Even when it's only 3 films, which is usually the case, one of them is usually supernatural. It seems that they always run like this:
1) the beginner: straight-forward horror/thriller or mystery. Sometimes directed by or starring someone well known (start with the star) and isn't heavy on body count or effect. This is also the most likely story in which the killer will die. It's what I'd call the most "realistic" in terms of a real horror idea. No high body count, no supernatural elements, and the killer isn't super smart, dangerous, or un-defeatable.
2) the weird one: this one is usually the killer doll, the possessed person, the guy who gets super charged by lightning or can control a killer ape. You know, something outlandish and WTF. This is the kind of thing that would never make a full length movie (or if it did, it would be a huge mistake) because then they'd have to have a legit "reason" for what happens in it - that or it would take the road of doing it for comedy, or they would just under-develop it and people would complain.
3) the super dark one: this is where they pull out all the stops to leave you with a good memory of the film. Blood and guts abound, perhaps some nudity. Also, this is the chance to have the most "developed" of the anthology. Like, perhaps this one is actually a sex thriller that has horror elements to it. It doesn't have to be strictly horror, because this is anthology and it can represent different aspects of "scary". This is an odd entry into the anthology though, because sometimes they'll also want to end on a comedy note, or a personal movie wherein the characters all learn lessons or whatever. Like I said, this is where the most developed movie goes.
Part one of this anthology, it's simple and straightforward (damn I'm good). A gas station attendant is hunted by a killer. The atmosphere is well done, and the look of the whole thing is pretty awesome. I liked it as a basic, realistic horror movie.
Part two is about male pattern baldness (huh?) Dennis is losing his hair, is obsessed with it, and is going to all extremes to keep his hair. Naturally, the solution he finds is now going to be his doom. So, I hit two for two, this is the weird one.
Part three is about Mark Hamill as a pro baseball player who loses and eye. So naturally, he gets an eye implant from a dead person. His new eye starts seeing weird-ass things, like dead people and stuff. Huh....Isn't that the same plot as the movie The Eye? Speaking of part three, check this out:
1) it has nudity (called it) 2) it's easily the most developed of these ideas (called it)
Please note that I wrote those things above, the 1-3 before I watched this anthology.
Body Bags had a lot of stars in it too! Stacy Keach, Tom Arnold, Robert Carradine, Mark Hamill, Sam Raimi, and cameos from Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper and Roger Corman. All these stories are introduced by John Carpenter as some weirdo morgue keeper.
Mark Hamill overacting and being strange as fuck is a huge highlight of this movie, he does an accent and everything. In fact this whole movie feels high on the corniness level, like it was made tongue in cheek to try to be humorous. Which makes sense, I guess it was originally going to be a series of some sort for Showtime. Pretty damn solid, for what I think would be considered by most to be a second rate anthology series. Perhaps cause it was eventually released direct to TV. But couldn't tell ya why, this would be a great one to watch with friends, or without. I give it 3.5 stars!
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