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Quite good episode «Баек from a crypt» under the name «Lover, Come Hack to Me» («Favourite, return to me in parts») the director has removed Volume Holland («the Deadly beauty», a miniserial «Лангольеры», «Night of fear»). Thanks to inimitable Amanda Plammer's remarkable game («Seven days to death», «Criminal reading matter», «the Necessary things»), this, by and large, an ordinary series has got a certain charm and till now is looked with indefatigable interest.

Страшненькая and little bit infantile, but very provided Пегги (Amanda Plammer) in day of the wedding together with husband Charles is going to leave the native house in wedding travel. She does not listen to aunt Edit who convinces Пегги, that Charles married it exclusively from mercenary promptings in hope to catch a decent condition of the girl (and it is valid so). On a way through dense wood newly married get to a terrible thunder-storm. To the car blocks movement a big tree laying on road which, probably, has fallen from a lightning stroke. Пегги searches in a glove compartment of salon for a lantern and finds there a pistol. Having joked, that it, probably, a gift on wedding from aunt Edit, Charles hides it to itself in a pocket (actually it has laid up the weapon that in marriage night to kill hated to it Пегги to put all fault on not existing robber and later to receive the rich inheritance). Fortunately a newly-married couple near to the fallen tree they find the huge thrown private residence in which it is possible to wait a thunder-storm and even to spend the night. Though outside the house seems started, inside it looks little bit rendered habitable. Having changed clothes in dry clothes, Пегги and Чарлз start to examine a private residence. On the second floor they find out a bedroom which ideally approaches for the first marriage night – the bed is laid by pure linen, its basis has beautiful candelabrums with the candles which have not scorched yet. Having managed to "get" the husband the sexual intimate dress, Пегги rushes to it to a bed. Passionate, but very chaste (at all my respect for Amanda Plammer, it all the same it is far not a sex bomb) the love scene further follows. After physical affinity Пегги informs Charles, that they have conceived the tiny girl. Having considered words of the wife its next strangeness, he easy falls asleep. After a while Charles wakes up from any noise in the street. He looks out in a window and with extreme surprise sees, how from the car which have approached on the house in the house comes Пегги with the unknown man. Having come downstairs on the ground floor, Charles becomes the witness of change Пегги with the stranger on a sofa at a burning fireplace. Amazed, he observes of how Пегги says to the lover that they "have made" the tiny girl. After these words it suffices an axe hanging over a fireplace and cuts in cabbage of the unlucky beloved. He tries to stop it, but his hands pass through its body, as though weaved of air. Then Charles understands, that has seen the past – the moment of conception Пегги her mother similar to his wife as like as two peas. With shout Charles wakes up while from a bathroom in a bedroom enters Пегги …

Juicy, but completely not original history that sometimes it is necessary to pay for a deceit and a marriage of convenience. It is rather instructive.

Estimation – 4 from 5 (only for the sake of Amanda Plammer).

Not so known director Hovard Deitch in Russia, the big expert in sequals (films-continuations) («Old grumblers have raged», «the Strange couple 2», «Nine yards 2»), has removed the fourth episode «Баек from a crypt» under the name «Only Sin Deep» («Only a sin»). Despite lacking director's experience in a genre of horrors, Deitch has created quite worthy series with rather interesting plot.

Street prostitute Silvija (Lea Thompson – the trilogy «Back in the future», «Intolerable Деннис») together with the friend on "business" Рейвен with envy observes of smartly dressed people gathering for a party in the house opposite. Unexpectedly the local souteneur offering to it "roof" starts to stick to it. Having decided to profit at his expense, Сильвия entices the souteneur in a dark lane and kills from the pistol. Having devastated its pockets (jewelry, money, expensive watch), Сильвия disappears. Next day it goes to the usurer to sell the extraction. However a disgusting kind the usurer (television actor Britt Lich) refuses to take its goods, referring that things stolen. While between them there is a verbal skirmish, the old woman comes into a pawnshop with the person closed by a black veil and accuses the usurer of larceny. Terribly having waved клюкой, it in despair leaves. After that strange visit the usurer offers Сильвии considerably the big sum, 10 thousand dollars, only for that she has allowed it to make a mould from her face. Thus he wishes to buy from it on the security of its beauty. Сильвия, having accepted the usurer for the harmless madman, with ease agrees on its offer. He says Сильвии, that to it is given four months to redeem goods back sold by it. Later to make it it will be impossible. Сильвия does not pay attention to its words and directs in boutiques for purchase of expensive clothes – she after all has conceived «охмурить» young rich handsome man Ронни, the owner of smart apartment in that house where there are elite parties. She yet does not know, that the usurer uses moulds from persons such as it, thoughtless persons for mysterious ritual on restoration of beauty and a youth of the for a long time died wife, almost мумифицированный which corpse lays at it in a back room of a pawnshop. Successfully having tempted Ронни, Сильвия moves to it to live. Time goes, and Сильвия with alarm notices, that at it ageing signs – wrinkles on the face, loss of hair etc. Fortunately start to be shown, Ронни leaves in official journey and has not time to see the terrible changes occurring with Сильвией. After four months it turns to the eighty-year-old old woman. In horror Сильвия runs in a pawnshop to return back youth …

