Tales from the Hood - 1995

Horror blends so awesomely with some genres.  There's been attempts seen across the board at blending horror with many different things, and one of the most successful and common genre blends is comedy.  It makes sense from a psychological standpoint as well.  Often times, to cut tension in a scene, to give the audience a break, you'd have a moment of comedy, a moment of disregard for the plot.  Drama, action, science fiction, it all gets a boost from an occasional shift into comedy, a refresher, a breather if you will.

Tales from the Hood is a very nostalgic film for me.  I first saw this (most likely) in the late 90's.  I loved it then, and rewatching it, I love it now.  The mashup of urban street comedy and stereotypical horror tropes makes for a film with a certain undeniable charm and feel to it.

The first few minutes are a microcosm of everything to happen later:  heavy sardonic horror themes, ridiculously great jokes and mocking dialogue, and black culture. The horror feels like Halloween the way you'd always imagine it: eerie old houses, cobwebs everywhere, organ music.  The cliched black thugs appear, apparently losing their way to the set of Menace II Society or some other dramatic film. The friends are Bulldog, Ball and Stack, and they're heading into a funeral home for a supposed drug deal.

 We meet the funeral director and show-stealer Mr. Simms, played by Clarence Williams III (Half Baked) who tells the three men different stories of how people in his funeral home met their demise.  Who doesn't love an anthology film?  As these stories are told at the funeral home, that too becomes a full story, with a twist ending all it's own.

Segment one has rookie black cop Clarence witnessing three awful drug dealing white policemen stop and beat black activist and politician Martin Moorehouse.  First segment in and we're witnessing white cops beating on an innocent black man.  Times sure haven't changed huh?   Clarence has a crisis of faith, but finds possible retribution when Moorehouse speaks to him from the grave and tells Clarence "Bring them to me..."

Segment two is a refreshingly dramatic and realistic story of young boy Walter who is haunted at nights by a monster in his closet.  Walter's teacher Richard, played by the director of the film Rusty Cundieff (Chappelle's Show) takes notice and soon tries to resolve the situation.  This is actually a great affecting story, and it's not straight horror.  A different feel altogether.  David Alan Grier does a tremendous job in a unlikable part.

Segment three is a Puppetmaster inspired take on dolls out for vengeance.  Corbin Bernsen plays a thick headed white politician, Duke Metger.  In our introduction to him, Duke spouts racially charged comments to his publicist.  Duke is living in a mansion that used to be part of a plantation, a site where many black people were killed, and now it's said their spirits live in the house, in the shape of little dolls.  As his racist tirades continue, the dolls get summoned to shut him up.

Segment four, I was surprised I'd completely forgotten about.  It's the story of Crazy K, a criminal who is shot and critically injured by some other black gang.  He is given a second chance through Dr. Cushing, and experiences a hilariously sexual Clockwork Orange type of torture, the end goal of which seems to point towards a race war.

This is an all out classic, essential horror comedy.  It was refreshing to see a movie wherein almost every single part is played by a black person, and often times when there is a white character, they are shady or evil.  The diversity between the plots is great, the effects are all practical and good looking on a slim budget.  There is no reason to not hail this as a classic in horror and a classic in black film.