This week on It Hails from the Crypt, hosts Fred and Tim tackle “Judy, You’re Not Yourself Today,” Season 2, Episode 11 of HBO’s Tales from the Crypt: a twisted suburban nightmare of body swapping, witchcraft, marriage, murder and identity starring Carol Kane, Brian Kerwin and Frances Bay.

As always, we begin where Tales from the Crypt began:

Before “Judy, You’re Not Yourself Today” came to HBO, the story appeared in Tales from the Crypt #25 in 1951, written by legendary EC editor/writer Al Feldstein with artwork by Wally Wood.

Fred and Tim dig into the original seven-page story, examining Wood’s artwork, Feldstein’s black-comic plotting, the body-switching premise and its connection to H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Thing on the Doorstep.”

How much of Lovecraft survives in EC’s version? How does Feldstein turn identity horror into a nasty domestic joke? And what changes when HBO revisits the story almost forty years later?

Then we turn to the 1990 HBO adaptation, directed by Randa Haines filmmaker behind Children of a Lesser God from a screenplay by longtime Tales from the Crypt writer Scott Nimerfro.

Carol Kane stars as Judy, whose already strained marriage to gun-obsessed husband Donald, played by Brian Kerwin, gets considerably worse when an elderly cosmetics saleswoman shows up at the door.

That mysterious visitor is played by Frances Bay remembered by horror and cult fans from Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks and she has much more than a makeover in mind.

Soon Judy isn’t acting like Judy, Donald realizes something impossible has happened, and what begins as suburban marital comedy turns into a bizarre story of witchcraft, body swapping, murder and revenge.

Fred and Tim break down Carol Kane’s performance, Brian Kerwin’s increasingly frantic Donald, Frances Bay’s wonderfully sinister witch, Randa Haines’ direction, the practical makeup effects, dark comedy and escalating absurdity while comparing the HBO adaptation directly with the original EC Comics story.

We also dig into a great deep-cut credit: a young Todd Field — future director of In the Bedroom, Little Children and TÁR — appears in a small role years before becoming an Oscar-nominated filmmaker.

How does the HBO version expand the comic? Does Carol Kane make the body-swap premise funnier, creepier or both? And is “Judy, You’re Not Yourself Today” secretly one of Season 2’s strangest episodes?

Finally, Fred and Tim unlock the Vault of More for another collection of movies, television, books, comics and music connected to the episode.

If you love Tales from the Crypt, EC Comics, Carol Kane, Wally Wood, H.P. Lovecraft, The Thing on the Doorstep, Twin Peaks, body-swap horror, horror comedy or classic anthology television, join us as we dig into “Judy, You’re Not Yourself Today.”

⚰️ EPISODE, CAST & CREW

• Randa Haines — Director

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0354279/

• Scott Nimerfro — Screenplay

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0632350/

• Carol Kane — Judy

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001406/

• Brian Kerwin — Donald

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0450116/

• Frances Bay — The Witch

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0062844/

• Todd Field — Eugene

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0276062/

• John Kassir — The Crypt Keeper

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0440885/

#TalesFromTheCrypt #ECComics #TheVentriloquistsDummy

This week on It Hails from the Crypt, hosts Fred and Tim take the stage for “The Ventriloquist’s Dummy,” Season 2, Episode 10 of HBO’s Tales from the Crypt — the infamous episode starring Don Rickles and Bobcat Goldthwait, directed by Richard Donner and written by Frank Darabont.

Before “The Ventriloquist’s Dummy” came to HBO, the story appeared in Tales from the Crypt #28, plotted by Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein, scripted by Feldstein and illustrated by legendary EC artist Graham “Ghastly” Ingels.

Fred and Tim dig into the original comic, examining Ingels’ grotesque artwork, EC’s twisted sense of humor and the bizarre body-horror premise at the center of the story before looking at how it was transformed for television nearly 40 years later.

Then we turn to the 1990 HBO adaptation, directed by Richard Donner, filmmaker behind Superman, The Goonies, The Omen and Lethal Weapon, with a screenplay by future The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and The Walking Dead filmmaker Frank Darabont.

Bobcat Goldthwait stars as Billy Goldman, an aspiring ventriloquist desperate to learn from his childhood idol, legendary performer Mr. Ingels, played by comedy icon Don Rickles.

