Tom Savini Directed an Episode of CREEPSHOW Described as a Mix of STAND BY ME, THE FOG, and JURASSIC PARK
Horror movie icon Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, From Dusk Till Down) recently revealed that he directed an episode of Greg Nicotero’s Creepshow horror anthology series.
During a panel at Monsterpalooza, which I attended last weekend, Savini revealed that he will direct one of the twelve episodes of Shudder’s upcoming series. The episode he helmed is based on Joe Hill’s short story, “By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain”, which centers around two friends who unexpectedly find a dead plesiosaur on a beach. He said:
“I just directed an episode of the Creepshow television series. There’s 12 [stories] altogether – each show will have two episodes in it. Mine’s a combination of Stand By Me, The Fog, and Jurassic Park. It’s really something.”
I love that he likens the story to Stand By Me, The Fog, and Jurassic Park. That makes this sound like it’ll be a great episode! Here’s a full description of the story:
Little Gail London and her friend Joel Quarrel are out on a cold and lonely morning at the end of summer, when they make the find of the century: a dead plesiosaur, the size of a two-ton truck, washed up on the sand. With the fog swirling about them, they make their plans, fight to defend their discovery, and face for the first time the enormity of mortality itself… all unaware of what else might be out there in the silver water of Lake Champlain.
This isn’t Savini’s first time working on Creepshow. He worked on the previous two 80s films both as an actor and a special effects artist. Some of his other work consists of Friday the 13th, Day of the Dead and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.
You can watch the Monsterpalooza panel here thanks to Fangoria.
The series is an adaptation of Stephen King and George A. Romero‘s Creepshow anthology movies, and some of the other episodes will include “House of the Head” by Josh Malerman (Bird Box), “The Companion” based on the short story by Joe R. Lansdale, Kasey Lansdale and Keith Lansdale, “The Man in the Suitcase” by Christopher Buehlman, “All Hallows Eve” by Bruce Jones, “Night of the Paw” by John Esposito, and “Bad Wolf Down” by Rob Schrab.
Then there’s a segment called “Gray Matter”, which will be directed by Nicotero, which is based on one of King’s short stories. The segment will star Adrienne Barbeau (Creepshow,The Fog), Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul) and Tobin Bell (Saw).
In “Gray Matter,” “Doc and Chief, two old-timers in a small, dying town, brave a storm to check on Richie, an alcoholic single father, after encountering his terrified son at the local convenience store.” The story was first published in 1973, and is part of King’s 1978 collection, Night Shift.