Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) Loved to Death (1991) User Reviews

Love Potion

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 4 March 2018]

In Los Angeles, the aspirant screenwriter Edward Foster from Indiana has a crush on his neighbor Miranda Singer. However, the bimbo Miranda is an aspirant actress and gold digger and does not give attention to Edward. His unrequited love calls the attention of his creepy landlord Mr. Stronham that offers Edward a love potion to seduce Miranda. Will the potion work?

"Loved to Death" is a funny episode of unrequited love and love potion of "Tales from the Crypt". It is almost impossible to recognize David Hemmings in the role of the creepy Mr. Stronham. The conclusion is hilarious with the afterlife of Edward Foster. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Amado Até Morrer" ("Loved to Death")

Done before, but this time better

[bellino-angelo2014 · 7/10 · 18 June 2021]

Set in Los Angeles. Edward Foster is a screenwriter that is working for the script for a new movie inspired by IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. He also has a crush on his gorgeous neighbour Miranda Singer, but she refuses his advances. After some failed attempts, he has an appointment with his creepy landlord (David Hemmings) that gives him the answer to his problems, a love potion that put in water or wine makes everyone to fall in love with the person desired. In the beginning works, but after a while he regrets it because Miranda is terribly obsessed by him to the point that she chases him everywhere. So Edward goes again to his landlord and he gives again the answer for his problem: a potion that if you drink it, you die. He puts it in a glass of wine, but something won't work as planned...

There was a similar episode in season 2 named TIL DEATH but the end result was so gross that I was ready to gag (and it rarely happens to me when I watch a movie). However this time it was handled with a more comedic effect and it didn't made me feel sick, and I really appreciated it this way. A decent beginning of season.

Average tale from the crypt.

[poolandrews · 5/10 · 29 March 2007]

Tales from the Crypt: Loved to Death starts as would-be writer Edward Foster (Andrew McCarthy) spots the woman of his dreams Miranda Singer (Mariel Hemmingway) while doing his laundry, she lives just down the hall from him in his apartment block. Edward tries to get her to like him but she isn't interested, then he is given a potion in a bottle by his mysterious landlord Mr. Stronham (David Hemmings) who says it will make Mariel fall hopelessly in love with him. That night Edward slips of the potion into Mariel's drink & the potion has the desired effect, however as Mariel literally can't bear to be away from Edward things spiral out of control...

This Tales from the Crypt story was episode 2 from season 3, directed by Tom Mankiewicz I didn't think that much of Loved to Death. The script by John Mankiewicz & Joe Minion was based on a story from the 'Tales from the Crypt' comic book & is strangely lacking just about everything I associate with a good Tales from the Crypt episode, for a start this one is pretty slow to get going, the potion Edward is given is never explained nor is the mysterious landlord character, there's no horror at all for the first 25 minutes as it plays more like a romantic comedy the likes of Disney would have made with a secret love potion although without the bad language & sex of course. Then there's the twist ending which I figured out & wasn't really that great or memorable, overall a disappointing tale from the crypt.

This one looks good enough & it's well made but there's no blood, gore or violence. The acting is alright but nothing to write home about.

Loved to Death is one of the lesser Tales from the Crypt from it's early seasons, there are much better tales out there.

The ultra-creepy landlord

[Coventry · 3 February 2006]

"Loved to Death" is a rather ordinary and anonymous "Tales from the Crypt" episode that nevertheless managed to distinguish itself from the rest thanks to one terrific element, namely David Hemmings' genuinely creepy performance as the odd landlord. Hemmings was a respected actor and well known to horror fans because of his performances in Dario Argento's "Deep Red" and Michelangelo Antonioni's "Blowup", and I'm very pleased to see that he eventually turned up in "Tales from the Crypt". The story is completely set in a Hollywood apartment complex where a naive scriptwriter desperately tries to woo a hot wannabe actress. Hemmings' plays the sadistic landlord who offers the writer an easy solution in the shape of a mysterious love potion. Off course, the potion has some inescapable and deadly side effects… During the first half of the episode, we don't get to see the landlord properly as he watches all his tenants with cameras and talks to them through intercoms. This creates quite an eerie and ominous atmosphere and some parts even suggest that the landlord is no less than the devil. Mariel Hemingway plays the bitchy actress and she does a lovely, albeit gratuitous, nude scene. Tom Mankiewicz who previously made the light-headed cop comedy "Dragnet" directs "Loved to Death".

