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Creepshow 3
Creepshow 3
Creepshow 3
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Creepshow 3
German DVD artwork.
Directed by
  • Ana Clavell
  • James Dudelson
Written by
  • Ana Clavell
  • James Dudelson
  • Scott Frazelle
  • Pablo C. Pappano
  • Alex Ugelow
Produced by
  • Ana Clavell
  • James Dudelson
  • Stanley E. Dudelson
  • Robert F. Dudelson
Starring
CinematographyJames M. Legoy
Edited byAna Clavell
Music byChris Anderson
Production
companies
  • Taurus Entertainment Company
  • Creepy Film Productions
Distributed byTaurus Entertainment Company
Release dates
  • April 24, 2006 (2006-04-24) (Bristol, Rhode Island)
  • May 15, 2007 (2007-05-15) (DVD premiere)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3.5 million (est)

Creepshow 3 is a 2006 American comedy horror anthology film directed, produced, and co-written by Ana Clavell and James Dudelson. It is a sequel to Creepshow (1982) and Creepshow 2 (1987).[1] The film stars Kris Allen, A. J. Bowen, Emmett McGuire and Stephanie Pettee.[2]

While previous Creepshow segments had been written by Stephen King or based on his short stories, Creepshow 3 was made without any involvement from crew members for previous films, and all five segments are original material. Unlike in previous entries, the stories are directly connected, with some characters appearing in multiple segments. The film was panned by critics.[3]

Plot

[edit]

Wraparound story

[edit]

Unlike the first two Creepshow installments, in which the wraparound element linking the stories was a horror comic, Creepshow 3 takes an approach similar to Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction in which characters from each story interact with each other during the film. There is also a hot dog stand as a common element in the movie. Brochures, ads, and other things from the hot dog stand are peppered throughout.

Alice

[edit]

Alice Jacobs is a stuck-up, snotty teenager who comes home to find her father meddling with some kind of universal remote. Whenever he presses one of the buttons on the device, the whole family except for Alice changes ethnicity (i.e., the "Color and Hue Settings" button makes her family turn African-American, and the "Subtitles" button makes her family turn Hispanic). During this, Alice gradually mutates into what is supposedly her "true form".

Just when Alice thinks everything is back to normal, her father presses another button, revealing Alice's true form. Her family is absolutely horrified at the sight of Alice. The story ends with Professor Dayton, the mad scientist from down the street, using another remote control to turn Alice into a white rabbit. Notable in this story is the link to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Victor, the vampire, makes an appearance in this story.

The Radio

[edit]

Jerry is a part-time security guard who buys a radio from a homeless street vendor to replace his old one which has stopped working; however, this mysterious new radio is far from ordinary as it can have a conversation with Jerry. Very soon, Jerry is stealing money and murdering people, all at the whim of his new radio.

After escaping with a sex worker who lives in his building, Jerry is told by the radio to kill the sex worker or she will kill him. He refuses and destroys the radio. Right after, the sex worker finds his gun in the car and shoots Jerry, killing him. Moments after she kills him and wipes the gun clean, she is shot in the head. The shooter is revealed to be the pimp living in the same building as Jerry. When the pimp returns to his car, another radio tells him to go and start a new life.

Alice's father Detective Jacobs also appears in this story, investigating the various murders and strange goings-on taking place. The killer call girl, Rachael, also makes an appearance in this story, as well as the pimp and the two boys from "The Professor's Wife".

Call Girl

[edit]

Rachael, a murderous call girl, receives a request from a shy man named Victor, her newest client. Rachael thinks he will be just another easy victim. When Rachael gets there, scenes of a murdered family with their necks ripped out are flashed on-screen, and there is no evidence of Victor living in the house.

Rachael then chains him to the bed and proceeds to stab him in the chest, places a pillow over his face, and then has a quick shower. She then keeps hearing Victor's voice saying, "You killed me." Rachael removes the pillow and reveals a gruesome creature with a large, toothy mouth. It is then revealed that Victor is an actual vampire. He kills Rachael and hangs her in the room with the house owners whom he's already killed. The two young men from The Professor's Wife and the pimp from The Radio appear in this segment.

