Tales of the Uncanny: Doc on Horror Anthologies Necessarily Captures Genre’s Best and Worst

By Thom Ernst

Rating: B-

David Gregory’s Tales of the Uncanny is a fan-centric documentary on the horror anthology in cinema. Gregory’s film is perhaps the first, possibly the last, and easily the definitive film on the subject. But with a narrow focus and over 60 talking heads, there is not a lot more that can be said.

A scene from The Uncanny

Gregory made his horror anthology, The Theatre Bizarre, in 2011, and yes, the documentary’s collection of filmmakers and genre-specific film writers discuss its merits. But if there is a lack of critical analysis or even rumblings of a disgruntled viewer, it’s not limited to The Theatre Bizarre.

Everyone seems on board with praising the horror anthology with little thought to actual merit. Many anthologies get a pass without so much as a wincing, apologetic nod to poor taste or guilty pleasures mostly because the titles mentioned are given top-five status.

The most grievous offense is the near-unanimous endorsement of Stephen King’s horrifically offensive hackneyed, ham-fisted portrayal of bug-eyed man-child Jordy Verrill in Creepshow (1982). Only one commentator dares to call the master (King) out in his own game. And for that, that commentator is my favourite in the film.

But Tales of the Uncanny, a title borrowed from The Uncanny (1977) a horror anthology featuring cats who kill, is not about critiquing and deep analysis. Tales of the Uncanny is a movie designed to celebrate the unsung genre of the horror anthology, and it succeeds in doing that within the first 30 minutes. Beyond the 30-minute mark and the terrain laid out by the filmmakers becomes a well-traveled path housed under different titles.

Those whose tastes run outside the genre aren’t likely to find much interest in Tales of the Uncanny and those hardwired to watch this type of documentary will be left wanting. Hardcore genre fans can be notoriously vocal about their likes and dislikes, and to be rendered a passive viewer while others spout their opinions is bound to trigger disappointment.

PROUDLY SUPPORTS ORIGINAL-CIN

The documentary begins with a needless spin on how COVID-19 opens the film to include far-reaching guests via Zoom. That kind of observation may have substance in years to come, but for now, while we’re amid the pandemic, the remark seems to be a matter of course. Yes, we know about Zoom. We know what it can do. And frankly, the prospect of watching a documentary captured through the skillful lens of someone’s Zoom account is not as appealing as some might think.

Despite being granted a wider berth, Tales of the Uncanny is not better served by more interviews. Sixty experts result in a head-spinning collection of poorly framed interviews with questionable sound quality.

Does this raw COVID-related version of cinema verité give the film an edge? Well, yes, but only as a mark of the times.

The film is most successful when veering off its limited focus and stopping to build a case for the film anthology's success—much of which happens within the film’s first 20 minutes. One of the most engaging inclusions is a film historian who fills in blanks that the more celebrated guests—Eli Roth, Richard Stanley, Joe Dante, Tom Savini, and even Roger Corman—cannot.

The filmmakers strike more passionate notes when opening the discussion to Dead of Night (1945), the films of Mario Bava and Fellini’s bizarre masterpiece, Toby Dammit (a segment in Spirits of the Dead, 1968), and refreshing the memories of horror icons Peter Cushing and Conrad Veidt.

And with so many authoritative voices chiming in, the film inevitably lands on a few exciting observations just as a movie packed with comedians is bound to land a few good jokes.

The clips make the film. Fair warning, many of the clips give away critical moments in the movies they represent, and in this age of spoiler alerts, that might bother some.

But Tales of the Uncanny offers up a lifetime’s worth of movie titles to keep you busy well into the next national crisis, and that alone makes it worth watching.

Tales of the Uncanny. Directed by David Gregory. With Eli Roth, Roger Corman, Tom Savini and Richard Stanley. Tales of the Uncanny opens for a Canada-wide virtual run via the Winnipeg Cinematheque Tickets and further details can be found here.