«Only a sin» - very qualitative episode of a serial. And though in it practically there is no «саспенс», a frank violence, bloody scenes, «обнаженка» and even "black" humour (that is all attributes guaranteeing success at target audience), this episode it is looked with the great pleasure.

Firm 4 from 5.

The third episode «Баек from a crypt» «Dig That Cat … He’s Real Gone» («Nine lives») is removed by Richard Donnerom (квадрилогия «the Deadly weapon», «the plot Theory», «16 quarters»), the producer of this serial acting also.

The homeless tramp Ulrik (Joe Pantoliano – «Сорвиголова», «Pluto Nash's Adventure», "Remember") casually meets doctor Emilem Manfred (Gustav Vintas – «the Deadly weapon») which offers it money for carrying out over it of medical experiences. Ульрик agrees, and Manfred implants a hypophysis of a cat in its brain. When Ульрик the doctor comes to the senses after a narcosis explains to it, that now it became the owner of the cat's nine lives. As proof of the words Manfred shoots in Ульрика from a pistol. That замертво falls, that then, after some time, again to regain consciousness live and safe. On ability Ульрика to deceive death they decide to gain money. The doctor arranges Ульрика in circus of a chapiteau and its impresario acts in a role. Were the tramp receives a scenic name «Ульрик Immortal» and participates in severe attractions on which it heat, hang up, shoot at it from арбалета etc. The stunned public with horror and amazement observes, as soon as that the lost person through a certain time interval rises from the dead. Money flows like water in pockets Ульрика and doctor Manfred. At last, Ульрик decides not to share any more with the doctor. Having taken the helm cars in which Manfred also went, it arranges accident. Both perish, however Ульрик again revives. Now it is the individual creator and the owner of the tricks. Having considered, that at it remains two more lives (before he has been once again killed by the mistress and the assistant, decided to steal at it money), Ульрик Immortal declares new and last attraction which should bring in its the big incomes, - about own burial alive …

Despite rather positive reviews (some consider this episode as the best in a serial), this series not so was pleasant to me. A plot good, game of actors is remarkable, however, in my opinion, «Nine lives» could be made more qualitatively. With big «саспенсом», fear forcing, however Доннер has emphasised only "black" humour, having transformed this minifilm in cheerful buffoonery. I do not argue, it can it and achieved. In general I consider, that it is better to Richard Donneru to remove full-length pictures or to act as the producer of teleserials and films and not to be exchanged for short episodes. The special grasp inherent very in few directors is for this purpose necessary.

My estimation – 3 from 5.

«And All Through the House» («And all ways conduct through the house») – the excellent Christmas history which has been removed by magnificent Robert Zemekisom ("Forrest Gamp", "Derelict", «That hides lie»). I consider, that this series can be included in group of the best episodes «Баек from a crypt». It very successfully combines classical «саспенс» with excellent "black" humour.

On the eve of Christmas in one silent and cosy private residence the woman (Mary Ellen Trejnor – квадрилогия «the Deadly weapon», «the Novel with a stone», «the Strong nutlet»), in advance having agreed to the lover, a chimney poker kills the husband who has bothered to her. Having calmed falling asleep on the second floor of the house a daughter who has heard noise below and has thought, that has come Санта Клаус, it drags out a corpse of the husband in the court yard brought by snow that it to hide. In the course of carrying out of a body from a private residence the woman hears the message by radio about the maniac-murderer who has run away from a madhouse which have been changed clothes for suit Санта Клауса. Hardly having pulled out a corpse on street, it meets face to face with mad Санта Клаусом (as always, Larri Drake's brilliant game – «the American pie 2», "Doctor Gigglz", «the Person of darkness»), swinging axe. After fight the woman runs in the house and starts to call in police, however, having come round, hangs up a telephone tube. The woman appears between two fires – on the one hand it is threatened with the maniac, and with another she is afraid to address for the help to police which for certain will arrest her on suspicion in murder (all proofs against it). She understands, that should solve this serious problem independently. And in the meantime the maniac climbs on a ladder on the second floor – in a room where its definitively woken up daughter with trembling waits on a visit Санта Клауса …

Without any doubt I put to this episode 5 of 5.

The minifilm of the known director and producer Uoltera Hilla («Streets on fire», «48 hours», «Red heat») «The Man Who Was Death» («the Person who was death») became the first episode «Баек from a crypt».

