User Reviews

Tales from the Crypt: The New Arrival starts as radio talk-show host Dr. Alan Gertz (David Warner) learns that the ratings for his show are down & that his prime-time evening slot is going to be given to rock DJ Lothar (Robert Patrick), that night during his show he receives a call from a woman named Nora (Zelda Rubinstein) who asks for advice about dealing with her troubled child Felicity (Laura Dash). Gertz decides to visit Felicity in a publicity stunt for his show, he takes his producer Bonni (Twiggy) & his boss Rona (Joan Severance) along as he prepares to meet Felicity. Once there they are invited inside a large, rundown foreboding house by Nora & to their horror they find a nasty secret within...

This Tales from the Crypt story was episode 4 from season 7 that originally aired in July 1992 & I rather enjoyed it. I saw most of the Tales from the Crypt episodes donkey years ago when they originally played over here in the UK on late night TV & one of the strongest images from the show, the entire series that is, & one that I've remembered for literally years is the shot of Joan Severance walking along a corridor & getting bubble gum stuck to the bottom of high heeled shoes, I have no idea why this has stuck with me but for quite some time now I've always wanted to see the episode it came from & now that I have that scene is exactly like I remember it & that The New Arrival is a cracking little story in it's own right. Directed by Peter Medak this story & script by Ron Finley is all about build up as are most Tales from the Crypt episodes & the story really comes together at the end with a terrific twisted twist ending, if you know what I mean. This is a neat little fast moving tale that's well worth a watch with decent character's considering it only lasts for 25 minutes & some amusing dialogue too. The opening & closing Crypt Keeper (John Kassir) segments provide plenty of the usual cheesy puns which we all know & love.

This one looks very polished & doesn't look like a cheap made-for-TV show, the photography, lighting & special effects are impressive as is the acting by a familiar looking cast including Warner, the sexy Severance whose legs go on forever, the strange Rubinstein & even Robert Patrick turns up in a small role. There's not much gore in this apart from Twiggy having her face sliced off with a ceiling fan, it's off screen though.

The New Arrival is a great Tales from the Crypt episode Joan Severance's high heels or not, well worth a watch in my humble yet worthwhile opinion.

Washed-up children's psychiatrist Dr. Alan Gertz (splendidly played by the always dependable David Warner) hosts a talk radio show that's about to get pulled off the air. In a desperate last ditch effort to salvage his faltering program, Getz and a couple of associates decide to pay a special home visit to eccentric frequent caller Nora (a delightfully quirky portrayal by Zelda Rubinstein) in order to investigate her highly unusual problem child. Director Peter Medak, working from a deliciously macabre and engrossing script by Ron Finley, relates the compellingly dark and grim story at a constant steady pace, makes adroit and inspired use of the remote and decrepit main home location, and does an expert job of creating and sustaining a powerfully eerie atmosphere that becomes more increasingly bleak, tense, and unsettling as it progresses towards a genuinely chilling and startling surprise ending. The uniformly ace acting from a bang-up cast rates as another major asset: Twiggy acquits herself well as Gertz's long-suffering producer Bonnie, the gorgeous Joan Severance contributes an enjoyably snarky turn as bitchy radio executive Rona, and Robert Patrick pops up in a marvelously slimy bit as sleazy late-night disc jockey Lothar. John R. Leonetti's polished cinematography gives this episode an effectively spooky'n'shadowy look. Michael Kamen's shivery score does the shuddery trick. Recommended viewing for fans of this show.

Tales From the Crypt did its fair share of radio episodes, but such was the times and this episode was as solid as any of the other ones.

They gave us a twist too because we thought the daughter was actually the mother dressing up, but they had the character realize that early on and it ended up not being the case. The girl being long dead wasn't perfect, but at least I didn't see it coming.

Enjoyable episode.

I don't usually like to write about episodes because I was compelled to do so due to serious idiocy of this particular episode. This is by far the most unrealistic episode of the entire series. The ending is completely out of the place.

I mean all the top psychologist came to that lady and died and still no one is bothered to look for them. Seriously, What the heck dude!

Such big amount of suspension of disbelief is impossible. All in all, the worst episode of Crypt story till now.

****SPOILERS*** Radio talk show child psychiatrist Dr. Alan Goetz,David Warner, is in danger of losing his 12 to 4 AM time slot on his 50,000 volt top radio station WENW known as "The station that speaks your language" because of his crummy ratings. Desperate to kick start his failing ratings Goetz decides to visit his biggest and from what we see only fan or caller Nora, Zelda Rubinstein, about her dysfunctional daughter Felicity-with a name like that its no wonder- who's running around the house wearing a white Lone Ranger mask and banging as well as screaming her head off.

It turns out that Nora isn't exactly normal herself in thinking her husband is still in the South Pacific frighting the Japs with the late General Douglas MacAuther! Still wanting to make the best of his visit and lift his sagging ratings Goetz together with his producer Bonnie, Twiggy, and station manager Rona, Joan Severance, try to figure out what is exactly wrong with Felicity and figure out a way to cure her. Thus like the live TV non discovery of Al Capone's secret treasure back in the 1980's win the ratings war with his competitors.

***SPOILERS***We as well as Dr. Goetz soon find out that both Nora and her what looks like mummified daughter Felicity aren't as harmless as he at first thought! Both Bonnie and Rona end up dead and he ends up a prisoner of the two psychos who because of him not believing them and treating the two like a couple of loonies will end up being locked up himself together with a number of other prominent as well as mummified child psychiatrist in their basement.