Reviews (9)

Dr. Jekyll - We must Hyde
Tubby (Lou) and Slim (Bud) are two police officers in London studying the English police methods. After getting kick off the force, they determine that if they can catch the monster that has been killing prominent doctors they will be able to get their jobs back. Dr. Jekyll (Karloff) is experimenting with the idea of separating "good from evil" and in his lab is transforming character traits between various animals (e.g. Tubby has a bunny rabbit snap at him). Dr. Jekyll's ward Vicky falls for a newspaperman Bruce - Jekyll has loved Vicky for years and he decides to become Mr. Hyde to get rid of Bruce. While hunting for the monster in Dr. Jekyll's home, Tubby falls on a hypodermic needle, becomes a monster, and the chase begins.

This is an excellent movie for Karloff and Abbott & Costello fans.

Fun horror remake, though not screamingly funny
This movie has taken a bum rap over the years. The vast majority of people who've seen it -- particularly Abbott and Costello fans -- don't like it. Some even hate it. The reason: they say it just is not funny.

Actually, there are some VERY funny moments...but less than a half-dozen of them. Yet, this is a film Abbott & Costello fans will want to see (and own) -- and ANYONE who is a classic horror movie fan will want to OWN IT (remember that as we move into the 21st century this is unlikely to be available so now is the time!).
Firstly, I'm a bit biased about this film. This is the very first movie I remember seeing as a kid and the first I remember seeing in a movie theater. I have not seen it since I bought it on Amazon-- and was NOT disappointed!

Why? I like horror movies. And this is less of an Abbott & Costello movie than a low-budget remake of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with Boris Karloff in the title role.

If you're a Karloff fan like I am, this is a TREASURE: he is at his evil, slimiest best...even glowering at times. Special effects were clearly Universal Studios style, essentially the same effect as used in the Wolfman series. The movie seldom lags but it is made according to the Universal horror formula at the times (less like an A&C film).

View this film NOT as a hilarious Abbott & Costello comedy but a remake of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with an appearance by Abbott and Costello and you'll love it. The comedy team really doesn't do all that much in this movie and most seems derivative from their other horror spoofs. This also has far less comedy overall than those other films but as a REMAKE of this HORROR movie with A&C it is WELL worth the money.

When Costello hilariously, if predictably, gets some of the transformation formula at the end it seems more like a typical A&C movie...and the final scene with the policemen sucking their Costello-monster-bitten fingers, with the final (guess?) finale result is a classic.

As a FILM -- a remake of this story with Boris Karloff at his sleaziest best -- it rates an enthusiastic four stars. If you're absolutely looking for a hilarious A&C movie it would then be three and a half or a bit less. But it is WORTH seeing and owning -- and this lesser known entry will be hard to find...so if you see it's available grab it NOW!

Not so Funny or entertaining.
One of Bud and Lou's weaker film outings has them meeting Dr. Jekell and Mr. Hyde in this lower budget, somewhat poor directed film with fewer laughs and the not so sinsester performance of Boris Karloff. Not a very good film at all.

Hyde & Seek
While it doesn't measure up to A & C MEET FRANKENSTEIN, this film has its amusing moments, particularly the climax.Bud & Lou's attempt to find Jekyll's formula and stumbling instead into his wine cellar was a nice bit too. Karloff's smoothly sinister Jekyll is a joy to watch; only Vincent Price could have spread the evil treacle so thickly! Overall, the pacing lags in places, but still great fun.

Special effects and shopworn slapstick poorly mixed.
Abbott and Costello may have been one of the all time great comedy teams, but this effort does not do them justice. The whole thing seems lifeless, as they were doing it simply to meet a contractual obligation with Universal Pictures. Director Charles Lamont cannot hide the movie's low budget (shots are recycled so many times that it becomes painful to see), obviously all the money went to the transformation and monster effects. Your time would be better spent with A&C meet Frankenstein. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Karloff has to contend with the plague and maybe a vampire
Boris Karloff ends up on the "Isle of the Dead" in this 1945 film directed by Mark Robson. The tale is set during the Balkan War of 1912, as General Nikolas Pherides (Karloff) visits a tiny Greek island to visit the grave of his wife, accompanied by Olvier Davis (Marc Cramer), an American reporter. Finding the coffin looted, they spend the night at the house of Albrecht (Jason Robards, Sr.), an antique collector. Then they discover the island is infested with plague and people start dying off. Kyra (Helene Thimig), an old crone, says this is all the fault of beautiful young Thea (Ellen Drew), claiming the girl is a vampire. This film is suitable atmospheric although it does get a bit slow at times and the sudden switch to a vampire supposedly being responsible for the deaths instead of the plague seems a bit much to me. However, the conclusion involves a woman (Katherine Embry) being buried alive in a cataleptic trance, which creates some nice moments. Certainly "Isle of the Dead" has better production values than most horror movies made at this time but it is a step shy of being a first-rate chiller.