In it it is told about cynical prison executioner Najlze Telbote (William Sedler – «the Strong nutlet 2», «the Knight of demons of night», «Runaway from Шоушенка») which does the work, that is executes the prisoners sentenced to death on an electric chair, with special pleasure. For it news about an abolition of capital punishment is terrible blow. In conversation with the chief of prison Telbot says, that he is not able to do anything else (though, in my opinion, it would leave the quite good electrician). Remained without work, the former executioner it is very difficult to them to leave "business", starts to create self-court – it refined kills the criminals justified by court. For the time being all goes at Тэлбота smoothly while once on it there is no police …

I do not know, how to you, expensive readers, and the first episode has not so liked me. Like all in it is, and original murders, and it is a little «обнаженки», and amusing enough ending, but … all the same not that. Be not surprised, but this episode has seemed to me a little tightened (it at it 20 with superfluous minutes!) and dullish. Probably my opinion was affected by that during all episode the offscreen voice of the protagonist is constantly heard. It tyres a little and the film "brakes".

My estimation – 3 from 5 (at all respect for Hilla and Сэдлеру).

There, where it is possible, transfer of names of episodes will correspond to names which have been used during serial display on the Russian TV and in company "ЕА" VHS-releases. In any case of the name in Russian will often differ from English in view of complexity of transfer (almost all names of episodes «Баек» are connected with a word-play).

The first theme for our review we have chosen popular and well-known at us and abroad a teleserial «Tales from the Crypt» («Байки from a crypt»). From other serials it is distinguished by caustic black humour, amusing, sometimes an unexpected plot, participation in it of the first class directors and actors and, as a rule, a bad ending of each episode without any hint on «хэппи энд». Fortunately, censorship of the Federal commission on communications of the USA, regulating radio and TV activity, thanks to that it was broadcast on cable channel HBO, instead of under usual programs of a metre range has not concerned this anthology of horrors. Thus, in a serial the frank violence and cruelty, foul language, «обнаженка» and sexual implied sense has been kept.

«Байки a crypt» left in a teleether with 1989 for 1996 during seven seasons. In total 93 episodes have been let out. All of them are a screen version of comics of the horrors published by publishing house popular in the fifties in the USA «EC Comics». Such "whales" of the film industry, as Richard Donner ("Superman" of 1978, квадрилогия «the Deadly weapon», «16 quarters»), Уолтер Хилл («48 hours», «Streets on fire», «Red heat»), Robert Zemekis («the Polar express train», "Forrest Gamp", the trilogy «Back in the future») and others were Executive producers of a serial.

The American television actor and the master of a satirical colloquial genre John Kessir who sounded the protagonist of a serial of the Keeper of a crypt (ridiculous скелетообразная a puppet) was the invariable participant of all without an exception of series «Баек from a crypt». In each episode «Баек» there is a prologue and an epilogue to which the Keeper of a crypt represents next "horror story" and does the instructive conclusion.

On motives of a serial three feature films which, however, had no special success have been removed: «Байки from a crypt: the Knight of demons of night» 1995, «Байки from a crypt: the Bloody brothel» 1996 and «Байки from a crypt: Ritual» (it is removed in 2001, but is let out straight on DVD only in 2006). However, it is a theme for other headings.

We will place short reviews of each episode and to estimate it on five-point system (5-perfectly, 4-well, 3-srednenko 1-is better, 2-badly, not to look at all). If you looked «Байки from a crypt» (them showed on the Russian TV) and remember separate episodes we invite you also to take part in their estimation.

Dear friends!

We open a new heading – «TV-DVD serials»! We already see on your persons expression of full misunderstanding and even fastidiousness – you, probably, think, that we have absolutely fallen and have exhausted, have rolled down before reviewing of "soap operas», however business is at all so badly. There are serials qualitative which each episode is looked as a separate art minifilm, and there are the never-ending silly and "sugary" serials focused in basic on the housewives and a children's audience. A question, of course, taste, but to the first category we with pleasure carry «Confidential materials», «Байки from a crypt», «Behind a side possible», «Masters of horrors», «the Poltergeist: a heritage», "Psi-factor" and some other. To list serials of the second category it is not obviously possible, as a name it – a legion (I think, you and without us know, about what "TV-soap" there is a speech). At once we warn, that reviews will be written only on the serials which have left on DVD (we do not depart from the key rule). Considering, that in Russia serials interesting us did not leave in DVD a format (we speak exclusively about «лицензионке»), we will shine television films of the first zone. We think, that anything terrible in it is not present – the majority of you are familiar with the above-stated serials as almost all of them were shown on the Russian TV. Sincerely we hope, that you will like a new heading!