The Professor's Wife

[edit]

Two former students come to visit Professor Dayton and meet his fiancée Kathy. Having been victims of his practical jokes in the past, they suspect that Kathy is actually a robot, which the professor has supposedly spent the last 20 years working on in his laboratory. She also behaves like a robot and does not eat or drink, which further indicates that she is probably mechanical.

When the professor is out of the house, they decide to dismantle Kathy to see what she looks like on the inside. To their utter horror, they learn that Kathy really was a human being after all and that she was a mail-order bride. The professor later buys an 'advanced' voodoo kit from the homeless street vendor to put Kathy back together in time for the wedding.

Rachael, the killer call girl, makes a brief appearance in this story.

Haunted Dog

[edit]

A cruel, miserly doctor, Dr. Farwell, is working a 30-day court-ordered sentence at a free clinic, where he is very insolent and rude towards his patients. He even goes as far as to show no sympathy towards a young girl with a brain tumor and mocks an elderly woman who is going blind. One day, he buys a hot dog. Farwell accidentally drops it on the ground. He sadistically decides to give the dirty hot dog to a homeless man who has been bothering him for some spare change. The homeless man dies after taking one bite, and he returns to haunt Farwell. The story ends with Farwell having a heart attack from having had too many encounters with his ghostly stalker. Victor from "Call Girl" also appears in this segment, and he seems to be in cahoots with Farwell. The homeless man can be heard muttering, "Thanks for the good dog" to Dr. Farwell throughout the segment, an allusion to Creepshow 2's "The Hitch-Hiker". The Hispanic woman from "Alice" also makes an appearance in this story.

Epilogue

[edit]

It is revealed that the street vendor/homeless man got the two radios from Professor Dayton in "The Professor's Wife". After this tale ends, it then shows Professor Dayton at his wedding with his resurrected wife (who is bandaged up from being murdered in "The Professor's Wife") with a huge crowd around them. It shows Professor Dayton and his wife driving off. Alice's mom states that Alice will look so beautiful on her wedding day to which her family agrees as Alice's rabbit form is in the back seat of Professor Dayton's car. The priest asks the husband how Carol is with the response that she's not well at all and still believes that she has a daughter named Alice. It then zooms in on the back of the hot dog guy's head. He turns around, revealing that he was the Creep (resembling the version from Creepshow 2) all along.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

In October 1992, Laurel Entertainment was reportedly developing Creepshow 3 as an animated film and was meeting with various animation studios for the project.[4]

In July 1994, it was reported that a third Creepshow film was in development as a live-action TV movie.[5] Taurus Entertainment CEO, James Dudelson, was the driving force behind the development of the third Creepshow film which was intended to serve as a backdoor pilot for a Creepshow TV series which at this point in development rather than following the anthological structure of the films instead would focus ongoing plotlines and characters with an initial run of 21 hour-long episodes planned.[6]

Creepshow 3 was backed by the Taurus Entertainment Company and directed by James Glenn Dudelson and Ana Clavell. The film's special make-up effects were created by Greg McDougall, who has also worked on Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds in the special effects department.

Release

[edit]

The film was released on April 24, 2006, in Bristol, Rhode Island, in the United States by HBO in 2007, and in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2008, by Anchor Bay UK.

