‘Creepshow’ Episode 3 Recap: “All Hallows Eve”/”The Man in the Suitcase”

Creepshow episode 5
Shudder

Spoilers for Creepshow Episode 3, “All Hallows Eve”/”The Man in the Suitcase”

Maybe I’m just a big fan of the franchise, or maybe I just have a real soft spot for ’80s-style horror, but I am really loving Shudder’s Creepshow series. The tone and playfulness have been spot-on. And the storytelling has found the right balance between humor and horror, something the original Creepshow did so well. We’re officially at the halfway point, and I feel the series has been an absolute success so far.

Episode 3 featured two more amusing tales of irony. It begins with the Creep, our “host,” carving a pumpkin. When he gets interrupted by a trick-or-treater, he gets rid of the interloper in a manner that you would expect from him. He then reveals his finished Jack-O-Lantern, and it is, um, unconventional, to say the least.

Following the intro, our first story begins, entitled “All Hallow’s Eve. Directed by franchise veteran John Harrison, this Halloween-set tale tells the story of a group of teenagers who call themselves “The Golden Dragons.” The group/club consists of four teens (three boys, one girl) and a shorter, presumably younger fifth member dressed head-to-toe in a ghost costume named Skeeter. Recalling the Losers’ Club from Stephen King’s It, the group goes trick-or-treating in their neighborhood, only it quickly becomes clear that whoever they visit is quite frightened and intimidated by them.

Creepshow Episode 3 Recap All Hallows Eve
Shudder

You begin to suspect that they may just be a group of extreme bullies until we get to the house of one mother who is desperately trying to keep the group from finding and harming her son. Despite her pleas to leave them alone, the teen eventually comes forward and is taken away by the quintet. It is here, as they tie the teen to a tree and threaten to set him ablaze that we learn the backstory of the group.

While at a meeting of “The Golden Dragons” in their tree/clubhouse, a group of teen boys in skeleton makeup barricaded the door and set the tree on fire, burning all the Dragons alive in the process. Following the flashback, Skeeter reveals himself to the teen, as we see under the ghost sheet is a boy with all his flesh burned off, a pretty terrifying sight. The Dragons then set the teen on fire and, in the glow of the blaze, we see that all the Dragons have a look similar to Skeeter’s. Having exacted revenge on the last of their tormentors, the Golden Dragons are finally able to rest and pass on to the afterlife.

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A touching story, it is a bit reminiscent of the Spielberg-directed “Kick the Can” segment of 1983’s Twilight Zone: The Movie with some of the “School Bus Massacre” story from Trick ‘r Treat mixed in. Maybe not the most original of stories, but it is beautifully shot, looks great, and is a fun Halloween-themed tale.

Our next segment in Creepshow episode 3 is a fascinating fable called “The Man in the Suitcase. Directed by David Buckner off a screenplay by Christopher Buehlman, “The Man” begins with Justin (Will Kidrachuck), a college student, returning from a trip and grabbing his suitcase from a nearly deserted baggage claim. Soon after arriving at his home, he discovers that his suitcase isn’t filled with his dirty clothes but rather a Turkish man (Ravi Naidu) contorted and folded up like a cheap suit.

Creepshow Episode 3 Recap The Man in the Suitcase
Shudder

After unsuccessfully trying to help extricate the man, who is quite friendly and polite despite his current predicament, Justin watches in amazement as the man shoots a gold coin out of his mouth. “An unfortunate condition causes me to produce gold when I am in pain.” Shortly after making this discovery, Justin’s ex-girlfriend Carla (Madison Bailey) and his roommate Alex (Ian Gregg) also witness the Golden Goose-like abilities of the man. Before long, the trio is overcome by temptation and greed, and they proceed to torture the unfortunate fellow in a variety of ways, producing a treasure trove of coins in the process.

When the torture has finally gone too far, Justin pleads with the group to stop, and he decides to call the police to get the man some help. Carla is not pleased with this course of action, and she smashes Justin’s phone with a monkey wrench before he can place the call. Her rage doesn’t stop there, though, as she then gives the same treatment to Justin, who stumbles out of the room and down a flight of stairs. Free from Justin’s interference and moral objections, Carla and Alex turn their attention back to the man, looking for one last “jackpot” before fleeing to some exotic locale. The two end up pushing their luck and the man in the suitcase too far, as they unleash a giant vengeful genie/demon in the man, who produces a pair of suitcases for Carla and Alex.

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We then cut to Justin, now recovering in a hospital bed. A note has been left for him, presumably from the man/genie/demon, basically telling Justin that he is grateful for his kindness and that he will be there for Justin when he needs him. The story closes with the man, now back in human form and looking sharp (and wealthy), about to board a flight back to Istanbul, checking suitcases with a knowing wink from the airline worker (Nasim).

Creepshow episode 3 included, Shudder’s Creepshow has been a pure delight. At 45 minutes, the show is a breeze and moves along at a brisk pace, never allowing any one story to overstay its welcome. With three more episodes this season, it will be interesting to see if it can continue to maintain the high standard it has set for itself.

1 COMMENT

  1. These two are being repeated tonight on AMC. I love All Hallows Eve. Reminds me of being out in the cool air of Halloween night when I was a kid. Very well written story too.

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