Body Bags (1993)

Three short stories in the horror genre: the first about a serial killer, the second about a hair transplant gone wrong, and the third about a baseball player.

Directors:

John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Billy Brown, Dan Angel

Stars:

John Carpenter, Tom Arnold, Tobe Hooper

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Carpenter	...	The Coroner (segment "The Morgue")
Tom Arnold	...	Morgue Worker #1 (segment "The Morgue")
Tobe Hooper	...	Morgue Worker #2 (segment "The Morgue")
Robert Carradine	...	Bill (segment "The Gas Station")
Alex Datcher	...	Anne (segment "The Gas Station")
Peter Jason	...	Gent (segment "The Gas Station")
Molly Cheek	...	Divorcee (segment "The Gas Station")
Wes Craven	...	Pasty Faced Man (segment "The Gas Station")
Sam Raimi	...	Dead Bill (segment "The Gas Station")
David Naughton	...	Pete (segment "The Gas Station")
George 'Buck' Flower	...	Stranger (segment "The Gas Station") (as Buck Flower)
Lucy Boryer	...	Peggy (segment "The Gas Station")
Roger Rooks	...	TV Anchorman (segment "The Gas Station")
Stacy Keach	...	Richard Coberts (segment "Hair")
David Warner	...	Dr. Lock (segment "Hair")

Storyline

Three short stories in the horror genre: the first about a serial killer, the second about a hair transplant gone wrong, and the third about a baseball player.

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Plot Keywords:

alliteration in title | two word title | horror anthology | anthology film | night shift | 

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Taglines:

From the master of terror! Three tales to chill & thrill.

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality and horror violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 August 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eye

Filming Locations:

Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

187 Corp.,Showtime Networks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Clive Barker was asked to play a role, but had to decline because he was busy at the time.

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Goofs

When the dead Coroner is being cut open by one of the Morgue's attendants, he lifts his head up in a comical spoof. Yet the other attendant who fetched the coffee was coming back, and despite looking at his direction didn't see the coroner move.

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Quotes

The Coroner: [looking at bodies] Natural causes... Natural causes... Natural causes... I hate natural causes! Give me a big stab wound to poke at and then I'm happy.

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Connections

Featured in Unzipping Body Bags (2013)

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Soundtracks

ALMOST CUT MY HAIR
Written by David Crosby
Performed by Crosby Stills Nash & Young (as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)
Published by Stay Straight Music (BMI)
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

"I think we got time for one more body bag"

John Carpenter presents "Body Bags", in which it reads true as he plays very-well looking coroner (well he might not be as what he seems) late at night fooling around in a morgue, while spitting out macabre jokes (visual and verbal) and then introducing us to three buoyant little stories. They range from horrific, humorous and simply bizarre with a "Tales from the Crypt" spin to them. In this low-budget TV production Carpenter would direct the first two; "The Gas Station" and "Hair", but the third story "The Eye" would be fronted by director Tobe Hopper. Carpenter and Hooper wouldn't be the only recognizable names, as the cast line-up is rather mouth-watering. You got Stacy Keach, David Warner, Mark Hamill, David Naughton, Robert Carradine, Deborah Harry, Twiggy, George Buck Flower, Charles Napier, John Agar, Roger Corman and a minor cameo from Tom Arnold. Also some horror participants have tiny parts; Sam Ramini, Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper and make-up/special effects maestro Gregory Nicotero.

The first story; "The Gas Station" starring Alex Datcher, Robert Carrdine and David Naughton is probably my favourite of the lot. It's the most straight-forward, but effectively atmospheric (very well photographed with its encroaching angles) and suspenseful, which sees a lady on her first day of the job looking over an isolated gas station late one-night night, where she becomes a target of a satanic serial killer. Quite high-tempo with its grounded cat-and-mouse layout. You really do feel the growing unease displayed by Datcher's character and the tension that unfolds from its eerily forlorn backdrop, but this exercise into familiarity just works. Some fruity characters also helps, and it's not without its parodying humour either to balance it out.

"Hair" the second story, starts off with a natural fear before becoming quite an offbeat and quirky entry which sees Stacy Keach being plagued by the fear of losing his hair. After trying everything to combat it, he seeks treatment from a specialist doctor. It works --- lovely long hair, but at what cost. Keach is a blast in the lead and he shares terrific on-screen chemistry with the likes of Sheena Easton, David Warner and a colourful Debbie Harry. Witty dialogues and a nice sense of wicked cruelty in a revelation that's just plain crazy.

Finally we end off with Hooper's "The Eye". A brooding supernatural tale that has Mark Hamill an up-and coming baseball player in a terrible car accident, where he loses his right eye. However a doctor offers him the chance to get that sight back in an eye transplant but there's no guarantee it will work. However it does, but soon he's plagued by headaches and visions --- dark and disturbing ones. This one takes on a more serious approach compared with the previous outings with an excellently confident Mark Hamill with good support by Twiggy. The story might be predictable, but it's well-paced where the inflicted transformation of our edgy central character is suitably pitched. Some ghastly shocks moments show up too.

Joining it up is the enjoyably warped wrap-around segment with Carpenter (where Rick Baker did the make-up for) and this sees the cameo turns of Hooper and Arnold at the end. The dialogues might be what you most remember, but some of the decors on show in this segment are amusingly executed.

As a whole it's a complete package with the stories perfectly complementing each other. They might not be spectacular, but I liked the three.

Good, fun comic horror anthology opus by Carpenter and co.