Reception

[edit]

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 0% based on 6 reviews, with an average rating of 2.7/10.[3]

Steve Barton at Dread Central called it an "in name only" sequel and that it was "void of any character, depth, integrity, scares, or feeling."[1] James Butane, also of Dread Central, rated it 2/5 and said "This is not a movie worthy to be called Creepshow for any reason, believe me."[2] Rob Hunter of /Film panned the film as "bad" and said "the film never feels like a Creepshow film."[7]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Creepshow 3

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
is a 2006 American co-directed, co-produced, and co-written by Ana Clavell and James Glenn Dudelson. The film presents five original short stories—"Alice", "The Radio", "Call Girl", "The Professor's Wife", and "Haunted Dog"—loosely emulating the EC Comics-inspired style of the 1982 and its 1987 , though produced independently without involvement from original director or writer . Released straight to DVD, it stars a cast of lesser-known actors including Stephanie Pettee as the titular Alice, Roy Abramsohn, and Camille Lacey, with low-budget effects and production values that drew comparisons to amateur filmmaking. Critically reviled upon release, Creepshow 3 holds a 0% approval rating from critics on based on limited reviews and a 3.2/10 average user score on , often cited for failing to deliver scares, humor, or homage to the franchise's legacy, instead being lambasted as incompetent and exploitative of the Creepshow name. Reviews from outlets like and described it as one of the worst horror anthologies, with subpar acting, writing, and direction that insulted fans of the originals, marking its primary notoriety as a cautionary example of unauthorized dilution rather than any artistic merit.

Plot

Wraparound segments

In Creepshow 3 (2006), the wraparound segments abandon the horror comic book motif of the prior installments for a live-action framing device centered on interconnected events in the fictional neighborhood of , where characters and subplots from the five tales overlap across a single day. This structure draws loose inspiration from nonlinear narratives like , emphasizing causal links via shared locations and interpersonal encounters rather than isolated vignettes. The primary framing revolves around Professor Emmett Dayton (Jeff McRae), an eccentric university inventor who has labored for 20 years on a clandestine android project, and his announcement of to Kathy, a enigmatic Russian woman whose authenticity is doubted by former students John and , who suspect she is a lifelike . Dayton's domestic turmoil and experimental pursuits provide transitional vignettes, such as demonstrations of reality-altering that echo into adjacent stories—for instance, a transformation device affecting nearby residents—and culminate in the "The Professor's Wife" segment, where suspicions about Kathy resolve amid broader neighborhood chaos. Supplementary connective tissue includes peripheral elements like a operation, a homeless , and a evoking the Creep mascot from earlier films, which briefly appear to bridge tales and nod to traditions without dominating the narrative. These segments underscore thematic motifs of distorted reality and interpersonal deceit, with crossovers (e.g., characters from "Alice" intersecting Dayton's wedding preparations) reinforcing the unified setting over discrete . The approach, while innovative, has drawn criticism for uneven execution and minimal homage to the series' roots.

Alice

"Alice" follows the Jacobs family in a seemingly idyllic suburban neighborhood, where teenager Alice (played by Pettee) expresses contempt for her surroundings, family, and neighbors, viewing them as superficial and overly cheerful. Her father, a police detective grappling with , obtains a control invented by their eccentric neighbor, Professor Dayton. Unaware of its anomalous properties, the father experiments with the device while Alice complains about household annoyances, such as her family's appearance and behaviors. Each button press alters reality in ironic, punitive ways tied to Alice's disparaging remarks: she transforms into grotesque, slimy, and deformed versions of herself—such as a pimply, oozing mass—while the family perceives these changes as normal and continues interacting with her unchanged demeanor. The transformations escalate, reflecting Alice's insults (e.g., devolving into animalistic or monstrous forms when deriding others as "dumb" or "pests"), but her family remains oblivious, treating her mutations as everyday occurrences. The segment culminates when Professor Dayton intervenes with a second remote, permanently transforming Alice into a —a nod to —leaving her family content in their altered normalcy. This tale satirizes suburban conformity and teenage angst through and reality-warping effects, emphasizing ironic comeuppance for the protagonist's attitude.

