Monday, October 3, 2011

Tales From The Crypt, Season One: Only Sin Deep

Only Sin Deep
Starring: Lea Thompson

"A hooker learns that beauty is only skin deep." (IMDB).


This one is definitely in my top ten. Granted, there are huge annoyances--- the gum chewing and that horribly gruff voice Thompson uses topping the list--- but it's fricking AMANDA JONES and she's playing a prostitute! Girls will probably like this one better, if at all, because she gets to have perfectly hot-rollered hair, a million little bottles and canisters of perfume and makeup, endless amounts of jewelry, and sexy black lace underwear. And check out all those turtleneck/suit dresses at the party, and that whip-synth music! It's very early 90s nostalgic. Oh, and let's not forget, GOODWIN FROM LOST (Brett Cullen) as her would-be boyfriend, awful and flat 80s hair on him here but still pretty hot.

So now that I've done a few of these and have considered exactly what's going on in terms of storytelling, I'll say that you really, really need to be able to be along for the ride if you're going to enjoy any of them. These stories are not grounded in reality and nothing is really ever explained. And actually, you can kind of consider it a series of stories about not-smart people who make terrible decisions (the evil men do). Don't second guess any mechanics---just embrace the ridiculousness. In this case, yes, it's completely outlandish that some creepy old pawn shop owner keeps his dead wife physically beautiful by stealing other women's beauty, but the details make the show worth watching. Once the first tiny wrinkle shows up on her face we know that things are going to get ugly fast. Sylvia's beauty was stolen. The pawn shop owner's voodoo works. In the end she comes after him with a stick looking very much like Pam from True Blood experiencing a similar facial effect (and clad in the very same beekeeper outfit). Nice!

5 comments:

Donald said...

Oh man this episode is awful! I can't believe you liked this. This is one of my least favorites from the entire run. It's so dumb and Lea Thompson is the worst actress ever! She should never not be making anything that isn't a Back to the Future movie.

Justin Garrett Blum said...

That's what Lea Thompson looks like now.

Anna said...

I SAID IT'S A GIRL THING, DAMMIT! and I never said she was a good actress, in fact I think I explained that um, she wasn't? I think the story was good. obviously its cheesy.

Maggie Kay said...

I thought this was an interesting episode. Great article Television Lady!

Anna said...

Thanks! I'll watch this one any day!

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