Two-Fisted Tales (film)
| Company type | Television pilot |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television, Entertainment |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Television anthology horror film |
Two-Fisted Tales is a 1992 American television anthology horror film composed of three segments, drawing inspiration from the EC Comics series Two-Fisted Tales. Among these, only a single segment is a direct adaptation of an EC Comics narrative.
Cast
- William Sadler – Mr. Rush (Host)
Segment: "Showdown"
- David Morse – Tom McMurdo
- Neil Giuntoli – Billy Quintaine
- Roderick Cook – Cornelius Bosch
- Thomas F. Duffy – Scorby
- Monty Bass – Frank Little Bear
Segment: "King of the Road"
- Raymond J. Barry – Garrett
- Brad Pitt – Billy
- Michelle Bronson – Carrie
- Jack Kehler – Mole
Segment: "Yellow"
- Kirk Douglas – Sr. Calthrob
- Eric Douglas – Jr. Calthrob
- Lance Henriksen – Ripper
- Dan Aykroyd – Milligan
Production
The comic book was transformed into a television pilot in 1991, with production credits including Joel Silver, Richard Donner, and Robert Zemeckis, among others. Beyond the inclusion of an introductory sequence showcasing comic covers and the emblem, the pilot deviated from Kurtzman's original stories. Inspired by EC’s horror titles, this one-hour anthology featured Mr. Rush (portrayed by Bill Sadler), a spectral gunslinger serving as the host linking each segment—a departure from Kurtzman’s war-adventure tales which did not employ a presenter. The pilot presented two original screenplays: "Showdown," penned by Frank Darabont and directed by Richard Donner, and "King of the Road," written by Randall Jahnson with direction by Tom Holland. Additionally, it included "Yellow," adapted from an EC Shock SuspenStories story authored by Al Feldstein and Jack Davis, scripted by Jim Thomas, John Thomas, A. L. Katz & Gilbert Adler, and directed by Zemeckis.
Broadcast
Although bearing a 1991 copyright date, the pilot was broadcast only once in the United States on January 18, 1992, receiving minimal viewer response. Later, the segments "Showdown" and "King of the Road" were reworked into episodes for HBO’s Tales from the Crypt, while "Yellow" had already been shown on that network the year before.