The Radio

In the segment "The Radio," protagonist Jerry, portrayed by , works as a part-time and resides in a rundown apartment building, leading a monotonous and unfulfilled life marked by financial struggles and . After his old radio malfunctions, Jerry encounters a homeless selling two radios; he purchases the cheaper, model for a nominal fee and takes it home, where it unexpectedly begins broadcasting personalized commands and advice in a nagging, authoritative voice. The radio's directives initially guide Jerry toward minor self-improvements, such as tidying his apartment and asserting himself at work, gradually boosting his confidence and leading him to discover a hidden cache of stolen money belonging to his building's superintendent. Emboldened, Jerry follows the radio's increasingly risky instructions, which escalate to and : he claims the money, accidentally kills an intruder attempting to rob him by pushing him down stairs, and uses the funds for luxuries like new clothes and dates, while the radio demands he discard his possessions and obey without question. As Jerry's obedience deepens, the radio's influence turns destructive, compelling him to his landlady after she discovers the hidden money and threatens to evict him, staging the scene as a . The segment culminates in Jerry's attempt to sell the radio back to the homeless vendor, only for to orchestrate his demise through a hired who stabs him during an encounter, after which her pimp eliminates her, revealing the radio's cycle of control and retribution. This tale explores themes of and loss of agency, drawing parallels to cautionary fables about malevolent objects, though critics noted its predictable execution and lack of originality compared to earlier entries.

Call Girl

In the "Call Girl" segment, operates as a prostitute and who stabs her clients to death, earning media notoriety as the "Call Girl Killer." After fatally stabbing an unseen john and then a homeless woman who witnesses the act and follows her, fields a call from Victor, a timid, socially awkward man who has scrimped to afford her services and arranged a candlelit dinner in his modest apartment to fulfill his fantasies of romance. Rachel arrives at Victor's residence, briefly engaging in flirtation before revealing her lethal intent; she plunges a knife into him, leaving his body slumped on the floor. Unbeknownst to her, Victor's corpse abruptly reanimates—its eyes snapping open and movements jerky, zombie-like—forcing into a frantic evasion through the cluttered space as he relentlessly pursues her with guttural moans and outstretched arms. The chase culminates in chaos, with Rachel cornered and attempting to flee via the window; she plummets to her death on the street below, her body impaled on debris in a ironic reversal of her predatory methods. This tale echoes Creepshow's recurring theme of karmic retribution, though executed with low-budget effects including visible wires and simplistic gore.

The Professor's Wife

"The Professor's Wife" is the fourth segment in Creepshow 3, featuring Professor Dayton, an eccentric university professor and inventor previously seen in the film's "Alice" story. Dayton hosts a dinner party to introduce his fiancée, Kathy, to two of his former students, Charles and John. The students, wary from past elaborate pranks by Dayton, become suspicious of Kathy's demeanor, noting her failure to eat or drink and her repetitive, mechanical responses during conversation. Believing Kathy to be an android constructed by Dayton as part of one of his experiments, Charles and John decide to test their by physically examining and ultimately disassembling her while Dayton is briefly absent. Their actions reveal and human anatomy instead of circuitry, confirming Kathy was a living ; the segment culminates in her gruesome , leaving the room splattered with gore as the students realize their fatal error. The story emphasizes themes of misjudgment and unintended violence through its twist.

Haunted Dog

"Haunted Dog" is the fifth and final segment of Creepshow 3, directed by Ana Clavell and James Glenn Dudelson. The story centers on Dr. , portrayed as an arrogant, self-absorbed, and harsh physician who demonstrates callous disregard for the vulnerable. The narrative unfolds with Dr. Allen encountering a homeless man begging for food. In a moment of indifference, Allen drops a on the filthy ground but proceeds to give it to the man, who consumes it and subsequently dies from severe contamination or food poisoning. This act of cruelty sets off retribution, as the of the deceased homeless man begins haunting Allen. The apparition appears repeatedly with the tainted protruding from its mouth, offering eerie and relentless thanks to the doctor, amplifying the psychological torment. The haunting escalates, manifesting in increasingly disturbing ways that prey on Allen's guilt and , culminating in the doctor suffering a fatal heart attack. , the murderous from the earlier "Call Girl" segment, makes a brief crossover appearance in this story, linking the anthology's interconnected elements. The segment draws on themes of karmic revenge from beyond the grave, echoing motifs in prior Creepshow entries like "The Hitchhiker" from , but resolves with the ghost's persistent gratitude underscoring ironic horror.