Loved To Death

[a_baron · 7/10 · 28 November 2014]

Edward has packed in his job and decided to pursue a career as a screenwriter. What was that about don't give up the day job? Relocating to a private apartment complex which has a mysterious landlord, he has his head permanently in the clouds, including when he meets Miranda, the girl of his dreams. Although she is getting work as an actress, she has yet to arrive. She invites him to her apartment then forgets, but he gets a second chance when she takes pity on him. Unfortunately, he blows it big time, but his landlord has been watching his every move, and offers him the key to her heart, a magic potion. All Edward has to do is dupe her into drinking it, which he does with remarkable ease. She falls passionately in love with him, and they both live happily ever after. Alas, only the first part of the last sentence is correct.

Shame this one had to have an unhappy ending, but it's the old story about nice guys finishing last.

Good episode with terrible ending

[scoobyboobruh · 7/10 · 14 March 2022]

This episode starts off pretty great. It has a good setup, perfect pacing, and good mystery in the first half. However, the ending is really bad. Its corny and feels straight out of Goosebumps. Although it may be terrible, it doesn't quite ruin the episode as a whole for me, it just lowers the score by a couple of points.

Season 3 is off to a bad start

[SleepTight666 · 3/10 · 23 July 2009]

After a crappy opener for Season 3, the second episode proves to be just as crappy and annoying.

The episode is about a failure of a script writer who fantasizes about having a girl who is head-over-heels inlove with him. Then he meets this annoying failure of an actress and his landlord gives him a potion that makes her addicted to him.

After a while, he realized how annoying it is to have someone obsessing over you.

The episode is a mess, the dialog and performances are too over the top and the ending was just incredibly corny. Season 3 is off to a bad start.

A nice'n'naughty comic episode

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 11 March 2011]

Meek aspiring screenwriter Edward Foster (an affable portrayal by Andrew McCarthy) develops a massive crush on lovely, but bitchy struggling actress Miranda Singer (perfectly embodied by the gorgeously buxom and leggy Mariel Hemingway) who lives in the same Hollywood apartment with him. The creepy landlord Mr. Stronham (veteran actor David Hemmings making the most out of a juicy role) gives Edward a love potion that winds up working a bit too well. Director Tim Mankiewicz relates the enjoyable story at a steady pace and brings a certain sweet lighthearted charm to this episode. Moreover, the humor gets bawdier and funnier as the plot unfolds and culminates in a deliciously ironic conclusion with Edward being forced to put up with a facially disfigured Miranda for all eternity in the afterlife. The absorbing script by Mankiewicz and Joe Minion makes a neat central message about how sometimes the worst thing you can get in life is exactly what you want (Miranda soon becomes an irritating pest as she lusts after Edward 24/7). The always delightful Kathleen Freeman has an amusing supporting role as cheery elderly tenant Mrs. Parker. Acclaimed singer/songwriter Jimmy Webb supplies a richly melodic and romantic score. Robert Draper's bright cinematography gives this episode a pleasing sunny look. As a yummy added bonus, Ms. Hemingway bares one of her exquisitely ample breasts. An absolute hoot.

Mad Love

[kapelusznik18 · 5/10 · 17 April 2016]

***SPOILERS**** It's when new tenant and aspiring screen writer Edward Foster,Andrew McCarthy,spotted his Amazon-like-six foot one 130 pound-next door neighbor Miranda Singer, Mariel Hemingway, in the laundry room it was love at first sight. The only thing was that she had absolutely no interest-love or otherwise-in him. That's when the creepy looking and chain smoking landlord Mr. Stronham, David Hemmings, got into th picture or act. Stronham working behind the scenes and puffs of smoke provided the love sick and rejected Edward with a love potion to slip into Miranda's wine that made the cold as ice female go completely whole hog wild over him.

