S2E28: “Crypt In London”

For it’s last season, HBO sent “Tales From The Crypt” to London. It was an amazing adventure. How could it not be? But (if we’re honest – and that is our stock in trade here) the Crypt team didn’t go to London strictly to refresh the franchise (which needed it, frankly). Crossing the pond helped for sure! But – as with Bordello Of Blood (which we were editing at the time) – the Crypt team left Los Angeles mostly because our executive producer Joel Silver was at war with the union representing our crew. HBO didn’t oppose the idea at all.

In fact, taking Crypt to London gave us access to actors we hadn’t been able to cast previously. At Crypt, we paid all actors, directors and writers their guild minimums plus ten percent (to cover the agency fee). For actors who lived outside of Los Angeles (but still in the US or Canada), HBO usually covered the cost of flying them (up front in first class of course). They wouldn’t do it for anyone living outside North America. Of course, if we wanted to pay for the flight, that was fine. But those tickets weren’t in our budget.

We got to work with people like Bob Hoskins, Natasha Richardson, Steve Coogan, Ewan McGregor, Imelda Staunton, Jane Horrocks, and a pre-James Bond Daniel Craig. Alan Hume – director of photography of various James Bond and Star Wars movies shot two episodes of Crypt! We were based at Ealing Studios, one of the most fabled movie studios in England. It really was an amazing creative adventure!

Joining Gil and I for the discussion are Ed Tapia and Greg Melton. Regular listeners to this podcast will recognize Ed and Greg from earlier episodes. Ed was Gil’s assistant – but he was sooooo much more than that. These days, Ed Tapia is a very talented producer in his own right. He’s producing “All American Homecoming” for the CW. Greg Melton is one of the best production designers working in Hollywood. Or London. In addition to creating Crypt’s look, Greg production designed The Walking Dead.

We’ll discuss the joys of working in London and the difficulties. Our cultures clashed repeatedly. We’ve even got a few new Joel Silver stories (Joel came to visit us in London with all the prerequisite chaos).

So, kick back as we reminisce about the season “Tales From The Crypt” spent in London. Or, as the Crypt Keeper called it: “Scary, Olde England”.