General Information

Director: Rodman Flender

Writer: Rodman Flender

Cast: Bruce Davison, Christi Conaway, Darin Heames, Kelly Coffield, Ricky Dean Logan, John Kassir, and Rodman Flender

Composer: Jay Ferguson

Air Date: 1/18/1995

Overview

After the failure of his latest marketing campaign, Luden Sandelton (Bruce Davison)—president of a soap manufacturing company—is left with no choice but to fire his promiscuous wife Willa, an artistic designer/painter. Complications arise when Willa, now driven to commit homicide, makes a terrible mistake when disposing of her husband’s body.

Tales from the Crypt enthusiasts may wish to avoid this episode for its implausible twist ending and utter absence of traditional horror tropes. Those of a strictly serious inclination, on the other hand, may enjoy “99 & 44/100 Pure Horror,” which benefits from a relatively camp-free tone.

Pros

For showcasing realistic and nauseating gore effects during the final scene, this Tales from the Crypt entry should be commended by fans of visceral horror. In possibly the most disturbing shower sequence since Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, for example, layers of flesh literally peel off the body of a naked young woman, presumably killing her in the process—likely an homage to the fate of Steve Buscemi’s character in “Forever Ambergris.”

Cons

Due to its contemptible characters, “99 & 44/100 Pure Horror” may fail to captivate viewer interest beyond a surface level. Specifically worth noting are the attributes of Willa, a disloyal trophy wife; Luden, a spineless beta male; and a moronic pretty boy named Tom (Darin Heames)—all of whom lack a single personality trait with which the average person could identify. (Those with a compelling sense of justice may, however, invest in the outcome of this episode simply to witness Willa—one of the most despicable protagonists ever featured in a Tales from the Crypt story—receive the punishment that she deserves.)

Analysis

Spoofing the slogan of a popular soap brand, “99 & 44/100 Pure Horror” should be noted for its clever and amusing, albeit somewhat obscure, title reference.

Concluding Comments

“99 & 44/100 Pure Horror” is a mediocre installment of Tales from the Crypt. That being said, a satisfying, though stomach-churning, climax works to compensate for the underwhelming narrative premise of this episode.

Overall Quality: 5/10

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