Again, this is more noir than horror but, all in all, quite a delightful TFTC episode (despite a rather weak title). The Humphrey Bogart credit is obviously an in-joke; actually, look-alike impersonator Robert Sacchi is the real star of this episode which displays a tongue-in-cheek approach to murder (extending to the improbable twist ending) and much use of the genre's traditional hard-boiled dialogue. Isabella Rossellini (daughter of a former co-star of the real Bogart) is perfectly cast as a femme fatale; also in the cast: John Lithgow (slimy as ever) and Sherilyn Fenn (as the "dumb" good-girl type). Following the success of Zemeckis' FORREST GUMP (1994), the punning cryptkeeper host of the series appears dressed-up like him and just as the character in that film is made to interact with long-dead personalities, in this case Alfred Hitchcock!
6 Reviews
Very clever and inventive episode
Woodyanders14 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Criminal Lou Spinelli (deftly voiced by Bogie impersonator Robert Sacchi) has shifty plastic surgeon Dr. Oscar Charles (an excellent performance by John Lithgow) transform him into a dead ringer for Humphrey Bogart. Lou still winds up getting killed, but isn't exactly dead. Director Robert Zemeckis, working from a witty script by A L Katz and Gilbert Adler, makes ingenious use of vintage Bogart footage from several of his movies that's seamlessly edited into the rest of the show, pays affectionate homage to 40's film noir, and, in an especially inspired touch, relates the whole story from Lou's point of view. Moreover, it's acted with zest by a tip-top cast: Lithgow is in peak slimy form, Isabella Rossellini makes for a terrific femme fatale as the sly and sultry Betty, and Sherilyn Fenn contributes an appealing portrayal as the sweet and chipper Erika. Better still, this episode also boasts cool hard-boiled narration and a wickedly funny sense of sharp sardonic humor that becomes more increasingly twisted as the plot unfolds. The wrap-around segments with the Crypt Keeper offers a spot-on macabre send-up of "Forrest Gump" complete with a surprise cameo from none other than Alfred Hitchcock (!). Both Alan Silvestri's jaunty'n'jazzy score and Rick Bota's gorgeous vibrant cinematography are up to speed. A worthy closer for the sixth season.
Inventive Tales from the Crypt episode.
poolandrews21 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Tales from the Crypt: You, Murderer starts as rich businessman & wanted criminal Lou Spinelli (Humphery Bogart) gets a phone call from his wife Betty (Isabella Rossellini) saying that the goons he sent to kill her failed. Worried Lou races home & discovers that he has been double crossed by Betty & his plastic surgeon Oscar Charles (John Lithgow) who operated on Lou & gave him the same face as famous Hollywood actor Humphrey Bogart to evade capture by the police. Betty & Oscar are having an affair & want Lou out of the way but their carefully worked out plan doesn't quite go according to plan...
Episode 15 from season 5 this Tales from the Crypt story was in fact the final episode of the sixth season & You, Murderer certainly ends it on a highly memorable note. Directed by Robert Zemeckis this has a very unusual & unique story & a unique way of presenting it. The script by A. L. Katz & Gilbert Adler was based on a story from 'The Vault of Horror' comic book & revolves around the odd idea that a criminal would have plastic surgery in order to look exactly like Humphrey Bogart, it actually sounds rather silly but the episode works a treat. There's a distinct film noir feel about it as it's clearly set in the 40's & the entire episode is narrated & told from the point of view of Lou as he witnesses & comments on witnessing his own murder. What starts out like like a crime thriller turns macabre in a Tales from the Crypt sort of way when after Lou is murdered his soul still remains in his dead body, hearing & seeing everything that goes on around it. It's a rather clever episode that is very enjoyable, something a bit different & ultimately very memorable for the right reasons.
