Second episode for the great cable TV series tells the same story that formed a segment of the 1972 "Tales from the Crypt" feature film. On Christmas Eve, the night that a greedy, adulterous wife (Mary Ellen Trainor) has done away with her hated husband (Marshall Bell), an ultra creepy mental institution escapee (Larry Drake) is on the loose. And this lunatic just so happens to be wearing a Santa Claus costume.
This episode is really all about action, and there's plenty of it, as well as some delicious dark humour, courtesy of writer Fred Dekker (director of "Night of the Creeps" and "The Monster Squad") and director Robert Zemeckis, as the increasingly distraught wife fumbles about with her late husbands' dead body. There are also some fine stunts and a little bit of gore, as implements such as fireplace pokers and axes get utilized. The story unfolds quickly, with absolutely no filler.
The viewer may recognize actress Trainor as the psychiatrist in the "Lethal Weapon" franchise; in real life she was married to Zemeckis at the time and she does a good job in a rare lead role. Drakes' performance may call to the viewers' mind his similar performance in the 1992 slasher "Dr. Giggles". He's just lots of malevolent fun as the unhinged psycho Santa, and is rarely to be seen without an insane smile on his face.
This is overall a fun episode and worthy viewing for any time of the year, not just the Christmas season.
Eight out of 10.
This episode is really all about action, and there's plenty of it, as well as some delicious dark humour, courtesy of writer Fred Dekker (director of "Night of the Creeps" and "The Monster Squad") and director Robert Zemeckis, as the increasingly distraught wife fumbles about with her late husbands' dead body. There are also some fine stunts and a little bit of gore, as implements such as fireplace pokers and axes get utilized. The story unfolds quickly, with absolutely no filler.
The viewer may recognize actress Trainor as the psychiatrist in the "Lethal Weapon" franchise; in real life she was married to Zemeckis at the time and she does a good job in a rare lead role. Drakes' performance may call to the viewers' mind his similar performance in the 1992 slasher "Dr. Giggles". He's just lots of malevolent fun as the unhinged psycho Santa, and is rarely to be seen without an insane smile on his face.
This is overall a fun episode and worthy viewing for any time of the year, not just the Christmas season.
Eight out of 10.