Tales from the Hood

Tales From The Hood is a 1995 horror anthology film, directed by Rusty Cundieff. The film had four short African American-themed horror stories.

The film opens by introducing as to the four characters starring in a frame story. A trio of teenage drug dealers operating in South Central Los Angeles visit a mortuary to purchase drugs from its owner. The drugs are stored deep within the building and Ball (De'aundre Bonds), Bulldog (Samuel Monroe, Jr.) and Stack (Joe Torry) have to follow the mysterious Mr. Simms (Clarence Williams III) in a virtual tour of its locations. Meanwhile, he takes the time to narrate stories related to his recent "customers." In his words, "Death - it comes in many strange packages."

The first story is called "Rogue Cop Revelation." It starts with Clarence Smith (Anthony Griffith), a rookie African-American cop, going on his first night patrol with partner Newton (Michael Massee). They join two other police officers Billy (Duane Whitaker) and Strom (Wings Hauser) in dealing with what seems at first a routine traffic stop of a well-dressed black man. It is anything but routine. The man is Martin Moorehouse (Tom Wright), a noted black rights activist, city councilman and crusader against police corruption. The three white officers are actually here to first beat Moorehouse, then murder him while planting evidence to make him seem as another heroin addict meeting an untimely end, ruining the councilman's clean reputation. Smith is horrified and resigns from the force, but never testifies against them. A year later, Smith arranges meeting the other three over Moorehead's grave. An undead Moorehead rises from the grave to exact vengeance. But he is not angry only with his actual murderers, but also with a certain "brother" who stood by and did nothing. The encounter leaves the three killers dead, Smith alive but insane.

The second story is called "Boys Do Get Bruised." It concerns Walter (Brandon Hammond), a young schoolboy who keeps turning up at school with bruises on his arms, either refusing to explain them or claiming a monster did it. Teacher Richard Garvy (Rusty Cundieff) is concerned enough to investigate. Sissy (Paula Jai Parker), Walter's mother, claims the boy is just clumsly. Only the boy is actually hurt by rather human monsters, violent stepfather Carl (David Alan Grier) and various bullies at school. And Walter has found a way to strike back...through sympathetic magic (the idea that one can influence something based on its relationship or resemblance to another thing).

The third story is called "KKK Comeuppance." The protagonist is Duke Metzger (Corbin Bernsen), a Southern senator which has become notorious for his racist behavior against both Jews and African-Americans, past affiliation with the Ku Klux Klan and choice of a former slave plantation as a home. Only his mansion is haunted by voodoo witch Miss Cobbs, a voodoo and numerous souls of murdered slaves transferred within her dolls. In fact, a surviving painting of Miss Cobbs seems to be haunted and to have much to do with various incidents surrounding Duke. Only the incidents are warnings for Duke's own brutal death. (Duke is named after two real-life white supremacists, David Duke and Tom Metzger.)

The fourth story is called "Hard-Core Convert." The protagonist is Jerome John (Lamont Bentley), nicknamed Crazy K. He is a violent gang member and homicidal psychopath, noted for being merciless. One night, his pursuit of one more foe leads him to a trap, resulting in being shot and seriously injured. His life is saved by the suddenly-arriving police. He is soon placed in the care of Dr. Cushing (Rosalind Cash), a scientist dedicated to reforming him through psychological torture. When placed with a white supremacist inmate, Crazy K acts proud of being African-American until said inmate forces him to realize that most of K's victims were African-Americans and he has nothing to be proud about. Then Cushing has K watch a slideshow were images of the KKK and various lynchings are combined with images of his own victims. Pointing that K is not that different from what he claims to hate. In her words, "Cain was the world's first murderer. He slayed his brother. How many brothers have you slain?!" In a sensory deprivation chamber, K is confronted by the souls of everyone he has ever slain. Not just people he intentionally targeted, but collateral damage of his gunfights. Cushing gives him a choice between succumbing to their vengeance or choosing to reform. To the end, K remains defiant, refusing responsibility for his actions and rejecting guilt. Then Cushing finally gives up on him. The scene turns back to his shooting. The police never rescued him. All the scenario was one last chance to redeem his soul before dying. He failed, and is shot to death.

Back in the frame story, the trio of drug dealers are quite tired of Simms and his stories. But also suspicious of how he knows the details of Crazy K's murder. They were the only ones who saw it happen, and they killed him. Simm soon reveals three caskets containing their corpses. The drug dealers are also recently-departed souls, having been killed by Crazy K's friends not long afterwards. He also reveals that the building is not an actual mortuary. It is just scenery, part of their new home: Hell. With Simms reintroducing himself as Satan. The film ends with the trio tortured by flames.

The film was a modest box office hit at the time of release. It earned $11,837,928 in the United States market, the 103rd most successful release of its year. Almost double of what its budget was. It is not particularly well-remembered, although horror fans seem to enjoy its mix of dark humor and social themes. Its twist ending has become instead a favorite moment for its viewers.

Tropes used in Tales from the Hood include:
  • Abusive Parents: Carl
  • Asshole Victim: Ball, Billy, Bulldog, Crazy K, Newton, Stack, and Strom were all murderers. Carl was an abusive husband and (step)father. Duke Metzger was verbally abusive even to his own staff members.
  • Dead All Along: Ball, Bulldog, and Stack. Possibly also Crazy K.
  • Death by Racism: Duke Metzger. Possibly Billy, Newton and Strom, though in their own case they had further motivations.
    • An interesting inversion in that Crazy K is shown a montage of pictures showing KKK members torturing or killing black men or standing over their corpses and dramatized shots of black gang members killing each other. He's essentially then asked "How are you any better than them?"
  • Dirty Cop: Billy, Newton, and Strom.
  • Domestic Abuser: Carl whips Sissy with a belt.
  • Dying Dream: Possibly the experience Crazy K underwent.
  • Freudian Excuse: Mocked by Dr. Cushing, who expects Crazy K to start blaming his parents, teachers, etc. for his own crimes.
  • Hey, It's That Guy!: Some viewers will recognize Clarence Williams III as the actor who played Lincoln B. Hayes on The Mod Squad.
    • And some viewers who remember the FOX sketch show In Living Color will recognize David Alan Grier.
    • Don't forget Vice Squads Ramrod as the racist politician, and Rick Dean from Carnosaur 2 and 3 as the tattooed neo-nazi.
  • Large Ham: Clarence Williams III absolutely goes to town as Mr. Simms. Justified by the fact that he's Satan toying with his latest victims.

Simms: THIS AAAAIINNNN'T!!!! NOOO FUNNERAALLLL HOOOMMMMME!!! IT AIIINNN'T!!!!! THE TERRADOME!!!! NEIIITHERRRR!!!! WELCOME!!!! TO HELLLLL. Motherfuckerssssss....

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