Tales from the Crypt:

Tales from the Crypt: Showdown

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After adding a Texas Ranger to his many kills, a remorseless gunslinger begins to be haunted by the spirits of all his past victims. Read full recap »

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Writers:: Frank Darabont

Director:: Richard Donner

Stars:: John Kassir (voice of The Crypt Keeper)

Guest Star:: Roderick Cook (Cornelius Bosch); Thomas F. Duffy (Scorby); David Morse (Tom McMurto); Monty Bass (Frank Little Bear); Mel Coleman (Blacksmith); Paul T. Murray (Harley); Tommy Townsend (Big Bart); Neil Giuntoli (Billy Quintaine); Grant Gelt (Little Boy)

Goof: When Cornelius deals Billy's cards, they are spread out on the table, but when Billy sits down, they are neatly piled up. There's no time for him to have straightened up the cards.

There is, however, a sleight on hand trick involved, so maybe he did have time, but Billy should still have noticed the cards were clearly in a different position when he sat down. edit »
Neil Giuntoli is credited in this episode as, Neil Gray Giuntoli. edit »
Music: Composed by Michael Kamen. edit »
Crypt Keeper Wardrobe: In the opening and closing wraparound segments, the Crypt Keeper is dressed as a western gunslinger, getting ready for a showdown against a skeleton. edit »

This is Roderick Cook's last performance as he passed away shortly after filming this episode. edit »
EC Comic Connection: Story adapted from Two-Fisted Tales #37, April 1954. Art by John Severin.

This story is comepletely different than the episode and contains a different plot and premise. edit »
Director Connection: Richard Donner also directed the episodes, "Dig That Cat...He's Real Gone" and "The Ventriloquist's Dummy". edit »
Originally filmed for Fox as part of the three story pilot for Two-Fisted Tales. Fox didn't pick the series up, so this, "Yellow" and "King Of The Road" were repackaged as Tales from the Crypt episodes. edit »

[Opening wraparound segment with the Crypt Keeper dressed as a gunslinger in a showdown.]
The Crypt Keeper: [In a John Wayne impersonation] Howdy, yellgrim! Wha-ha! [ends John Wayne impersonation] It's die noon, and you know what that means, don't ya? Means it's time for a Gunfright at the O.K. ghoulral. [laughs] 'Cause this tomb ain't big enough for the both of us. Which brings me to tonight's tale. It's about a gun slinger whose about to ride into his last round up. I call this dreary poison, "Showdown".

[Closing wraparound segment with the Crypt Keeper dressed as a gunslinger.]
The Crypt Keeper: Talk about a sick shooter. Who'd of thought being a cowboy could stir up so many bad feelings? [laughs] Well kiddies, I've gotta go. There's a ghoul rush on you know. Hmmm, I wonder, who was that mashed man? [laughs] edit »

Gunfight At The O.K. Corral

A major historical event in American folklore, that took place in a vacant area, in back of the corral in Tombstone, Arizona on October 26, 1881. The gunfight, which was fairly quick was between the Earp brothers, (Wyatt, Morgan & Virgil accompanied by Doc Holliday) against the Clanton gang, (Ike & Billy Clanton with Tom & Frank McLaury), each who were suspected cattle rustlers. Three members of the Clanton gang were killed and two of the Earp brothers sustained wounds. Despite the fight really existing in history like the Alamo, and Jesse James, it has become somewhat of a fictional pop culture icon in most media, like music, film and books which have mostly exaggerated the events throughout the years with most having no regard for historical accuracy. A theatrical film, Gunfight At The O.K. Corral was released in 1957, starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas.

In this episode, during the opening wraparound segment, the Crypt Keeper, in gunslinger garb, before his western showdown, rewords "the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" as "the Gunfright at the O.K. ghoulral". edit »
The Assassin

Season six episode of Tales From The Crypt in which a group of operatives invade the home of a housewife in search of her husband whom they believe is an AWOL CIA assassin.

In this episode, before he engages in his gunfight showdown with the corpse, the Crypt Keeper says the line, "'Cause this tomb ain't big enough for the both of us". That line is also somewhat used by the Grim Reaper in "The Assassin" during the opening wraparound segment, when the Crypt Keeper engages in a "chop rock, paper, scissor" contest with the Grim Reaper for control of the crypt. edit »
John Wayne

Iconic American movie star, born in 1907, prominent from the 30's to the 70's, most known for his rugged, tough-as-nails, idealistic typecasted cowboy or military man roles. Known as "The Duke", he was often percieved as a man's man and has still maintained his mark on the public long after his death in 1979. In 1939, after his memorable role in Stagecoach, he became a major Hollywood leading man, leading into a remarkable film career, going on to star in over 250 films, such as Fort Apache (1948), Rio Grande (1950), The Quiet Man (1952), The Searchers (1956), Rio Bravo (1959), and Hatari! (1962). In 1960 he directed, produced and starred in The Alamo repeating those duties in The Green Berets (1968). In 1969, he received an Academy Award for best actor for True Grit (1969), in which he portrayed Rooster Cogburn, a role he reprised in the 1975 sequel, Rooster Cogburn, co-starring Katharine Hepburn. His voice, while so well known and recognizable was easily parodied or mimmicked and because of his many memorable film quotes is often impersonated when someone is referencing something of a western or a tough guy nature. The word "Pilgrim", a western slang term for traveler, which he uses many a time to address Jimmy Stewart's character in the 1962 classic, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has become a staple for opening a John Wayne impersonation, depending on the person it's usually used in reworded sentences, but most times it would be, "Well, Howdy Pilgrim".

In this episode, during the opening wraparound segment, the Crypt Keeper, in gunslinger garb, before his western showdown, does a brief John Wayne impersonation rewording the famous line, "Howdy, Pilgrim" as "Howdy, Yellgrim". edit »

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malcovio
member since: May 13, 2006
Showdown
The Bottom Line: "Out of character"
A very unique episode of "Tales from the Crypt". (Includes spoilers.) ...Continue »
08/04/06 06:20pm | report abuse