This went on a number of times until the potion turned the helplessly falling in love with Edward Miranda into a man eating psycho that had the poor guy wish that he never had any interest in women altogether. As for the creepy Mr. Stronham he seemed to be getting a kick out of all this in that playing with people's lives was far more gratifying to him them collecting the rent from them. Edward in finally trying to rid himself from the sexually aggressive as well as homicidal Marinda ended up together with her not in sexual bliss but in eternal damnation. That's when she came back, after jumping out of a window and cracking her head open, to continue their both hot as well as dead love affair with him!

The picturesque Merial Hemingway did expose herself in here, if you blinked you missed it, one of her curvy breasts making it the first time the series "Tales from the Crypt" showed any nudity in it. As for the blood and gore in the series that was a given which was the reason the show was so popular in the first place. In this episode it was David Hemmings non-stop chain smoking that was far more offensive then any of the scenes in it!

Be careful when wishing for love, you might just get it!

[blanbrn · 9/10 · 23 March 2007]

"Loved To Death" is without a doubt one of the best crypt episodes, due to it's script and great plot twist at the end. You have Andrew McCarthy as a young struggling wannabe screenwriter, who stays alone in an apartment building trying to write the right script and daydream about the right female for his life. One day upon noticing a beautiful older and sexy female played by Mariel Hemingway, that then becomes his fantasy and dream. And that scene of Mariel taking off her strapless bra and showing a little cleavage was just fantastic! Only later the McCarthy character finds that his mature fantasy female is a snobbish out of work actress who has no interest in him! Help is on the way when a special love potion is obtained from the apartment building manager an old and mysterious man played just great by David Hemmings who's so spooky in his role! So when the next encounter starts the love potion works in the drink only to change the Hemingway's characters mind of choice as it's not only love, but nonstop sex for both! This is just to much to handle so the only escape route is a death love potion, but a critical mistake is made in the end, as this love can't be gotten rid of! Overall one of the best episodes of tales, the plot is well done and entertaining and it's ends with a good twist that proves be careful what you wish for you might just get it!

Fun

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 23 March 2024]

Directed by Tom Mankiewicz, who wrote Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die, The Man With the Golden Gun and the first two Superman movies, and written by Joseph Minion (After Hours, Vampire's Kiss) and John Mankiewicz, "Loved to Death" is the first episode of season three.

"Dying for a date? Aching for a little prick of... (fires an arrow into the statue's heart, which bleeds) -passion? Well, be careful what you what you wish for, or like the young man in tonight's terror tale, you may just get it! I call this nauseating number: "Loved to Death.""

Edward Foster (Andrew McCarthy) is a screenwriter in love with an actress, Miranda Singer (Mariel Hemingway), who doesn't notice him. However, his landlord Mr. Stronham (David Hemmings) gives him a love potion, but that only makes things worse, because now Miranda won't stop loving him. The problem is that there love goes beyond until death do us part.

While many claim this is a remake of The Twilight Zone episode "The Chaser." That was based on a story by John Collier, which Al Feldstein and William Gaines definitely stole for the story "Loved to Death" that was drawn by Jack Kamen and appears in Tales From the Crypt #25.

crazy screams

[andreww31 · 9 March 2006]

The eerie screams that McCarthy belts out are perfect. I assume a synthesizer helped prolong their effect. I couldn't agree more that the landlord was a needful ingredient. Covered in smoke and hidden through the lighting, his persona was great. It was strange to read that the actor who played the landlord was trained and performed professionally as a singer...good for him. McCarthy and Hemingway fit the bill. Their performances carried the show right along. I am a fan of both actors and am happy they came together to put this one through. How hilarious was it when she switched the glasses so he wouldn't get the dirty glass. He dies and she follows up by jumping out the window to follow him for all eternity. Sure, Hemingway must have been annoying after all the sex and the tiredness, but to end up unexpectedly dying and her follow would make me scream too. Her face was banged up in the afterlife and her clinging would continue, but the rest of her still was great, McCarthy at least had something for the rest of eternity.