Epilogue

In the , the narratives converge to resolve lingering threads from prior segments, emphasizing the interconnected fates within the shared neighborhood setting. Professor Dayton marries his resurrected wife Kathy, who appears bandaged and amnesiac following her in "The Professor's Wife," insisting she has a daughter named Alice despite contradictions from others present. As the wedding party drives away, the transformed —in her anthropomorphic form from her own story—hides undetected in the backseat, symbolizing unresolved horror bleeding across tales. The , a motif recurring throughout via brochures and ads linking to "Haunted Dog," reveals himself as a demonic figure reminiscent of the Creep from earlier entries, with his face melting in rudimentary CGI effects to underscore the anthology's closure. This unveiling ties the frame's to the series' tradition, though executed without original creators' involvement, culminating the film's Pulp Fiction-inspired web of causality without a traditional comic-book coda.

Production

Development and writing

Creepshow 3 was conceived and developed by filmmakers Ana Clavell and James Glenn Dudelson as a low-budget, continuation of the , produced under Taurus Entertainment Company. The project lacked any involvement from or , the key figures behind the 1982 original and its 1987 sequel, positioning it as an independent effort rather than an officially sanctioned entry in the franchise. Development proceeded without public announcements of major studio backing, reflecting its status as a modest production aimed at capitalizing on the established Creepshow brand through horror comic-inspired vignettes. The screenplay was co-written by directors Clavell and Dudelson alongside Scott Frazelle, structuring the film as five original short stories—"Alice," "The Radio," "," "The Professor's Wife," and "Haunted Dog"—framed by a wraparound narrative involving a purchase gone awry. Additional writing credits appear in some records for contributors like C. Pappano and Alex Ugelow, suggesting collaborative input on segment development, though primary creative control remained with Clavell and Dudelson. The writing emphasized EC Comics-style morality tales with twists, but reviews have noted deviations from the series' established tone, attributing this to the absence of Romero's oversight and the script's origins in unvetted, budget-constrained ideation.

Casting

Creepshow 3 employed a cast of predominantly emerging and actors, assembled for its release without ties to the original franchise's production team or major studios. Directors Ana Clavell and James Glenn Dudelson, who also contributed to writing and production, selected performers suited to the anthology's low-budget horror tales, with many cast members appearing in multiple roles across segments to control costs. Notable among them was , who played Jerry in "The Radio" and later gained recognition in horror cinema through films like (2009). The principal cast is detailed below:
ActorRole(s)Segment(s)
Stephanie PetteeAliceAlice
Roy AbramsohnFather / Detective JacobsWraparound / Alice
JerryThe Radio
Bunny GibsonGrandmother / Dean ThompsonWraparound
Magi AvilaThird Mother / NurseAlice / Haunted Dog
Elina MadisonEvaThe Radio
Akil WingateLeonThe Radio
Simon BurzynskiHarry the PostmanWraparound
Claire the Homeless WomanWraparound
Susan SchrammAlice Family #1: MotherAlice
Justin SmithRonaldAlice
Cara CameronThe Radio (voice)The Radio
This lineup supported the film's interconnected narratives, with overlapping characters linking the wraparound and individual stories. No high-profile stars were involved, consistent with the project's independent financing and lack of official endorsement from or .

Filming and post-production

Principal photography for Creepshow 3 was conducted under the direction of Ana Clavell and James Dudelson, with no specific filming dates or locations publicly documented in production records. James M. LeGoy handled the visual capture, employing techniques suitable for the anthology's low-budget horror segments. In , co-director Ana Clavell oversaw to assemble the five stories and wraparound narrative. The sound mix incorporated for audio presentation, aligning with standard standards of the era. Special makeup effects were created to support the film's grotesque elements, though detailed credits for effects teams are limited. The overall process reflected the independent production's constraints, prioritizing practical effects over extensive CGI.

