ZOMBIES, SEX, AND...MORE NECROPHILIA?? By: SASHA SLAUGHTER

Hey all you necrophiliacs out there!! EWWW!! That was gross right??? Good. Sasha Slaughter here with you for the final time this week...and this month too! Today I'll be going gross on y'all, I hope you like it =). I'll be reviewing, “ Masters of Horror Episode 12: Haeckel's Tale.” (also known as Clive Barker's Haeckel's Tale). George A. Romero was originally supposed to direct the episode but was replaced by John McNaughton due to a scheduling conflict. It was written by Mick Garris and was based on a Clive Barker short story first published in the anthology series “Dark Delicacies: Original Tales of Terror and the Macabre.”

The story is set in the late 19th century and begins with a young man named Edward Ralston. He goes to an old woman named Miz. Carnation, who lives in an old cabin deep in the woods. Ralston asks Miz. Carnation, who happens to be a necromancer, to revive his recently deceased wife. Miz. Carnation refuses and decides to tell him the story of Ernst Haecke.

She tells him that if he still wishes his wife to be revived after hearing the story, she will grant his wish. The tale begins with medical student Ernst Haeckel, who is trying to follow in the footsteps of Victor Frankenstein, and his quest to bring the dead back to life. He argues with his professor the existence of God and says he can prove he can bring the dead to life.

His professor agrees to watch the demonstration at Haeckel's lab. When the professor and other students arrive they see a dead naked woman on a table with various metal things attached to her. Haeckel flips a switch and harnesses the power of lightning to electrocute the woman back to life. The woman is electrocuted and then quickly catches fire. Everyone laughs at his desperate attempt and leaves.

Chester brings in another body to Haeckel and he tells him that he doesn't want it because he's failed and cannot figure out how to bring the dead back to life. Chester suggests that Haeckel goes to see a necromancer named Montesquino at a nearby park who claims he can raise the dead. Haeckel is skeptical and doesn't believe that the man can do such a thing. Chester tells him he's seen it with his own eyes and that he should see for himself.

That night Haeckel goes to see Montesquino in the park to see if he can really revive the dead. Montesquino says he has a non-believer in the crowd and offers to demonstrate his powers. He shows the crowd a dead dog in a basket and tells him he will bring it back to life. He starts saying some sort of spell and there is barking and whining coming from the basket. He lifts the lid and the dog is alive.

Later that night while he is still in utter shock, Haeckel decides to visit Montesquino and asks him to show him how to bring the dead back to life. Montesquino tells him no because it took years to master the craft and that he can tell Haeckel is a non-believer. The following morning Haeckel receives a letter from his fathers doctor saying that he is very ill and only has days left. He decides to go visit him and sets off on foot.

 He walks all day and night when it starts to rain. He takes cover over an old oak tree and starts a fire. A man finds him and introduces himself as Wolfram and offers to let Haeckel stay in his home for the night to get out of the rain. He tells Haeckel is it unwise to stay outside and Haeckel demands to know why it is unwise. Wolfram tells him that because he is young he probably doesn't fear the workings of the world and that there are nights when it's good not to sleep next to a place where the dead are laid to rest. He moves the tree branch and shows him what he calls Necropolis.

He takes Haeckel back to his house and introduces him to his young wife Elise. Haeckel is instantly attracted to her and she feels the same way. During dinner Wolfram asks Haeckel if he has ever been in love, and Haeckel tells him only fleetingly. He then asks Haeckel is he has ever experienced physical love. Haeckel is offended and lets Wolfram know that he crossed the line.

He apologizes and Haeckel says that he is tired. He is lying in bed and sees Elise staring out the window and touching herself through her clothes (Someone needs to diddle!). She catches him staring at her and stops touching herself but continues staring out the window. Some time later he awakens and sees Wolfram handing Montesquino money and shortly after he sees Elise in the kitchen nursing a baby. Just then he hears a piercing scream coming from the woods. Elise goes to leave and Wolfram asks if she has to go and she runs out the door.

Wolfram begins crying when Haeckel comes out of his room to see what’s going on. It is then that Wolfram tells him that he cannot satisfy his wife and that Haeckel himself wouldn't be able to either. Haeckel brings up the fact that they have a child but Wolfram tells him that it's not his, and that the baby's father is dead. He tells Haeckel that he has sold everything he can so his wife can be satisfied.

Haeckel is confused and runs out the door to follow the screams he hears in the necropolis. Wolfram catches up with him and pleads with him not go and find Elise and tells him that he doesn't understand. He tells him that Elise is in love with her first husband and always will be. Haeckel goes into the necropolis and cannot believe what he's seeing- he sees Elise having sex with a corpse whom Wolfram tells him is Elise's dead husband.

Wolfram ties to tell Elise that it is time to go home, but some of the corpses attack and kill him. Haeckel demands that Montesquino stop what’s happening but he tells him he can't. Angry and frustrated, Haeckel shoots the necromancer as he tries to escape.

He tells him one last time to make it stop and he tells Haeckel that it will stop when the sun comes up and there's no other way. Before he dies, Montesquino slams Haeckel into a tomb and he is knocked unconscious. The following morning Haeckel wakes up and goes back to the cabin and finds Elise nursing a baby, and she asks Haeckel to hold him. He hesitates and she shoves the baby into Haeckel's chest and the baby rips out his throat...........

WOW!!! What a sadistic little corpse zombie baby. Yikes! If you wanna know the rest, check out “Masters of Horror: Haeckel's Tale.” But I will say, if you don't like gore or horror or necrophilia for that matter, I wouldn't recommend this episode.

I don't even know where to begin! This episode was AHHHHHMAZING!! It had everything a girl could ask for...blood, guts, boobs, necrophilia (not that I'm into that or anything), death, and a homicidal zombie baby. It was AWESOME!! Ahhhh!!! The plot was freaking incredible. Mick Garris is a true horror genius!

This episode had zombies, necrophilia, intestines, sex, blood, black magic and gore all crammed into one hour...genius I tell you! And the ending sort of blew my mind, I never saw it coming at all. The special effects were great, the acting was decent and the story itself is just all kinds of disturbing. I mean, a hot chick boinking zombies in a graveyard every night from sunset to sunrise and liking it??? WOW!!!Just thinking about that give me the wiggins.

Although I'm not too crazy about the corpses being fertile and able to procreate, that's kinda not believable. It's like vampires having sperm and being able to reproduce...WHAT?? It doesn't make sense! But we're not talking about vampires here, we're talking about a girl fornicating with the dead...isn't that illegal??

Hmm. Anyway, I'm gonna give Haeckel's Tale a solid 5 out of 5. I usually never score anything a 5, but this episode was gross and awesome and disturbing and I like stuff like that. I definitely may watch this again in the future!! Since you're here reading about getting it on with corpses, how about going to see what Zane's got going on??? It may not involve zombie sex, but it will probably still be gross. Thanks for stopping by Dead End Horror.

Sasha Slaughter