Despite receiving mixed reviews upon release, the horror anthology Tales From The Hood has become a cult classic movie that spawned two successful sequels. In 1995, director Rusty Cundieff and executive producer Spike Lee released their first installment in the series, and showcased how the genre could be used to spark conversations on racism in America. In 2020, Tales From The Hood celebrated its 25th anniversary and ushered in the release of Tales From The Hood 3; here's every movie in the series ranked from worst to best.
In recent years, anthology television shows and movies have gained immense popularity in the horror genre. With series such as American Horror Story and Hulu's most recent release Monsterland, it has proven to be a successful means of capturing an array of terrifying tales. Tales From The Hood is known for its social commentary on the racism that Black people face in America. While its sequel took 23 years to get made and released in 2018, it was largely successful due to the popularity of Jordan Peele's Get Out. In fact, Peele's 2017 horror movie set the tone for the future of the social horror sub-genre, which now includes several movies and shows that incorporate the discourse of being Black in America. Examples of these include Misha Green's HBO series Lovecraft Country, Peele's Us, and Nia DaCosta's 2021 Candyman reboot.
After 25 years, Tales From The Hood continues to be one of the best horror anthologies to date. It not only includes important conversations on racism, domestic violence, and child abuse but also directly integrates these real life horrors into supernatural and otherworldly elements. Without further ado, here's how every Tales From The Hood movie ranks against each other.
3. Tales From The Hood 3
Tales From The Hood 3 is not a bad addition to the movie series, but some of its stories are underwhelming and lukewarm in comparison to the first two movies. The original Candyman, Tony Todd, acts as the narrator with a sinister storyline of his own. While this is enough to capture the attention of horror fans who are familiar with the actor, it does not make up for the minute amount of terror that these stories evoke. Despite it being the weakest entry in the series, it's still worth the watch for fans of Tony Todd, Rusty Cundieff, and the Tales From The Hood franchise.
2. Tales From The Hood 2
After 23 years, Tales From The Hood rose from Simms' Funeral Home with Tales From The Hood 2. No longer a funeral director, Mr. Simms is portrayed by Keith David, who narrates the tales of horror with an overarching theme pertaining to the Black Lives Matter movement. Just like the original movie, it expertly weaves together the fact that Black people in America cannot escape the horrors of racism and generational trauma. Some of the stories in Tales From The Hood 2 comment on the prison system and the murder of Emmett Till. Tales From The Hood 2 upholds the legacy of the first installment, providing audiences with the same tone that Cundieff created in the 1995 movie, many years later.
1. Tales From The Hood
While each sequel has provided something new and inventive to the series, Tales From The Hood remains the best out of the three. This is due to the fact that the acting is impeccable, it plays on the campiness of 1990s horror movies, and it includes an unapologetic depiction of police brutality, hate groups, and other social issues relevant to the Black community. Clarence Williams III portrayed the iconic narrator, Mr. Simms, and his performance set a high bar. Despite Keith David and Tony Todd taking over the position with their own tales of terror, the original Mr. Simms in the 1995 movie remains the best, as do his stories. Ultimately, Tales From The Hood is the best movie in the series due to the uniqueness of the anthology when it first released, its impeccable storytelling, and strong acting throughout.