REVIEW - CREEPSHOW EPISODE 306 TRAFFICKING TERRORS AND ZOMBIES
When it comes to anthology films, many would argue that CREEPSHOW is the bar for quality. So it was no surprise a few years ago when SHUDDER announced that they would be producing a weekly anthology series under the CREEPSHOW banner, which is now in its third season. Each week horror fans are treated to two new tales of terror all glazed in the EC comic stylings that CREEPSHOW has been known for. This week’s episode is no different with a duo of diabolical diddies that showcase both the classic and new styles of storytelling this show is delivering.
***WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD***
This week's episode kicks off with one of the more interesting entries so far in the series where we see a Border Patrol Agent (MICHAEL ROOKER) and a congressman campaigning at the Canadian border in the hopes of riling up his constituents. We soon come to realize that two of the women, mother and daughter, trying to immigrate back into the country are also harboring a significant amount of unknown pills and medicines. The Agent detains the mother after the daughter gets ill, and then proceeds to have her friggin’ heap pop off and start attacking people! Meanwhile, the congressman is trying to manufacture some drama to help his campaign while the mother warns them all that her daughter just needs her meds and she will be fine. Carnage and mayhem ensure until the mother decapitates herself which in turn allows the daughter to then inhabit her body. Floating head and tentacles intact.
I have to give this first segment some credit for being a completely bonkers kind of idea. In fact, this episode kind of felt like it was just an idea with some light plot built around it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because the concept is pretty wild and unique, but it also makes everything else feel unnecessary. For example, we have no idea what medicines they were taking across the border despite them being important to the daughter not literally losing her head and killing people. Despite some of the plot issues feeling tacked on, I did enjoy the characterization of the Agent and how it subverts expectations. And the ending of this segment does a great job of incorporating the creeper into the transition, something the series sometimes struggles to do.
The second story is a black & white period piece taking place sometime in the mid-20th century. It harkens back to NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD in both visual style, time period, and of course the use of zombies. In this tale, we focus on a Police Chief Foster who is trying to maintain order amidst the dead coming back to life. Meanwhile, the townsfolk are up in arms over the mayor’s son who has been terrorizing seemingly the entire town. Foster is adamant that vigilante justice has no place in town, and sets out to find the mayor’s son before others do. What we learn is that the mayor’s son is a real POS, and recently just murdered (at the very least) a little girl. When Foster finds this out, he takes the mayor’s son in and gives him one last chance to make amends before he unleashes his brand of zombie justice with the townsfolk there to watch.
This was a bit of a letdown, unfortunately. While I liked the use of CREEPSHOW’S signature morality tale gone wrong, it all feels too familiar. In fact, it felt a lot like SIN CITY sans the comic visual style, but inclusive of the black and white film and “occasional object in color to show importance”. While the mayor’s son clearly gets what he deserves, one has to wonder why the townsfolk are concerned about chasing down this guy when there are literally zombies coming back to life. I’m not sure how the use of black & white film helped here, but one can only assume it was to pay homage to the aforementioned NOTLD. Hell, even the last show has a guy being interviewed on TV that sounds a lot like the ending of NOTLD. Speaking of the ending, this segment enters into zombie canon the idea that they have a memory. So the person who ends up dispatching the mayor’s son is the previously discovered little girl he murdered. We know this because she has a flashback showing us what she saw before she died. I’m not sure I jive with the idea of zombies having a memory and morals, and the story would have worked just fine without the extra exposition.
That’s it for this week’s coverage of SHUDDER’S CREEPSHOW and we will be back next week with episode 307!