Karloff has to contend with the plague and maybe a vampire
The chief attraction of this film is that it is Boris Karloff who ends up on the "Isle of the Dead" in this 1945 film directed by Mark Robson. The tale is set during the Balkan War of 1912, as General Nikolas Pherides (Karloff) visits a tiny Greek island to visit the grave of his wife, accompanied by Oliver Davis (Marc Cramer), an American reporter. After finding the coffin looted, they spend the night at the house of Albrecht (Jason Robards, Sr.), an antique collector. Then they discover the island is infested with plague and people start dying off. Kyra (Helene Thimig), an old crone, says this is all the fault of beautiful young Thea (Ellen Drew), claiming the girl is a vampire. This film is suitable atmospheric although it does get a bit slow at times and the sudden switch to a vampire supposedly being responsible for the deaths instead of the plague seems a bit much to me. However, the conclusion involves a woman (Katherine Embry) being buried alive in a cataleptic trance, which creates some nice moments. Certainly "Isle of the Dead" has better production values than most horror movies made at this time but it is a step shy of being a first-rate chiller.

Vampires, Suspense...and Karloff!
I bought a copy of this movie when our local video store decided to clear out some of its old VHS horror section. I bought it mostly because it said the name "Boris Karloff" on the front. Well, me and a group of my friends decided to watch it one night in the wee hours of the morning. The movie was great. I was not let down. Karloff delivers an impressive performance as a Greek general who gets stranded on an island. Believing the people on the island (himself included) to be possibly infected with the plague, he quarantines the group of people he finds living there to the island. But is this all a result of the plague...or is it a vampire?? You'll have to watch it and find out. Great film.

Dark, Moody, Atmospheric... and Ellen Drew too!
Another Val Lewton masterpiece of horror through suggestion, shadow, and surrealism. Karloff is at his best as a grizzardly Greek general whose mind is caught between the rationalism of modern secular thinking and the oppressive superstitions of his native culture. Do Vorvolika (vampires) really exist on the dark, dreary Island off the Greek coast? Even worse, is delicately beautiful Ellen Drew one such creature? See for yourself in this well-made tale of psychological terror. Karloff is splendid in his role as the well-intentioned general whose only wish is to protect the party stranded on a dreary island overcome by a terrible plague. But is it really the plague, or is it the spell of vampires? Great support from Alan Napier, Skelton Knaggs, and Jason Robards, Sr. Of course, Ellen Drew, one of Hollywood's truly beautiful and ladylike actresses of the late 1930s and early 1940s is effective as well as gorgeous in the role of the young Greek servant whom one rather superstitious and jealous old hag believes is a "vorvolika." Is she? And how will Karloff deal with the situation? Purchase this film. Like "The Body Snatcher" and "The Cat People," the directing is magnificent. Lewton's genius at utilizing shadows and suggestions creates more terror than a million slasher films with gallons of blood splashing across the screen. A great horror film with fine performances both in front of, and behind, the camera.

Excellent Movie, but a very bad tape, ending cut out!!
The movie is very good and the build up to then end is excellent but I will never know the actual ending. My version (which I bought through Amazon) is made by "Video Entertainment Corp" is very poor quality and the worst part is that the tape ends (runs out of tape) before the end of the movie. I was very disappointed with my purchase. Just as a side note, I also bought the "Cat People" with the same purchase and while the tape has the complete movie..... the quality of the tape is horrible. It is also made by Video Entertainment Corp and it is as if someone taped this off the TV using extended play mode on their VCR..... very poor condition. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

