''Two-Fisted Tales'' is a 1992 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made fo ...

anthology horror film consisting of three separate segments, based on the

EC Comics Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books, which specialized in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction, dark fantasy, and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950 ...

publication ''

Two-Fisted Tales ''Two-Fisted Tales'' is an anthology war comic published bi-monthly by EC Comics in the early 1950s. The title originated in 1950 when Harvey Kurtzman suggested to William Gaines that they publish an adventure comic. Kurtzman became the editor o ...

''. Only one of the stories is actually adapted from a story appearing in an issue of EC Comics.

Plot

Cast

* William Sadler – Mr. Rush (Presenter)

Segment: "Showdown"

David Morse David Bowditch Morse (born October 11, 1953) is an American actor, singer, television director, and writer. He first came to national attention as Dr. Jack "Boomer" Morrison in the medical drama series '' St. Elsewhere'' (1982–88). His film c ...

– Tom McMurdo *

Neil Giuntoli Neil Giuntoli (born December 20, 1959) is an American actor active since 1987, whose most famous role was in '' Child's Play'' (1988). Giuntoli is also the author and lead actor of the play ''Hizzoner'', a fictional account of former Chicago mayo ...

– Billy Quintaine *

Roderick Cook Roderick Cook (9 February 1932 – 17 August 1990) was an English playwright, writer, theatre director and actor of stage, television and film. Cook is known for creating, directing and starring in the musical review '' Oh, Coward!'' and portray ...

– Cornelius Bosch *

Thomas F. Duffy Thomas Francis Duffy (born November 9, 1955) is an American actor. He has appeared as the sadistic rapist Charles Wilson in ''Death Wish II'', the paleontologist Dr. Robert Burke in '' The Lost World: Jurassic Park'', and as the football-lovin ...

– Scorby * Monty Bass – Frank Little Bear * Mel Coleman – Blacksmith * Grant Gelt – Little Boy * Paul T. Murray – Harley * Tommy Townsend – Big Bart

Segment: "King of the Road"

Raymond J. Barry Raymond John Barry (born March 14, 1939) is an American film, television, and stage actor. He was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his performance in the film ''Steel City (film), Steel City''. Personal life ...

– Garrett * Brad Pitt – Billy * Michelle Bronson – Carrie * Jack Kehler – Mole * Alva L. Petway – Dispatcher

Segment: "Yellow"

* Kirk Douglas – Sr. Calthrob *

Eric Douglas Eric Anthony Douglas (June 21, 1958 – July 6, 2004) was an American actor and stand-up comedian. Douglas was the youngest son of actor Kirk Douglas and his second wife Anne Buydens. His half brother was actor and producer Michael Douglas. Dougl ...

– Jr. Calthrob *

Lance Henriksen Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor. He is known for his works in various science fiction, action and horror films, such as that of Bishop in the ''Alien'' film franchise, and Frank Black in Fox television series ''Millenn ...

– Ripper * Dan Aykroyd – Milligan * Dominick Morra – Priest * Steve Boyum – King * Chuck Picerni Jr. – Jones * R. David Smith – Soldier

Production

In 1991, the comic book was adapted for a

TV pilot A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...

by producers

Joel Silver Joel Silver (born July 14, 1952) is an American film producer. Life and career Silver was born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey, the son of a writer and a public relations executive. His family is Jewish. He attended Columbia High School i ...

Richard Donner Richard Donner (born Richard Donald Schwartzberg; April 24, 1930 – July 5, 2021) was an American filmmaker whose notable works included some of the most financially-successful films during the New Hollywood era. According to film historian ...

, Robert Zemeckis and others. Apart from an opening montage of covers from the comic book and use of comic's logo, the pilot had little connection with Kurtzman's creation. In imitation of EC's horror books, the hour-long anthology drama featured the ghostly gunfighter Mr. Rush (Bill Sadler) as a host and a device to connect the segments, although Kurtzman's war-adventure stories had never been introduced by a host. Two of the stories, "Showdown" (written by

Frank Darabont Frank Árpád Darabont (born Ferenc Árpád Darabont, January 28, 1959) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In his early career, he was primarily a s ...

and directed by

) and "King of the Road" (written by Randall Jahnson and directed by

Tom Holland Thomas Stanley Holland (born 1 June 1996) is an English actor. His accolades include a British Academy Film Award, three Saturn Awards, a Guinness World Record and an appearance on the ''Forbes'' 30 Under 30 Europe list. Some publications h ...

), were original scripts and not adaptations from EC (although "Showdown" did share a title with a story from issue 37). The third story, "Yellow" (written by Jim Thomas & John Thomas and A. L. Katz &

Gilbert Adler Gilbert Adler (born in New York City, February 14, 1946) is an American film producer who has collaborated with several notable filmmakers including Richard Donner, Brian De Palma, Walter Hill, Todd Phillips, and Bryan Singer. In 1999, Adler -- ...

and directed by Robert Zemeckis), was adapted from a story written by

Al Feldstein Albert Bernard Feldstein ( ; October 24, 1925 – April 29, 2014) was an American writer, editor, and artist, best known for his work at EC Comics and, from 1956 to 1985, as the editor of the satirical magazine '' Mad''. After retiring from ''Mad' ...

and illustrated by Jack Davis for the first issue of EC's ''

Shock SuspenStories ''Shock SuspenStories'' was part of the EC Comics line in the early 1950s. The bi-monthly comic, published by Bill Gaines and edited by Al Feldstein, began with issue 1 in February/March 1952. Over a four-year span, it ran for 18 issues, ending wi ...

''.

Broadcast

Although it contains a 1991 copyright notice at the end of the credits, the pilot had a single telecast in the USA on January 18, 1992, generating little interest, and "Showdown" and "King of the Road" were later extracted to become individual episodes of HBO's ''

Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt may refer to: * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (album), by American rapper C-Bo * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (comics), published by EC Comics during the 1950s ** ''Tales from the Crypt'' (film), a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Ric ...

'' television series (though "Yellow" had been broadcast as an episode in the year before).

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Two-Fisted Tales (Film) 1992 films 1992 horror films 1992 television films 1992 comedy horror films American auto racing films American supernatural horror films American comedy horror films 1990s English-language films American horror anthology films American horror television films Films based on American comics Films produced by Walter Hill Films produced by Joel Silver Films directed by Richard Donner Films directed by Tom Holland Films directed by Robert Zemeckis Films scored by Michael Kamen Films scored by Alan Silvestri Carolco Pictures films Fox network original films Television pilots not picked up as a series 1992 comedy films Films with screenplays by Jim Thomas (screenwriter) Films with screenplays by John Thomas (screenwriter) 1990s American films