Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- whimsical
- sardonic
- halloween viewing
- late night horror
What critics said
Critics generally found the anthology entertaining and occasionally effective, especially in its story selection and performances, but uneven writing, tame scares, obvious effects, and disappointing endings limited its impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The series is structured as an anthology of independent strange tales rather than one continuous plot.
Episodes commonly begin with normal situations that become increasingly off-kilter and eerie.
The stated episode formula builds suspense toward twist conclusions that alter the audience's understanding of the tale.
The metadata explicitly associates the program with comic books, portmanteau horror, and darkside imagery.
Films like Tales from the Darkside, and why
The Twilight Zone
episodic supernatural anthology built around strange everyday situations and twist endings
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
television horror anthology combining macabre premises with dark humor and compact standalone stories
Tales from the Crypt
comic horror anthology with supernatural reversals, grotesque imagery, and irreverent tone
Amazing Stories
short-form genre anthology using fantasy, suspense, and surprise conclusions
Movie Details
- Directors
- Tom Savini, Bob Balaban, Michael Gornick, John Harrison
- Release Date
- 1990-11-29
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (9)
Cast
- Barnard Hughes
- I.M. Hobson
- Joe Ponazecki
- Knowl Johnson
- Brenda Currin
- Eddie Jones
- Patrick Wilcox
- Jeff Cohen
- Eevin Hartsough
- Bill McNulty
Common questions
- What is Tales from the Darkside about?
- A mischievous American horror anthology turns ordinary situations into eerie, comic nightmares that culminate in surprise endings.
- What is Tales from the Darkside like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Tales from the Darkside as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Tales from the Darkside violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Tales from the Darkside as mild.
- What did critics think of Tales from the Darkside?
- Critics generally found the anthology entertaining and occasionally effective, especially in its story selection and performances, but uneven writing, tame scares, obvious effects, and disappointing endings limited its impact.
- Which films are like Tales from the Darkside?
- Films with a similar feel include The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Tales from the Crypt, and Amazing Stories.
- How long is Tales from the Darkside?
- Tales from the Darkside runs 90 minutes.