Release

Premiere

Creepshow 3 premiered on April 24, 2006, with a screening held in . This event represented the film's initial public presentation, as it received no wide theatrical distribution and instead debuted on DVD in the United States on May 15, 2007. The limited premiere reflected the production's independent nature, lacking involvement from original Creepshow creators or .

Distribution and home media

Creepshow 3 received no wide theatrical distribution and was released directly to .<grok:render type="render_inline_citation"> 23 </grok:render> A limited premiere screening occurred on April 24, 2006, in .<grok:render type="render_inline_citation"> 25 </grok:render> The film debuted on DVD in the United States on May 15, 2007, distributed by Video.<grok:render type="render_inline_citation"> 17 </grok:render> This initial release featured the five-segment in a standard-definition format with English and Spanish audio tracks.<grok:render type="render_inline_citation"> 5 </grok:render> In 2023, Shout! Factory issued a limited-edition Blu-ray edition through its Scream Factory imprint, restricted to 1,500 units and released on June 27.<grok:render type="render_inline_citation"> 11 </grok:render><grok:render type="render_inline_citation"> 28 </grok:render> This upgrade provided restoration alongside bonus materials, marking the first upgrade for the title.<grok:render type="render_inline_citation"> 4 </grok:render> Streaming availability has included platforms like IndieFlix, though access varies by region and service terms.<grok:render type="render_inline_citation"> 8 </grok:render> International video releases followed similar direct-to-home patterns, such as in on April 4, 2007.<grok:render type="render_inline_citation"> 20 </grok:render>

Reception

Critical response

Creepshow 3 received largely negative reviews from s, who criticized its lack of fidelity to the original series' style and quality. On , the film holds a 0% approval rating based on six reviews, with an score of 2.7 out of 10. Reviewers highlighted the anthology's uninspired stories, amateurish production values, and failure to capture the EC Comics-inspired horror-comedy tone of the first two films. One common complaint was the film's disconnection from the franchise's roots, with critics arguing it misused the Creepshow brand without delivering effective scares or twists. For instance, a SlashFilm described it as "all trick and no treat," labeling it potentially the worst horror due to its lame narratives, annoying characters, and overall incompetence. Similarly, aggregated critic sentiments on emphasized embarrassment for the cast and a complete waste of the established name, contrasting sharply with the originals' appeal. The absence of involvement from key figures like or was implicitly underscored in critiques, as the film's low-budget execution and predictable plots deviated from the source material's wit and gore. No major publications such as Variety or reviewed the direct-to-video release, reflecting its limited theatrical or mainstream distribution. Overall, professional consensus positioned Creepshow 3 as a disappointing entry that tarnished the series' legacy rather than extending it.

Audience and retrospective views

Creepshow 3 received overwhelmingly from upon its 2007 release, reflected in aggregate user ratings of 3.2 out of 10 on based on over 6,000 votes. On , it holds a 10% score from more than 2,500 ratings, with viewers frequently criticizing its low production values, weak scripting, and failure to capture the spirit of the original Creepshow films directed by . Common complaints included amateurish acting, predictable twists, and a perceived exploitation of the franchise name without involvement from key figures like or , leading many to describe it as a "disrespect" to the series. Some users noted minor positives, such as isolated effective scares in segments like "Haunted Dog," but these were outliers amid broader dismissal as one of the weakest horror anthologies. Retrospective assessments have largely upheld this dim view, with later analyses reinforcing its status as a subpar entry lacking the charm or craftsmanship of predecessors. A 2019 Slashfilm review labeled it "all trick and no treat," potentially the worst horror due to uninspired stories and budgetary constraints that resulted in phoned-in effects and performances. Similarly, a 2007 DVD Talk critique deemed it "just plain bad," even for dedicated enthusiasts, citing repetitive narratives and absence of memorable elements like the EC Comics-style framing of earlier films. While a minority of online discussions, such as a 2014 thread, argue it is "highly underrated" for its unpretentious B-movie vibes, these defenses remain fringe against the prevailing consensus of disappointment, often contrasted with unproduced scripts like Romero's planned Creepshow 3. Over time, it has not cultivated a , instead serving as a cautionary example of franchise dilution without original creative oversight.

