Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) Food for Thought (1993) User Reviews

Average Tales from the Crypt episode.

[poolandrews · 6/10 · 13 April 2007]

Tales from the Crypt: Food for Thought is set in a carnival where the the great Zambini (Ernie Hudson) & his assistant Connie (Joan Chen) have a psychic act where Zambini can get into Connie's mind & transmit messages & thoughts, however this is not an equal partnership as Zambini treats Connie like a slave, he beats her & he uses the fear she has of him to keep her there. Johnny (John Laughlin) the fire eater sees how Zambini treats Connie & offers her a way out with him as he plans to run away, Connie agrees but unfortunately Zambini can read her thoughts & discovers the plan...

This Tales from the Crypt story was episode 4 from season 5, the first of two Tales from the Crypt episodes to be directed by Rodman Flender I quite liked Food for Thought but didn't think it was overly special. The script by Larry Wilson was based on a story in the 'Tales from the Crypt' comic book is a bit forgettable, there's none of the dark humour that grace many of the best tales from the Crypt episodes & the majority of Food for Thought feels more like a love story than a horror. Having said that at only just over 20 minutes in length it moves along at a decent pace & is saved by a nicely gruesome twist ending which is maybe a bit predictable but satisfying all the same. This one also features very funny opening & closing Crypt Keeper (John Kassir) sequences where he is a dentist operating on an unfortunate patient complete with some amusingly bad puns about dentistry before he pulls the guys tongue out!

As usual this looks very good with a nice authentic low rent carnival setting although the Tales from the Crypt team should be used to it as they have set several stories in carnivals before. It's well made with good production values, there's not much gore here apart from the end where someones brains get eaten from the top of their ripped open head. The acting was alright with Hudson standing out as the villain.

Food for Thought isn't the best tale from the crypt & until the ending which saved it it wasn't really doing anything for me, worth a watch for fans although there are better episodes out there.

Food for Thought, but the food is terrible

[tbirum · 2/10 · 9 May 2021]

One of the worst episodes of Tales from the Crypt. The acting is bad, the story is bad, the characters are bad and it is not even trying to be scary. I like Tales from the Crypt and there are some Great episodes, but this is most certainly one of the worst.

Another circus tale, and even better

[bellino-angelo2014 · 8/10 · 2 July 2021]

Mind reader Zambini can read his lovely assistant Connie's thoughts and she doesn't accept that she is used like a piece of equipment. After one show, she suddenly falls in love with fire eater Johnny (that is also the owner of the caged gorilla). Trouble ensues when Zambini finds out about the affair but not before Connie succedds in making the gorilla read her thoughts...

While the ending was expected, I really liked the episode for the theme and the surprises. There is, however, one scary scene when the siamese twins connected by their breasts take a shower and we see her connection. Apart from this, another good episode in a season of winners.

Neat episode

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 27 April 2012]

Domineering carnival mind reader Zambini (superbly played with deliciously wicked relish by Ernie Hudson) can read the thoughts of his lovely browbeaten assistant Connie (a fine and appealing performance by the gorgeous Joan Chen). Complications ensue when Zambini finds out that Connie has fallen for nice guy fire eater Johnny (a solid and likable portrayal by John Laughlin). Director Rodman Flender, working from a compelling script by Larry Wilson, relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, maintains a serious tone throughout, offers a vivid evocation of the colorfully seedy carnie setting, and delivers some nice'n'nasty gore at the genuinely surprising conclusion. The sturdy acting from the able cast helps a whole lot: Hudson brings a strong and authoritative presence to his juicy villain role, Chen and Laughlin are sympathetic in their parts, and Phil Fondacaro does well as mean and sleazy dwarf Emmet. Rick Bota's slick cinematography makes nifty use of tilted camera angles. Sylvestor Levay's shuddery score hits the shivery spot. A worthwhile show.

Food For Thought

[a_baron · 8/10 · 1 December 2014]

The Great Zambini and Connie comprise a mind-reading act in a carnival. Their act is for real because Connie can read his thoughts, but now he has developed the power to read hers.

Zambini may be great but he is also nasty, and when Connie receives an offer from a man who really cares about her to quit the carnival for a normal life, she accepts. Her lover is also a member of the carnival, Johnny the fire-eater, but when Zambini's new powers inform him of her impending elopement, he murders his rival in spectacular fashion.

Johnny's horrible death is dismissed by the rest of the carnival folk as an accident, and that without a policeman in sight, but Connie knows the truth, and walks out on Zambini.

What happens next? Obviously revenge, and it comes from an unlikely source, though not so unlikely if you've been keeping an eye on the minor players.