The Creepshow movies were given a television make-over last year, each episode devoted to a different story a la the new Twilight Zone series. Screening via genre streaming platform Shudder, the show was received incredibly well and went on to become one of Shudder’s highest performing properties. To tide audiences over until series two, which is just around the corner, the show makers have been hard at work on two special holiday editions. The first was a Halloween special for which Greg Nicotero directed two animated segments based on short stories by Stephen King and his son Joe Hill. The latest has a Christmassy theme and stars Happy Endings’ Adam Pally and Pitch Perfect’s Anna Camp in a story that pits a group of shapeshifters against an army of murderous Santas.
Written and directed by Greg Nicotero, “Shapeshifters Anonymous” is a bewildering, yet charming, addition to this year’s holiday programming, offering a fantastic alternative to all the other saccharine shows. Nicotero plays into the kitsch wry humour that Creepshow had become known for, tapping into the blend of Christmas, horror, and humour that made 2015’s Krampus such a delight. The comedy coats everything, moving the elements from nightmare-inducing to a bit of fun, which is exactly what you want at this time of year. Nicotero pushes the entertainment factor and the show ventures into some unexpected and downright crazy places. It’s not quite Mandy levels of mayhem, but it’ll definitely get you questioning how much you’ve been drinking; some of the visuals appear to be something straight out of a drug-induced hallucination.
Our cast of faces familiar to the comedy genre help to push the funnier side of things with Adam Pally giving a great lead performance. Up to now, Pally had predominantly been a side character that provides the comic relief, or one piece of a much larger ensemble. Here, although surrounded by several other characters, it is through him that we access the world, and Pally proves that he can handle being the main focus of attention. Partnering alongside him is Anna Camp who fully commits to her role, one that adds a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘crazy cat lady’. It’s a fun performance, and one that fans of her uptight Pitch Perfect persona will relish seeing, as Camp completely cuts loose.
The Halloween special was told through animation and featured two stories of survival. By splitting the time into two separate segments the show most definitely had a TV special feel to it. Here, we get a single live-action story, resulting in something that feels much more cinematic. We’ve seen from Host that films don’t have to be unnecessarily bloated, and this tale, like so many other episodes of Creepshow, feels entirely like a feature film. Nicotero is a master of make-up effects and gore-gags, and by stuffing this full feature of them it reinforces the filmic sensations, and pushes the production values through the roof.
Sit back and embrace the absurdity in this joyful present of festive fun and frights. A Creepshow Holiday Special is slightly silly in places, but is delightfully entertaining overall.
A Creepshow Christmas Special arrives on Shudder from 18th December 2020.
A Creepshow Holiday Special
Summary
If you like your festivities with a side of fun and frights then A Creepshow Holiday Special is the perfect yuletide viewing.
