Haeckel's Tale
Encyclopedia
Haeckel's Tale is the twelfth episode of the first season of the television series Masters of Horror
. It originally aired in North America
on January 27, 2006. George A. Romero
was originally supposed to direct the episode but was replaced by John McNaughton
because of a scheduling problem.
The episode script is based on a Clive Barker
short story first published in the anthology Dark Delicacies: Original Tales of Terror and the Macabre.
), coming to an old woman, Miz Carnation, who lives in an old cabin deep in the woods of upstate New York. Ralston asks Miz Carnation, a necromancer
, to revive his recently deceased wife; she refuses, but then decides to tell him the story of Ernst Haeckel, and says that, if he still wishes to revive his wife afterwards, she will do as he asks.
The story mainly concerns Ernst Haeckel (Derek Cecil
), who is trying to follow in the footsteps of Victor Frankenstein
, but is unsuccessful with his attempts to create life. He learns of Montesquino, a necromancer, but believes that the man is a charlatan. Learning of his father's ill condition, he travels and encounters Walter Wolfram (Tom McBeath) and his wife Elise (Leela Savasta
). Haeckel is oddly drawn to Elise and vice versa. Wolfram seems undisturbed by the attraction but when unearthly shrieks echo outside, Elise is drawn to them. Haeckel also notices that Elise is caring for a baby.
Elise finally goes outside and the despondent Wolfram notes that he can't satisfy his wife, although he has sold everything he has to take care of her. Haeckel goes after Elise and follows the shrieks to a nearby necropolis. There he discovers that Elise is having sexual consort with her dead husband and the other resurrected corpses. Wolfram has paid Montesquino to raise the dead so that they can satisfy Elise. When Wolfram tries to take her home, the corpses kill him. Haeckel confronts Montesquino and demands that he make it stop. The necromancer says that he cannot, and an angry Haeckel shoots him as he tries to escape. The dying Montesquino shoves Haeckel into a tombstone, knocking him out.
The next morning, Haeckel wakes up and returns to the cabin, where he finds Elise nursing the baby: a corpse-child, the son of her "true" husband. The baby rips out Haeckel's throat. The next scene takes place again at the necropolis, except it is the dead Haeckel with whom Elise now has sex.
Miz Carnation concludes her tale and a disgusted Ralston looks on in horror as he realizes that she is the older Elise, as the corpses of her first husband, Wolfram, and Haeckel stagger in and she brings out the zombie baby. Ralston decides against raising his dead wife and flees from the cabin into the night while Miz Carnation and the rest of her undead clan look on.
Masters of Horror
Masters of Horror is an informal social group of international film writers and directors specializing in horror movies and an American television series created by director Mick Garris for the Showtime cable network.- Origin :...
. It originally aired in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on January 27, 2006. George A. Romero
George A. Romero
George Andrew Romero is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter and editor, best known for his gruesome and satirical horror films about a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. He is nicknamed "Godfather of all Zombies." -Life and career:...
was originally supposed to direct the episode but was replaced by John McNaughton
John McNaughton
John McNaughton is an American film and television director, originally from Chicago, Illinois.-Biography:His first feature film, made in 1986, was Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, a film McNaughton directed, co-wrote, and co-produced. Numerous complications plagued the controversial film,...
because of a scheduling problem.
The episode script is based on a Clive Barker
Clive Barker
Clive Barker is an English author, film director and visual artist best known for his work in both fantasy and horror fiction. Barker came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories which established him as a leading young horror writer...
short story first published in the anthology Dark Delicacies: Original Tales of Terror and the Macabre.
Plot
The story, set in the late 19th century, begins with a young man named Edward Ralston (Steve BacicSteve Bacic
Steve Bacic is a Canadian actor of Croatian origin. He is known for playing the character Telemachus Rhade on the Sci-Fi series Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. After being a guest star in season 1-3, he joined the cast early in season four...
), coming to an old woman, Miz Carnation, who lives in an old cabin deep in the woods of upstate New York. Ralston asks Miz Carnation, a necromancer
Necromancy
Necromancy is a claimed form of magic that involves communication with the deceased, either by summoning their spirit in the form of an apparition or raising them bodily, for the purpose of divination, imparting the ability to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge...
, to revive his recently deceased wife; she refuses, but then decides to tell him the story of Ernst Haeckel, and says that, if he still wishes to revive his wife afterwards, she will do as he asks.
The story mainly concerns Ernst Haeckel (Derek Cecil
Derek Cecil
Derek Cecil is an American actor who was the star of the now defunct TV series Push, Nevada. Cecil was born in Amarillo, Texas and graduated from the University of Houston...
), who is trying to follow in the footsteps of Victor Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein was born in Napoli, is a Swiss fictional character and the protagonist of the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, written by Mary Shelley...
, but is unsuccessful with his attempts to create life. He learns of Montesquino, a necromancer, but believes that the man is a charlatan. Learning of his father's ill condition, he travels and encounters Walter Wolfram (Tom McBeath) and his wife Elise (Leela Savasta
Leela Savasta
Leela Savasta is a Canadian actress. She played Clair Crosby in the 2006 film Black Christmas.-Biography:Savasta was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she currently resides. She has appeared in such television shows as Smallville, Intelligence, Supernatural and the Showtime series Masters...
). Haeckel is oddly drawn to Elise and vice versa. Wolfram seems undisturbed by the attraction but when unearthly shrieks echo outside, Elise is drawn to them. Haeckel also notices that Elise is caring for a baby.
Elise finally goes outside and the despondent Wolfram notes that he can't satisfy his wife, although he has sold everything he has to take care of her. Haeckel goes after Elise and follows the shrieks to a nearby necropolis. There he discovers that Elise is having sexual consort with her dead husband and the other resurrected corpses. Wolfram has paid Montesquino to raise the dead so that they can satisfy Elise. When Wolfram tries to take her home, the corpses kill him. Haeckel confronts Montesquino and demands that he make it stop. The necromancer says that he cannot, and an angry Haeckel shoots him as he tries to escape. The dying Montesquino shoves Haeckel into a tombstone, knocking him out.
The next morning, Haeckel wakes up and returns to the cabin, where he finds Elise nursing the baby: a corpse-child, the son of her "true" husband. The baby rips out Haeckel's throat. The next scene takes place again at the necropolis, except it is the dead Haeckel with whom Elise now has sex.
Miz Carnation concludes her tale and a disgusted Ralston looks on in horror as he realizes that she is the older Elise, as the corpses of her first husband, Wolfram, and Haeckel stagger in and she brings out the zombie baby. Ralston decides against raising his dead wife and flees from the cabin into the night while Miz Carnation and the rest of her undead clan look on.