TALES FROM THE CRYPT: ABRA CADAVER (TV)
Summary
One in this fantasy/horror series based on the 1950's classic comics. In this tale, Martin Fairbanks, a brilliant surgeon, is trying to help his younger brother Carl get through medical school. Martin has been working on a theory that when a person dies the brain keeps functioning, but Carl thinks he is crazy for believing such a theory. On Martin's birthday, Carl plays a practical joke on his brother that goes wrong and Martin suffers a heart attack, which subsequently ruins his career as a surgeon. Many years later, Carl is a doctor and Martin is still working on his theory through Carl's financial help. Martin is certain that he has solid evidence about the theory and proves it by playing the same type of a practical joke on Carl. Martin induces death in Carl's body, but his mind is actually still functioning and can see, hear, and understand everything going on around him. In Carl's mind, he can't believe what is happening to him and the last vision he sees -- before the joke is over -- is Martin teaching a class and cutting apart Carl's cadaver. The joke ends and Carl is actually alive and well, and Martin is happy that the payback was so sweet. The two brothers joke about what has happened, but the experiment doesn't appear to be over when Carl suffers a real heart attack.
(This program contains adult-oriented material.)
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: June 19, 1991 Wednesday 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:29:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:40487
- GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, fantasy/science fiction; Horror tales
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 1989-1996
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Richard Donner … Executive Producer
- David Giler … Executive Producer
- Walter Hill … Executive Producer
- Joel Silver … Executive Producer
- Robert Zemeckis … Executive Producer
- Gilbert Adler … Producer
- Jennie Lew Tugend … Co-Producer
- Barry Josephson … Co-Producer
- Marcus Keys … Associate Producer
- Connie Johnson … Associate Producer
- Stephen Hopkins … Director
- Jim Birge … Writer
- Alan Silvestri … Music by
- Danny Elfman … Theme Music by
- Beau Bridges … Cast, Martin Fairbanks
- Tony Goldwyn … Cast, Carl Fairbanks
- Lucinda Weist … Cast, Kelly
- Peter Schuck … Cast, Bernie
- Hugh Holub … Cast, Al
- Tina Bockrath … Cast, Paula
- Tom Wright … Cast, Mitch
- For the Crypt Keeper Sequences:
- Kevin Yagher … Director
- Patty Maloney … Crypt Keeper Puppeteer
- Erik Schaper … Crypt Keeper Puppeteer
- David Stinnet … Crypt Keeper Puppeteer
- Rico Topazio … Crypt Keeper Puppeteer
- Winkless, F. Brock, IV … Crypt Keeper Puppeteer
- John Kassir … Cast, the Crypt Keeper, Voice