Okay, let's dim the lights, maybe leave that flickering CRT on static for a moment. Remember that feeling? The one where the shadows in your room seem just a little too deep after the credits roll? Some films just lodge themselves under your skin, and tonight we're pulling a particular slab out of the cinematic morgue: 1993's darkly comic and genuinely creepy horror anthology, Body Bags.
Picture this: a dimly lit morgue, slabs occupied by the recently departed, and your host for the evening is none other than John Carpenter himself, hamming it up as a gleefully ghoulish coroner. There's a palpable sense of graveyard humour from the get-go, a wink and a nod that feels like a direct descendent of the EC Comics vibe that fueled Tales from the Crypt. In fact, Body Bags was originally conceived as a pilot for a potential Showtime horror anthology series meant to rival HBO's Crypt Keeper. When the series wasn't picked up, Carpenter and co-producer Sandy King stitched the segments together into this feature-length treat, introduced by Carpenter's wonderfully strange, slightly desiccated host. His performance alone, filled with macabre puns and a chillingly casual demeanor towards death, is worth the price of admission (or the rental fee back in the day).
### Late Shift Chills
The film kicks off proper with "The Gas Station," directed by Carpenter himself, and honestly, it’s a masterclass in minimalist tension. Set almost entirely within the claustrophobic confines of a lone, late-night gas station booth, it follows Anne (Alex Datcher), a college student on her first night working the graveyard shift. Carpenter instantly evokes the creeping dread of his earlier work, particularly Halloween, using shadows, unsettling silence broken by sudden noises, and the inherent vulnerability of isolation. You feel the danger lurking just outside the flimsy glass walls. Datcher sells the mounting panic perfectly, making you root for her even as the inevitable looms. It’s lean, mean, and reminds you just how effective Carpenter can be with simple setups. Keep an eye out for a quick cameo by fellow horror maestro Wes Craven and even Sam Raimi popping up as startled patrons – a fun nod between titans of the genre.
### A Hairy Situation
Carpenter also helms the second segment, "Hair," which pivots sharply into body horror territory with a satirical edge. Richard Coberts (Stacy Keach) is profoundly unhappy about his thinning hair, a mid-life crisis manifested as follicular failure. His desperation leads him to the bizarre clinic of Dr. Lock (David Warner) who promises a miracle cure. What follows is pure, Cronenberg-lite weirdness as the treatment works... perhaps a little too well. Keach throws himself into the role with gusto, balancing vanity with growing revulsion. While perhaps the tonally oddest of the three, its blend of grotesque practical effects (courtesy of the legendary KNB EFX Group, who also worked on films like Army of Darkness and From Dusk Till Dawn) and dark humour about male insecurity is undeniably memorable. There’s a scene involving the results of the treatment that likely had many of us squirming back on our couches. It’s absurd, a little goofy, but carries a distinct, unsettling undercurrent.
### An Eye for Terror
For the final, and arguably most intense segment, directorial duties pass to another Master of Horror, Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist). "Eye" stars Mark Hamill, shedding any lingering Luke Skywalker image, as Brent Matthews, a promising baseball player who loses his right eye in a devastating car accident. Desperate to save his career, he undergoes a radical, experimental eye transplant. Spoiler Alert! (Though, let's be honest, the premise telegraphs it). The donor eye, it turns out, belonged to a notorious serial killer, and soon Brent finds himself plagued by horrific visions and violent impulses not his own. Hooper brings a raw, visceral energy distinct from Carpenter's more measured suspense. Hamill is fantastic, conveying Brent’s descent from hope to terror with frightening conviction. The practical effects depicting the visions and the eye itself are genuinely disturbing, possessing that tangible, gruesome quality that defined so much 90s horror. It's a tense, nasty piece of work, bolstered by brief appearances from Deborah Harry and Twiggy. Hooper reportedly relished the chance to deliver something truly shocking within the anthology format.
### Assembled Parts
What makes Body Bags work so well, even with its slightly uneven tones across segments, is the sheer talent involved and the palpable love for the genre. Carpenter's synth-heavy score ties everything together beautifully, instantly recognizable and dripping with atmosphere. The cameos feel less like stunt casting and more like a gathering of friends sharing morbid tales. Seeing Carpenter, Hooper, Craven, Raimi, and even Roger Corman involved in one project feels like a snapshot of horror royalty from the era.
While it never achieved the mainstream recognition of Creepshow or the longevity of the Tales from the Crypt series it aimed to emulate, Body Bags remains a beloved find for horror hounds digging through the video archives. It perfectly captures that early 90s horror vibe – a little slicker than the 80s, often leaning into dark humour, but still reliant on practical effects and genuine suspense over digital trickery. It feels like something you’d discover late one night on cable, a hidden gem that delivers chills, laughs, and a few genuine gross-out moments. Remember grabbing this tape, maybe intrigued by Carpenter's name on the box? Didn't it feel like a perfect triple feature packed onto one cassette?
VHS Heaven Rating: 7/10
Justification: Body Bags scores high for its strong opening and closing segments ("The Gas Station" and "Eye" are genuinely effective horror shorts), Carpenter's delightful wraparound performance and score, and the sheer fun of its pedigree and cameos. It loses a few points for the somewhat weaker middle segment ("Hair") and the slightly disjointed feel stemming from its TV pilot origins. However, the high points are really high, delivering quality scares and atmosphere.
Final Thought: For fans of horror anthologies or anyone looking for a dose of top-tier 90s horror talent letting loose, Body Bags is essential viewing. It’s a fun, creepy, and occasionally gruesome trip back to the morgue, guided by one of the genre's true masters having an absolute blast. It might not have spawned a series, but this standalone collection remains a wickedly entertaining cadaver.