You have to hand it to the walking dead. What they lack in speed and agility, they more than make up for in sheer single-minded determination. Im-Ho-Tep is a case in point. He's an ancient Egyptian priest, cursed for his terrible crimes against the gods. A team of British archaeologists digs up his sarcophagus, along with a box inscribed with a warning that opening it will unleash death and destruction. You'll never guess what they do. Once freed, Im-Ho-Tep takes on the appropriately evil alias Ardath Bey and gets to the task of resurrecting his ancient lover--which will, of course, require a living human surrogate. While the premise may sound formulaic, The Mummy in fact turns out to be bracingly weird, relying on atmospheric creepiness rather than on jump-out-and-scare-you effects. Boris Karloff gives a terrific performance as Im-Ho-Tep. He has all the malevolence the film requires, but also manages subtler touches; the expression in his eyes as he is wrapped in preparation for being buried alive is absolutely chilling. Instead of forcing him to do all the tedious shambling around that so many mummies resort to, the filmmakers have wisely given Im-Ho-Tep/Ardath Bey a nearly living appearance once he's cleaned up and has a few psychic powers to boot, making him a potent adversary. Stock up on ace bandages and prepare for a good spooky evening. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Horror Classic that has withstood the Sands of Time!
Karl Freund makes an impressive directorial debut after years of cinemaphotography for the German Silents (and DRACULA) with Boris Karloff starring as the undead Mummy Im-Ho-Tep, later rejuvenated posing as an Egyptian Prince Ardath Bey, once again proving his remarkable versatility as an actor in this creepy original 1932 classic THE MUMMY. The film is a wonderful mixture of horror and romance. Zita Johann is excellent in a dual role as young Helen Grosvenor whom Karloff mistakes for his long lost love. David Manners and Edward Van Sloan (from DRACULA) are a joy to see again as the heroes. Also memorable are Arthur Byron as the Museum Owner ever fearful of the curse awaiting those who disturbed the Mummy's resting place, as is Bramwell Fletcher as the student who breaks up in insane laughter after accidentally reviving Karloff "He went for a little walk. You should have seen his face!" DVD contains a fascinating documentary appropriately entitled "Mummy Dearest" hosted by Rudy Behlmer, and the film commentary by Paul M. Jensen is also guaranteed not to disappoint. If it's creepy terror you're in the mood for, simply turn off the lights, stay close to your loved one, and enjoy - THE MUMMY! PS: Don't miss the trailer!

The Original Universal Horror Film, Still Packs a Punch
My favorite film of all time is the 1999 version of "The Mummy," and sinse long before that came out, I've known of Boris Karloff's 1932 creature feature. But, I always figured it was another one of those bandage wrapped, slow moving - and frankly very stupid "mummy" movies. So I stayed away. Then, I saw the new version on the first day of release (May 7th) and rushed out of the theater knowing I must see the old version. Instead of renting it, I just bought it - and it was superb! The basic story elements are the same in both versions, but instead of the lavish desert settings, huge sets and breathtaking visual effects of the Stephen Sommers version, director Karl Fruend's 30's film relies on mood and atmousphere to chill you to the bone - which it does very well. Boris Karloff plays Imhotep, whom in his native Egypt (3,700 years ago) was buried alive for trying to raise his love Anck-Su-Namun (Zita Johann) from the dead. Flash forward to 1932 were a british team of archeologists dig up his remains and accidentaly revive him. Cleaning himself up, Imhotep prowls around modern Cairo under the alias Ardath Bey, trying to find the reincarnated soul of his past lover. He does so in Helen Grovesenor (also Johann), but his plans might be in trouble as Helen's gurdian Muller (Edward Van Sloan) and her boyfriend Frank Whemple (David Manners, both from Universal's earlier horror film "Dracula") will stop at nothing to save her. As for power, Boris Karloff is a far cry from Arnold Vosloo's running, fighting Imhotep in the '99 version - but is pretty good with some supernatural Darth Vader like telepethy. This is surley one of the most romantic horror films, as one in some way or another feels sorry for Imhotep, as he looks longingly into the eyes of his mummified girlfriend, but the film does manage to generate a few good scares, because Imhotep is no softey, when you look in HIS eyes you'll see death and destruction. And so while the 1999 "Mummy" is my favorite film, the 1932 version proves that in Hollywood's golden age, filmmaker's really knew what they were doing.

the ONLY mummy movie
and we only see the tradititonal 'mummy' image for about 2 minutes.
freund knew that image was a dull one (how like hollywood accountants to home in on the most boring part of a movie and run it to death). this movie is psycholgical, brooding and perverse.
the sexual undertones permeate throughout the film and all here are in top form. a fine example of classic hollywood horror at it's near best.