Another aspect of You, Murderer that I liked was that the entire programme is seen from the point of view of Lou, we see what he sees as the episode develops as it were & we never go outside of his point of view. Technically it must have been a nightmare to achieve & the production team pull out all the stops with lots of trick photography, there are occasions when Lou looks into mirrors, or a shiny hip flask or the rear view mirror of a car & he looks at 'himself' or sees his own reflection in a window & the makers optically insert real archive footage of Humphrey Bogart into these scenes even though in reality he had been dead for forty odd years. If that wasn't enough the opening & closing Cryptkeeper sequences are a fun homage to director Zemeckis' film Forest Gump (1994) with the Cryptkeeper sat on a bench eating some 'Shocolates' & calling himself Fearest Gump! As well as inserting archive footage of Humphrey Bogart into the main story here the Cryptkeeper gets to talk with Alfred Hitchcock as the production team put footage of him in here during these scenes as well. You, Murderer is just a conceptually & technically very clever Tales from the Crypt episode & rounds the sixth season off in memorable fashion.
You, Murderer is a very unusual Tales from the Crypt episode & at the same time a great one on various levels. Easily one of the most enjoyable episodes of the sixth season & the series as a whole although it's more of an oddball thriller than straight horror.
Episode 15 from season 5 this Tales from the Crypt story was in fact the final episode of the sixth season & You, Murderer certainly ends it on a highly memorable note. Directed by Robert Zemeckis this has a very unusual & unique story & a unique way of presenting it. The script by A. L. Katz & Gilbert Adler was based on a story from 'The Vault of Horror' comic book & revolves around the odd idea that a criminal would have plastic surgery in order to look exactly like Humphrey Bogart, it actually sounds rather silly but the episode works a treat. There's a distinct film noir feel about it as it's clearly set in the 40's & the entire episode is narrated & told from the point of view of Lou as he witnesses & comments on witnessing his own murder. What starts out like like a crime thriller turns macabre in a Tales from the Crypt sort of way when after Lou is murdered his soul still remains in his dead body, hearing & seeing everything that goes on around it. It's a rather clever episode that is very enjoyable, something a bit different & ultimately very memorable for the right reasons.
Another aspect of You, Murderer that I liked was that the entire programme is seen from the point of view of Lou, we see what he sees as the episode develops as it were & we never go outside of his point of view. Technically it must have been a nightmare to achieve & the production team pull out all the stops with lots of trick photography, there are occasions when Lou looks into mirrors, or a shiny hip flask or the rear view mirror of a car & he looks at 'himself' or sees his own reflection in a window & the makers optically insert real archive footage of Humphrey Bogart into these scenes even though in reality he had been dead for forty odd years. If that wasn't enough the opening & closing Cryptkeeper sequences are a fun homage to director Zemeckis' film Forest Gump (1994) with the Cryptkeeper sat on a bench eating some 'Shocolates' & calling himself Fearest Gump! As well as inserting archive footage of Humphrey Bogart into the main story here the Cryptkeeper gets to talk with Alfred Hitchcock as the production team put footage of him in here during these scenes as well. You, Murderer is just a conceptually & technically very clever Tales from the Crypt episode & rounds the sixth season off in memorable fashion.
You, Murderer is a very unusual Tales from the Crypt episode & at the same time a great one on various levels. Easily one of the most enjoyable episodes of the sixth season & the series as a whole although it's more of an oddball thriller than straight horror.
Here's Looking At Ewe, Kid.
punkermunkey713 August 2006
This episode stand out in my memory as one of the greatest and strangest episodes to date. I would have to had seen it once again to recall the details but I believe it uses the same First Person Narration/Perspective as the episode 'Abbra Cadaver' in Season 3 of the series and is in black & white. The plot centers around a Humphrey Bogart style character, following his appearance in Casablanca in the 1940's and those whom he encounters and the events leading up to his demise. John Lithgow also has a stellar role in this episode, but a much more serious role than his typical wacky 3rd Rock From The Sun style. I can't wait for this season to arrive on DVD so i can watch this episode once again.
Nice homage to film noir
bellino-angelo201410 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is full of homages to great cinema. In the intro the Crypt Keeper is playing his version of FORREST GUMP in a park and we then go in our story of the day: Lou Spinelli was a businessman that one day was murdered and when in the past he had some plastic surgery he had a striking resemblance with Humphrey Bogart (even tho we see it in few scenes). We see the days he was the president of an advertising company where he tried to advertise a product using variations of the classic Bogart line ''Here's lookin at you, kid''. After he was murdered we see flashbacks of when he was found dead by his old friend Oscar Charles (John Lithgow) and his wife Betty (Isabella Rossellini) that tried to hide his body in the closet but he was too heavy for being hung in the closet and so Oscar and Betty went out in the woods for digging some sort of grave and bury Lou. Unfortunately, Erica (Oscar's occasional lover) comes by and she is shot while she goes in the car: her body falls on the emergency brake and makes the car move towards them (and Lou's voice will have the last laugh).
