FEARnet Nabs Tales from the Crypt
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It’s been a long time, kiddies, but everyone’s favorite anthology show is headed back to the airwaves as FEARnet is poised and ready to bring The Cryptkeeper home to your television. Read on for details.
From the Press Release
The Emmy Award-winning anthology horror series “Tales from the Crypt” returns to network television starting Friday, October 5, when FEARnet debuts TV versions of the groundbreaking program on its linear channel and presents original episodes on its VOD platform. This marks the first time that “Tales from the Crypt” can be seen on network TV since 2004, when it was previously syndicated.
The TV “Tales from the Crypt” episodes will premiere Friday nights in a two-hour block on FEARnet from 10 p.m. to 12 midnight ET/7 p.m. to 9 p.m. PT and will be re-aired on Mondays in the same time period. The 93 produced episodes will play in order, beginning with season one and continuing through its seventh, and final, season.
The original cable versions of “Tales from the Crypt,” running from 1989 to 1996, are now available for the first time since their first airing, for FEARnet’s VOD platform.
Starting Wednesday, October 10, the premiere episodes will launch on FEARnet’s VOD platform, which is currently available in more than 26 million homes. On FEARnet’s industry-leading VOD Channel, the episodes will be presented in their original unedited format. Four episodes will be added to the VOD library every Wednesday, ensuring that there will always be something new and fresh for viewers to watch. Each episode will remain in the VOD library for six weeks.
After becoming the new president and general manager of FEARnet in August 2010, Peter Block wanted to bring this classic horror series to the network as his first order of business. In making the announcement today, an elated Block said: “‘Tales from the Crypt’ was the first time that horror writers, directors and actors came together in one place to produce a TV series to celebrate the genre. ‘Tales’ had everything – comedy, gore, splatter, slash, thrill and suspense – and it quickly became appointment television. I knew that this series was the perfect vehicle to complement our programming, and although it took us two years to acquire it, it was well worth the wait.”
Joel Silver, who produced numerous Hollywood hits including such franchises as Die Hard, Matrix, and Sherlock Holmes, also served on “Tales from the Crypt’s” all-star team of executive producers that included Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon), Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump), Walter Hill (48 Hours) and David Giler (Prometheus). Said Silver: “We’re incredibly pleased that FEARnet is the new TV home to both versions of ‘Tales.’ We are proud of the work that we accomplished on this series, and we believe, as FEARnet does, that the episodes are just as effective now as they were when they originally aired. It’s exciting to be able to introduce this cult classic now to a new generation.”
“One of the best things about ’Tales from the Crypt’ is that it’s an anthology series, so you’re always getting to see something new and different each time you tune in,” said Sarah Shannon, FEARnet’s director of programming. “It is our hope to augment the series with specially produced bonus content. We are grateful to the producers for offering us exclusives from the series and access to historical materials. From this, we should be able to produce some extra goodies that will be loved by the fans.”
Based on a creepy compilation of stories from the provocative EC line of horror, crime and suspense comics, “Tales from the Crypt” brought those animated specters of terror to life in unforgettable episodes featuring unlikely genre turns from a variety of modern Hollywood stars such as Brad Pitt (Se7en); Patricia Clarkson (Shutter Island); and Daniel Craig (Skyfall).
In the month of October alone, FEARnet viewers will be treated to timeless episodes like “And All Through the House,” based on the classic “Vault of Horror” entry about a maniacal Santa Clause terrorizing a murderous housewife on Christmas Eve (Oct. 5); “Collection Completed,” directed by Mary Lambert (“Pet Sematary”) and starring M. Emmet Walsh (Blood Simple) as a recent retiree with a sinister plan for his wife’s adopted pets (Oct. 12); “The Sacrifice,” starring Michael Ironside (Scanners), about a murderous man being blackmailed for his deeds (Oct. 26); and “Four-Sided Triangle,” directed by Tom Holland (Fright Night) and starring Patricia Arquette (“Medium”) as a troubled woman in love with a scarecrow (Oct. 26).
Additionally, FEARnet fans will be able to access all-new “Crypt” content on FEARnet.com. These extras will include a gallery of “Tales from the Crypt” comic book covers that were used on the show; exclusive video clips such as this one* when FEARnet filmed the opening of the “Tales” storage vault; and “Cryptkeeper-isms,” a collection of classic one-liners from the Master of Scaremonies, himself.
Also, in promoting the launch of the series, FEARnet has teamed up with FRIGHT-RAGS, the leading producer of horror t-shirts and apparel, and Mondo, the Austin-based art gallery renowned for its stable of genre artists, to produce limited editions of give-aways championing “Tales from the Crypt” on FEARnet. The “Tales” themed FRIGHT-RAGS t-shirt will be given away to FEARnet and FRIGHT-RAGS fans beginning next month, and the Mondo designed “Tales” pint glass will be distributed at the upcoming Fantastic Fest at Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX.
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