Fred and Tim break down Don Rickles and Bobcat Goldthwait’s performances, Richard Donner’s direction, Frank Darabont’s adaptation, the episode’s comedy, practical effects, creature work and outrageous body horror while comparing the HBO version directly with its EC Comics source.

Finally, Fred and Tim unlock the Vault of More for another collection of deep-cut recommendations inspired by the episode.

Then Fred and Tim make another stop at THE DEAD LETTER OFFICE, answering listener questions about Tales from the Crypt, EC Comics, horror movies, filmmaking, the podcast and whatever else has found its way into our mailbox.

⚰️ EPISODE, CAST & CREW

• The Ventriloquist’s Dummy — Season 2, Episode 10
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0716900/

• Richard Donner — Director
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001149/

• Frank Darabont — Screenplay
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001104/

• Don Rickles — Mr. Ingels
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0725543/

• Bobcat Goldthwait — Billy Goldman
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001281/

• John Kassir — The Crypt Keeper
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0440885/

• Full Cast & Crew
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0716900/fullcredits/

🎙️ IT HAILS FROM THE CRYPT

Join Fred and Tim as they work their way through HBO’s Tales from the Crypt, tracing each episode back to the original EC Comics story that inspired it before opening the Vault of More to uncover movies, television, comics, books, music and other deep cuts connected to the episode.

This week on It Hails from the Crypt, hosts Fred and Tim head into the cornfield for “Four-Sided Triangle,” Season 2, Episode 9 of HBO’s Tales from the Crypt: a twisted tale of lust, abuse, obsession, revenge and one very unusual romantic triangle involving a scarecrow that may be more important than anyone realizes.

As always, we begin where Tales from the Crypt began:

Before “Four-Sided Triangle” came to HBO, “4-Sided Triangle” appeared in Shock SuspenStories #17, written by Carl Wessler with artwork by legendary EC artist Jack Kamen.

Fred and Tim dig into the original 1954 comic, examining Kamen’s distinctive artwork, the story’s mixture of sex, cruelty and grotesque humor, its rural nightmare atmosphere and the vicious EC morality at its center before looking at how the story was radically expanded for television nearly four decades later.

What happens when Tales from the Crypt takes a brutally simple eight-page EC shocker and gives its central character an entirely new story?

Then we turn to the 1990 HBO adaptation, directed by Tom Holland, the filmmaker behind Fright Night and Child’s Play.

Patricia Arquette stars as Mary Jo, a young fugitive trapped on an isolated farm with the deeply unpleasant George and Luisa Yates, played by Chelcie Ross and Susan Blommaert.

George has his eyes on Mary Jo. Luisa has her eyes on George. Mary Jo has her eyes on somebody else. Unfortunately, he’s a scarecrow.

After a violent encounter leaves Mary Jo with a head injury, she becomes convinced that the scarecrow standing in the field is alive — and that he’s her lover. George sees Mary Jo’s obsession as an opportunity, Luisa becomes increasingly jealous, and what begins as a nasty rural melodrama starts moving toward the kind of gruesome punchline only Tales from the Crypt could deliver.

Fred and Tim break down Patricia Arquette’s performance, Tom Holland’s direction, the episode’s sexuality, black comedy, violence, rural Gothic atmosphere and increasingly bizarre love triangle while comparing the HBO adaptation directly with its EC Comics source.

Why does the television version give Mary Jo so much more agency than the character in the original comic?

How does Tom Holland, the filmmaker who turned vampires and killer dolls into ’80s horror icons, approach the very different horror of a lonely farmhouse and a scarecrow?

And does expanding the original EC story make “Four-Sided Triangle” one of those rare adaptations that actually improves upon its source material?

Finally, Fred and Tim unlock the Vault of More for another collection of deep-cut recommendations inspired by the episode.

Movies. Television. Comics. Books. Horror history. Scarecrows. Rural nightmares. Forbidden desire. Killer relationships. And whatever other strange artifacts we can drag back from the dead.

If you love Tales from the Crypt, EC Comics, Patricia Arquette, Tom Holland, Fright Night, Child’s Play, vintage horror comics, HBO horror, scarecrow horror, rural horror, horror anthologies, cult movies or simply discovering obscure corners of horror history, join us as we dig into “Four-Sided Triangle.”

Send us your questions for the next visit to The Dead Letter Office.