"I'm just here to help..."

[Foreverisacastironmess123 · 9/10 · 13 March 2014]

David Hemmings as Mr.Stronham the exquisitely sinister and mysterious landlord of the boarding house is my absolute favourite out of all the 'evil benefactor' characters that ever appeared on the show, and he's definitely what I love the most about this episode. He's not even in it all that much, but to me there's such a magical Gothic awe that he brings to his scenes with his malevolent sly delivery and ash-pale appearance, so effortlessly brilliant. And nothing screams devilish intentions quite like an adorable little pink perfume bottle! I seriously did love the fantastical element of the potion, it rather reminded me of a similar concoction of certain doom from the black comedy classic "Death Becomes Her." His wall of conquest was so eerie, with all the old pictures of woman who presumably met the same fate of poor Amanda. And why was Mr wicked landlord doing this? There must have been something more in it for him apart from simple kicks. They really should have dropped a hint or something there.. The man knew his stuff, he set up the naive dupe Edward to take an epic fall, it was a perfectly inescapable trap. Dammed for all eternity through tainted love... Andrew McCarthy was really good, although I didn't remember him being such a creepy weirdo in his role the last time I watched this. I mean, was Edward a little crazy or something? It's so funny to me, at the start of the story he wants her ~so~ bad, and then when he finally gets what he wants but ends up with a relentless sex maniac and finds out that a little 'love' does indeed go a long way..he can't handle the pressure and is then effectively running away from sex!!! I don't think Edward quite thought the plan through. This woman was so clearly an insufferable gold digger and even admits it at one point. I don't think he really wanted her as much as he thought he did.. I find it disturbing in the scene where he smacks her one to get her to back off and she says with adoring eyes "You could never hurt me", because, sometimes people in real life have an attitude somewhat similar to that sometimes. it's a creepy moment to me. anyway I loved Mariel Hemmingway, I thought she brought just the right amount of naughty-nice and scary. She was such a babe! I love that Amazon thing.. And I didn't think her acting was bad at all, the tone of the story required that she behave all super-bitchy and over-the-top like she does in the first half. This episode is apparently disliked by some fans of the series and that's cool, but I just adore the style and feel of it, I love the crazy campyness of the imaginary passion scenes. It's more or less a redo of the excellent "Till Death", except Amanda is a very different kind of 'love zombie' indeed than "Maggie" was. Another difference between the tales was that this guy actually liked the girl, and in Till Death the man was just using her. I would have bestowed upon this a ten were it not for the clunky as hell final scene, which manages to slightly screw up the feel of the whole story. Worst portrayal of heaven I've ever seen. Just a few twinkling stars, some people running about in white robes, a little glowing mist - bingo-bango, that's heaven! I thought her makeup effects looked so crappy, it was like something anyone could have put together in a Halloween shop. It would've been scarier if she'd have been normal, but I guess she had to be a little messed up to add to the horror aspect of the moment. I also don't like it when he yells "No!", and it echoes, I know they were trying to emphasize the eternity factor of the situation, but in my opinion it just looks and sounds laughable and awkward. So unfair. heaven was hell for him now! Love can be scary, and it can make people do scary things, and I was always very impressed by this lovably quirky episode and gave it the mark I feel it more than deserves. So ya know..yeah!

Great ending.

[shellytwade · 8/10 · 5 April 2022]

When I think of the classic Tales From The Crypt twists, this episode always springs to mine. I won't ruin it or necessarily say it's the greatest twist ever, it just manages to stick in the brain for being so darkly twisted. Great acting in this one too.