Quick Reviews: Haeckel's Tale (Masters of Horror)

It has been long enough since the last one of these (back in February).  Time for more craziness...

In this Tale (by the Director of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer), a man learns the danger of Necromancy.  You needed to be told this?

A man goes to a Necromancer (who is the creepiest part of the Film).  She agrees to bring his dead wife back if he still wants to after this Tale...

A man named Haeckel is obsessed with restoring the dead.  His attempts with Science fail.

Disappointed, he is forced to go on a long journey to see his ailing Father.  On his way there, he sees a Necromancer (the late Jon Polito) and doesn't get answers.

A night or so later, he meets a strange Farmer who lets him stay the night at his House.

She's quite young and beautiful, drawing Haeckel's eye.  That night, she goes off with the Necromancer.

He hears her cries from the Graveyard and goes to help her, in spite of the Farmer's objections.

She wasn't crying out in pain- she was hooking up with Zombie Husband.  Zombie Dad is back!

He kills the Farmer and Necromancer, but is killed by the Zombie Baby!

Back in the Present, we learn that the Necromancer is actually the lady and...I guess some time has passed (but it is not clear how much).  Pan out to the House being the one from the Story and we're out.

A quirky tale that takes a while to build up.  This one apparently came about when Roger Corman was unable to make an Episode.  Sadly that means that his last work as a Director is still Frankenstein Unbound.  This lead to McNaughton getting the gig and returning to Horror.  I guess making one real Horror Film- which is a Classic, mind you- makes a Master.  Oh well- it is still better than Mick Garris.  As far as the actual Episode goes, it is good, but a little slow.  The key thing is that it all builds to something really interesting.  It takes its time introducing the Characters and Themes that all pay off in the finale.  Henry wasn't a big, flashy Horror Film, so you did know what to expect.  The Themes and content are pretty freaky.  I should note that this was Produced in association with George A. Romero (RIP), so the Zombie thing shouldn't be a huge shock.  That said, I do have a litany of questions for how any of this is supposed to work.  Yes, it is 'magic' and yes, it is just a Film.  I can't help it.  Putting that aside, this one is worth the wait for fans of unique and dark Horror.  One last look at my new favorite lady...

A good, but freaky Episode that has a nice slow burn.  When it all comes together, it is great insanity.