This Tales From The Crypt Episode Did Obsession 35 Years Ago
Obsession might be the latest horror flick taking the world by storm, but its plot bears a striking resemblance to a certain 35-year-old episode of Tales from the Crypt. Based on the eponymous EC comic from the 1950s, the HBO horror anthology series ran from 1989 until 1996. Hosted by the ghoulishly witty Crypt Keeper, each of the show’s episodes weaves a different terror yarn. Like the comics the show is based on, Tales from the Crypt is known for its clever twists and shocking comeuppances. Often, the characters are punished for their misdeeds through supernatural or ironic means. Thanks to HBO’s big budget, the show features a ton of big stars. Though the entire series isn’t perfect, Tales from the Crypt remains one of the best horror series in television history. Flash forward three and a half decades, and Obsession is keeping the horror genre alive on the big screen. The box office juggernaut has already surpassed $300 million, despite being an indie film on a shoestring budget. The film’s brilliance lies in its simplicity, and Obsession nails all the most important parts of telling a scary story in film form. It’s spooky, but it also has deeper themes. Though Obsession has sparked a major discussion about Hollywood and what audiences really want from their original movies, there’s something oddly familiar about the Curry Barker gem. There are quite a few similarities between the 2026 hit and an episode of Tales from the Crypt, proving classic horror stories never really go out of style.
Obsession Bears A Striking Resemblance To The Episode “Loved To Death”
Marial Hemingway and Andrew McCarthy in Tales from the Crypt
Released as the first episode of Tales from the Crypt’s third season, “Loved to Death” stars Andrew McCarthy and Mariel Hemingway. In the episode, McCarthy plays a lonely screenwriter who is infatuated with his self-centered neighbor (Hemingway). After slipping her a love potion provided by his strange landlord, the creep soon learns that supernatural love has deadly consequences. Curry Barker’s Obsession follows a very similar format, and concerns a love-sick young man who goes to supernatural means to gain the affections of a woman. Though the individual details are different, the conclusion is the exact same. Both are a twist on the “deal with the devil” concept, though Tales from the Crypt beat Obsession by nearly four decades. Technically, the story first appeared all the way back in 1951’s Tales from the Crypt #25. Just because Obsession and “Loved to Death” are similar, that doesn’t mean the 2026 blockbuster is a rip-off. In fact, the story has become somewhat archetypal over the decades. The Twilight Zone features a very similar episode called “The Chaser”, and even the classic rock hit, “Love Potion Number 9” is a twist on the idea. It’s a concept that’s clearly worth revisiting in each successive generation.
Obsession Is Still Much Better Than The Tales From The Crypt Episode
Inde Navarrette smiling as Nikki in Obsession
The similarities between Obsession and “Loved to Death” are a perfect illustration of how two different storytellers can approach the same idea. There’s no denying that Obsession is vastly superior to the Tales from the Crypt episode for a handful of reasons. First and foremost, the movie is actually frightening, while the episode opts for a tongue-in-cheek tone. What’s more, the movie’s themes are richer.
Obsession is a startling look at nihilism in the modern dating scene, and the stunning performance of Inde Navarrette really sells the tragedy of the entire affair. Meanwhile, “Loved to Death” is far too cynical to really make much of a point, and all the characters are unlikable and cartoonish. While that works well in some Tales from the Crypt episodes, “Loved to Death” is not really a highlight. Showing how far we’ve come in a mere 35 years, Obsession finally tells a version of the story where the female object of affection isn’t simply a prop. In fact, the entire horror of the story is derived from what’s happening to Nikki (Navarrette) instead of the hardships of Bear (Michael Johnston). Tales from the Crypt might be a classic horror series, but Obsession will stand the test of time far better than “Loved to Death”.
Release Date
1989 – 1996-00-00
Network
HBO
Showrunner
Gilbert Adler
Directors
Russell Mulcahy, Elliot Silverstein, Tom Holland, Gilbert Adler, Stephen Hopkins, Robert Zemeckis, Walter Hill, William Malone, Gary Fleder, Kevin Yagher, Howard Deutch, Rodman Flender, John Harrison, Randa Haines, Richard Greenberg, Robert Longo, Peter S. Seaman, Peter Medak, Roland Mesa, Rowdy Herrington, Roy Ward Baker, Andrew Morahan, Tobe Hooper, Steve Perry
Writers
Scott Nimerfro, Terry Black, Colman deKay, Mae Woods, Randall Jahnson, Scott Rosenberg, Rob Cohen, Robert Reneau, Ross Thomas, Scott Alexander, Teller, Stanley Ralph Ross, Richard Christian Matheson, Yale Udoff, Kim Steven Ketelsen, Shel Willens, Joe Minion, Richard Tuggle, A. Whitney Brown, Andrew Kevin Walker, Harry Anderson, Connie Johnson, Dick Beebe, Don Mancini
John Kassir
Crypt Keeper (voice)
Michelle Johnson
Liz Kelly-Dixon
Diterbitkan : 2026-07-05 19:25:00
sumber : screenrant.com
