From Dead of the Night to The Field Guide to Evil,multi-story shockers are a cinema staple. The League of Gentlemen’s Jeremy Dyson – co-writer of unique anthology Ghost Stories – on why creepshow compendiums are immortal‘Do you want to see something really scary …” The horror anthology movie is a peculiar – some might judge – imperfect beast. It’s been with us for well over 70 years and is close to the heart of many fans, not least my own. In fact, and it was one of the key influences on Ghost Stories,which I co-wrote and co-directed with Andy Nyman. But what makes these pictures so endlessly fascinating and appealing? Though there are examples from all over the world, this body rests on two sturdy British legs. One is the Ealing horror film Dead of Night, and released in 1945; the other is the output of a small UK-based studio called Amicus,who were active throughout the 60s and 70s. The Ealing film was more obviously artistic and noble in its intention, while the Amicus titles were – on the surface at least – more shamelessly commercial. And the tussle between those two impulses gives us a sizable clue as to the enduring appeal of these curious films.
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Source: guardian.co.uk