A great episode very reminiscent of the Alfred Hitchcock movies and full of suspense throughout. The perfect conclusion for another great season (despite two losers).
A great episode very reminiscent of the Alfred Hitchcock movies and full of suspense throughout. The perfect conclusion for another great season (despite two losers).
Noir of the Dead
hellraiser72 March 2018
This episode is another favorate of mine, this tale is a really different entry but then again this show has had it's share of them and is part of the beauty of anthologies. This isn't entirely scary (though the thought of anything like this can be) it's more of a noir black comidy; but also in a twisted sense a love letter to the Noir genere. Also believe or not, I saw this episode when I was 12 or 13 I didn't know anything about the noir genre and Humphrey Bogart, so this episode was my first step into this genere I love.
I really like the structure of the episode, thoughout the episode were in the first person perspective and we never really see the protagonist's face but only a few times where we catch brief glimpses of the face which is the face of late actor Humphrey Bogart. I like the fact we don't see his face much it reflects the mystery of both his character and the predicament, but most importantly it really puts us in the action as if were experiencing the same things he is. I even like the voice acting, from how well the actor sounded and performed I sometimes bought this was the Humphrey himself (as a kid I actually thought this was the actor).
The supporting cast are great too, Issabele Roselini ironically cast is good as the feme fatale. John Lithgow another actor I really like is good as the untrustworthy friend or foe. Sherl Finn whom is also ironically cast as the pretty helpful secretary Erica whom we hope comes to Lou's aid, shame her looks don't bring anything to the upstairs department.
We see all the typical cleches like in most noir stories where there is a double cross or betrayal, one person is cheating on another, and death itself which is true in most noir stories. Here we kinda see two kinds of noir troopes where on one side were seeing a couple trying to get away from something and on the other side a solitary figure whom is forced to face a complex life and death dilemma.
I really like the bits of humor in this episode as we see what Lou's body goes though and the comendary of grief he delivers though also makes it glad I'm not in his shoes. It's funny when he hear what he says seeing that burial hole, "finally I can get some rest".
But it's suspenseful because like in all EC Comics fashion as well as some Noir stories, you already know this couple isn't going to get away with it and are going to get what's coming to them. In what happens in the final minutes if you wanted to you could call it a miracle.
Rating: 4 stars
I really like the structure of the episode, thoughout the episode were in the first person perspective and we never really see the protagonist's face but only a few times where we catch brief glimpses of the face which is the face of late actor Humphrey Bogart. I like the fact we don't see his face much it reflects the mystery of both his character and the predicament, but most importantly it really puts us in the action as if were experiencing the same things he is. I even like the voice acting, from how well the actor sounded and performed I sometimes bought this was the Humphrey himself (as a kid I actually thought this was the actor).
The supporting cast are great too, Issabele Roselini ironically cast is good as the feme fatale. John Lithgow another actor I really like is good as the untrustworthy friend or foe. Sherl Finn whom is also ironically cast as the pretty helpful secretary Erica whom we hope comes to Lou's aid, shame her looks don't bring anything to the upstairs department.
We see all the typical cleches like in most noir stories where there is a double cross or betrayal, one person is cheating on another, and death itself which is true in most noir stories. Here we kinda see two kinds of noir troopes where on one side were seeing a couple trying to get away from something and on the other side a solitary figure whom is forced to face a complex life and death dilemma.
I really like the bits of humor in this episode as we see what Lou's body goes though and the comendary of grief he delivers though also makes it glad I'm not in his shoes. It's funny when he hear what he says seeing that burial hole, "finally I can get some rest".
But it's suspenseful because like in all EC Comics fashion as well as some Noir stories, you already know this couple isn't going to get away with it and are going to get what's coming to them. In what happens in the final minutes if you wanted to you could call it a miracle.
Rating: 4 stars
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