The contemporary art world does not make a whole lot of sense from an outsider’s perspective. Writers Paul Dini and Stephen Langford make light of this observation in “The Last Tsuburaya”, a story about art’s power over people. The opening tale in this installment of Creepshow sees two sides fighting over a piece of cultural history; one wants everyone to experience this newly discovered painting, whereas another wants it solely for himself.
Jeffrey F. January’s directorial debut in the Creepshow series is elevated by a better-than-average story. “The Last Tsuburaya” begins with the sole surviving heir (Joe Ando-Hirsh) of a misanthropic Japanese painter, the segment’s namesake, learning he has inherited a lost painting; the artist’s last work that no one has ever seen… until now. An art historian named Dr. Mai Satō (Gia Hiraizumi) fails to acquire the work for her museum because of interference from Wade Cruise (Brandon Quinn), a wealthy and antagonistic art connoisseur. He offers $10 million on the spot for Tsuburaya’s painting, but there is a catch — the piece must remain concealed to all eyes in the meantime.
At an unveiling party for Tsuburaya’s painting, Wade does the unthinkable after feasting his eyes on the work; he ensures no one else will ever be able to see it. In doing so, though, Wade unknowingly curses himself. Wherever he goes, he is now stalked by the monstrous subject of Tsuburaya’s swan song.
Stories about cursed objects are oftentimes about something being stolen from its owners. Dini and Langford tweak the idea with favorable results and add a new context regarding theft. The loathsome Wade does not technically steal anything from anyone; he paid a hefty sum after all. Rather, he robbed others of an irretrievable experience. “The Last Tsuburaya” eventually enters familiar territory with the monster’s shadowy behavior, but the ending is different enough to where it feels fairly fresh and more resolved than usual. Also worth noting, the artist’s name of Ishirō Tsuburaya, along with a tokusatsu-esque beastie, seems like a nod to the pioneers of Japanese rubber monsters, Ishirō Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya.
Next up is John Harrison’s “OK I’ll Bite”, a brooding number about spiders and enclosed spaces. Nicholas Massouh plays Elmer, a withdrawn prisoner and arachnologist who has been recently denied parole. This means he can spend more time with his only friends in the joint; a stash of spiders, including a sizable one hidden behind his wall. When the other inmates’ cruel behavior forces his hand, Elmer does something dangerous to ensure his spiders’ survival.
“OK I’ll Bite” is at its best when Massouh is all alone, conversing with his eight-legged pals and revealing his character’s pathos bit by bit. The limited setting adds to the isolation, and the spiders underscore the feeling of being trapped by one’s circumstances. The story never quite finds a place to land other than the standard destination of direct and macabre comeuppance, but there is a solid amount of atmosphere from time to time. This episode is conversant with the execution of more somber entries of the ‘80s anthology, Monsters.
Creepshow delivered a double dose of creature horror in this episode, and both have their merits.
New episodes of Creepshow Season 3 are released every Thursday on Shudder.
