roles before his movie stardom. So for all of you Pitt fans, and history buffs watch this episode to see Brad Pitt at his wicked best! In "King of the Road", Pitt plays a young cocky punk drag racer, who thinks he's all it, and combined with a lethal wicked nasty attitude makes him a guy not to mess with. But never fear, he finds his match when he tries to goad a cop and a former old-timer racing legend (Raymond J. Barry) into a drag race. This challenge turns out to be not only just for pride nor bragging rights, but for human life! Also this competition is for the cop's daughter's life who has been kidnapped! Let me say Michelle Bronson is good and sexy as a damsel in distress! I wonder why Michelle Bronson didn't get anymore work in Hollywood, because she's very sexy and beautiful I would like to see her again. Well in the end the young punk learns his lesson in the drag race as a legend with wit, and determination always outsmarts risky danger. Remember the good can die young! In my opinion this is one of the best crypt episodes ever, and a must see for Brad Pitt fans, one of his youngest and earliest roles too.

Fun change of pace episode, 24 July 2011

Author: Woodyanders (Woodyanders@aol.com) from The Last New Jersey Drive-In on the Left

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Cocky young hot rodder Billy (robustly played with appropriately brash swaggering bravado by Brad Pitt) rides into a small town and rises the ire of hard-nosed local sheriff Joe Garrett (a sturdy portrayal by the always fine Raymond J. Barry) by romancing his attractive daughter Carey (a solid and charming performance by fetching brunette Michelle Bronson). Things come to a head when Billy challenges former drag racing champion Joe to a big race. Director Tom Holland, working from a compact script by Randall Johnson, relates the snazzy story at a brisk pace, builds a good deal of tension, and stages the exciting climactic showdown with real flair and skill. Jack Kehler contributes a lively turn in a small, but memorable role as Joe's loyal old mechanic buddy. Gary B. Kibbe's slick cinematography provides an impressive glossy look. Warren Zevon's right-on rollicking score and the roaring trash-rock soundtrack both hit the get-down stirring spot. A rare non-horror entry in the series, this episode is often met with hatred and dismay by hardcore fans, but it's really quite a neat and entertaining little ride just the same.

3 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
The worst ever tale from the crypt?, 19 March 2007

Author: Paul Andrews (poolandrews@hotmail.com) from UK

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Tales from the Crypt: King of the Road is set in the small town of Middleton where local Sheriff Garrett (Raymond J. Barry) has a dark past that is about to come back & haunt him, top drag racer Billy (Brad Pitt) wants to race him since Garrett was an undefeated racer nicknamed the 'Iceman' many years go. At first Garrett doesn't bite but Billy is nothing if not persistent & uses any means necessary to get him to race...

This Tales from the Crypt story was episode 9 from season 4, the third of three Tales from the Crypt episodes to be directed by Tom Holland this surely has to be pretty much the worst Tales from the Crypt story there was, I mean I haven't seen all of the 93 episodes that were made but King of the Road has to down there with the worst of them that I have. The script by Randall Jahnson has a lot to do with it, it was based on a story from the 'Two-Fisted Tales' comic book which was published by the people who did the various horror comics Tales from the Crypt stories are usually based upon but it was a different style of comic & just more action orientated than horror or suspense. The only other Tales from the Crypt episodes based on stories from this comic were Yellow & The Showdown which are also considered low points in the show. King of the Road lacks everything that makes Tales from the Crypt usually so good, the whole style, sense of fun & morbid fascination just isn't there, there isn't any twist at the end, the character's are weak & clichéd in a bad way, the story is predictable & dull, it has no horror elements in it at all & is pretty much a waste of 30 odd minutes.

It looks OK & is quite well made with a few minor action scenes, there's no swearing, no nudity & not one single drop of blood which makes me believe the rumour that this episode along with Yellow & The Showdown were made for another series which Fox apparently rejected so HBO brought them & tagged some opening & closing Crypt Keeper (John Kassir) segments on & passed off as an actual tales from the Crypt episode even more. Soon to be Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt stars in this one but it's still not worth watching even for fans of his.

King of the Road is by far the crappiest Tales from the Crypt episode I've seen, your better off giving this one a wide berth as there is far better out there.

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