Legacy

Franchise impact

Creepshow 3, released directly to video on October 30, 2007, marked a low point for the anthology series, lacking any creative input from original collaborators or , which severed ties to the established formula of EC Comics-inspired horror vignettes. Its five segments failed to resonate, earning a 3.2/10 rating on from 6,356 user reviews as of 2023, reflecting widespread dismissal as a subpar cash-grab that diluted the brand's reputation for witty, gore-infused tales. This installment exerted negligible positive influence on subsequent franchise developments, contributing instead to a creative hiatus after (1987). No official follow-up films materialized in its wake, and the series' revival via the Shudder anthology television program in —featuring two stories per episode and renewed for multiple seasons—bypassed reference to Creepshow 3 entirely, framing itself as a direct successor to the original with involvement from figures like . The TV iteration's success, including an animated special released October 30, 2020, underscored a return to higher production values and original storytelling, unencumbered by the film's legacy of amateurish execution and tonal inconsistency.

Comparisons and controversies

Creepshow III (2006) deviates significantly from the stylistic and thematic elements of the original (1982) and (1987), which were directed by and Michael Gornick, respectively, with screenplays by for the first and George A. Romero for the second, emphasizing EC Comics-inspired anthology horror with vivid comic-book framing, practical effects, and satirical narratives. In contrast, Creepshow III, directed by Ana Clavell and James Dudelson, features a low-budget production lacking the originals' polished gore, humor, and visual flair, opting instead for straightforward, dialogue-heavy stories criticized for amateurish acting and minimal scares, such as the dimly lit, tension-free segments in tales like "Alice" and "The Radio.". The film's wraparound story, involving a boy reading a comic amid parental disapproval, superficially mimics the child-centric framing of the first two films but fails to replicate their playful, vengeful tone, resulting in a disjointed that abandons the series' signature blend of horror and comeuppance for underdeveloped plots and unresolved arcs. Critics and fans note that while the originals drew from King's and Romero's established horror sensibilities—featuring memorable segments like "" or "The Raft"—Creepshow III's episodes, including "Professor Dayton's Organ," rely on generic supernatural tropes without the intellectual bite or production values that elevated predecessors, leading to perceptions of it as a cash-grab imitation rather than a legitimate . A primary controversy surrounds Creepshow III's unofficial status within the franchise, as it was produced without input from , , or key collaborators like composer , who instead contributed to what many regard as the "true" third entry: : The Movie (1990). That film, involving 's oversight, 's story "," and shared personnel from the originals, was initially considered for the banner but rebranded, prompting makeup artist to endorse it explicitly as the authentic successor over the 2006 release. Creepshow III's creation appears tied to legal efforts to maintain rights through a inexpensive direct-to-video effort, bypassing franchise custodians and sparking backlash for tarnishing the legacy of and 's collaborative vision. This disconnect fueled debates on franchise integrity, with reviewers decrying the film's intrusion as disrespectful to the homage that defined the series, exemplified by its failure to secure endorsements from original cast or and its exclusion from subsequent revivals like the Shudder TV anthology, which reverted to Romero-King aesthetics. While some defend isolated segments for modest entertainment value, the consensus views III as an aberrant outlier, prompting calls to disregard it in favor of Darkside or later official continuations that honor the source material's fidelity.

References

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  32. https://comic-watch.com/television-shows/creepshow-solid-sequel-or-creepshow-3-repeat
  33. https://screenrant.com/creepshow-3-tales-darkside-real-sequel/
  34. https://www.reddit.com/r/horror/comments/14g82h6/i_didnt_know_there_was_a_creepshow_3_movie/
  35. https://www.facebook.com/groups/350371858314948/posts/10094608990557804/
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