First and foremost!
Vintage it may be, with performances that at best are highly competent, at worst downright creaky. But make allowances for the fact that it's over 70 years old, and you'll have simply the best horror film EVER. What could prove more horrifying than when Imhotep's mummy, propped in its coffin, catches the light which glints off its eye, slowly opening after 3,500 years in the grave? Or Imhotep's first appearance, as Ardath Bey, to the archaeologists, filling the doorway with subtle malevolence? Or his final moments when, struck down by ancient goddess and protector of women, Isis, he collapses rattlingly into a pile of bones? Boris Karloff is riveting in every frame as the mummy redivivus and actress Zita Johann is radiant as the tormented reincarnation of Princess Ankh-es-en-amon, putting modern day actresses to shame with her blend of exotic beauty, sensuality and dignity. It's the granddaddy of all 'mummy' genre pictures, and quite simply the best!

Totally overated
I like those classic old horror movies, like Frankenstien, the wolfman, the invisble man,etc.But this movie( like Dracula 1931)
was absolutley boring. It had a good first scene in the start of the movie, when Karloff's mummy first comes to life, but after that he becomes a regular man and than the movie becomes a romance melodarma, not a horror movie. Their is no real suspense.
I realize that compared to horror movies today, some the older movies might seem tame, but movies like frankenstien , the wofman and their seguels haves their moments, but this one does not even about a mummy as we know it. Any body expecting to see a traditional monster will be disapointed. If I want to see a drama I will watch citizen cane.
Finally, I like Karloff, he did some great horror B movies, this was not one of them. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Charming but uneven
As has been previously written, this film is by Rankin and Bass the team responsible for the holiday classics Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. This fillm is more ambitious and more uneven than either of those two favorites. They simply expanded on holiday legends/songs in a bright highly satisfying way. This film is a partial live action drama which features Chris (Paul O'Keefe) a young Hans Christian Anderson, whose father (Jack Gilford) is a penniless cobbler, escaping his desperate life to search for the Garden of Paradise and dropping into three Hans Christian Anderson stories (The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes and Thumbelina all in the company's signature puppet inspired Animagic) on the way. This material has a lot of potential and the film does have some lovely sequences particularly during the Little Mermaid and Thumbelina sections. Maury Laws' songs don't reach the heights of Santa Claus or his wonderful work on The Little Drummer Boy but are tuneful and create a mood of wistful wonder. The character of Chris is fascinating too in that he initially seems simply a good hearted boy but often unintentionally betrays and abandons the characters around him and the animated sections have a darker tone than most children's programming. The religous tones (which are true to the Hans Christian Anderson original tales) in several of the stories also make this darker than the usual Rankin and Bass holiday fare.

There are problems. Often the film resorts to silly musical comedy routines to pull the audience out of the darker edges of the animated material. Jack Gilford performs in an almost vaudevillian broad comedy style and seems so powerless and impotent as Chris' father that one hopes that Chris is never forced to return home. Ray Bolger's charm is utterly wasted in his performance as the pieman and Paul O'Keefe's pleasant voice is undermined by the improbability of the situation (he's been captured for poaching and being led by rope down the middle of the town's square as the townsfolk cavort in the clearly underfunded big production number) that he's found himself stranded in. And the questions about Chris' character and his family's desperate financial straits are never resolved.

Still despite these qualms the film has undeniable charm and a certain magic pull in places. I still felt a magic shiver when Chris, caught in a seemingly inescapable situation, spies a flower magically opening up to reveal Thumbelina and a way to escape. I would certainly recommend this film to families to view together--just don't expect a seamless masterpiece or a film even as satisfying the Rankin and Bass Christmas specials.

I remember seeing this film as a child on television. I remember, even then, the print being muddy and the colors being washed out and skips cutting out moments of dialogue. What a pleasure it is to see this new DVD version of this film. The colors are full and bright and there is no bleeding and the sound is free of any pops and scratches. Not quite the labor of love their Mad Monster Party disc was but does include a brief history of the film in the insert.

Fascinating! Not your typical animated kiddie fare
This film was produced by the wonderful Rankin/Bass team - best known for their holiday masterpieces "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty the Snowman" and "Mad Monster Party", just to name a few. The wraparound story (which is live-action) deals with a young Hans Christian Anderson struggling to find The Garden of Paradise. On his journey, we are treated to four haunting stories, each filmed in Rankin/Bass's trademark stop-motion "Animagic". The stories are unusual in that they all end on a low note rather than a typical "Disney happy ending" - keeping true to Anderson's original tales. Included here are "The Little Mermaid", "The Emperor's New Clothes", "Thumbelina" and "The Garden of Paradise". Once again Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass have created a fantasyland of wonder and imagination filled to the brim with beautiful tunes.

Ah, to daydream...
This is another wonderful childhood movie, full of the joys and woes that come to a young boy who dares to daydream, perhaps a little to obsession. He gets into all sorts of adventures and trouble. What also trully shines is Ray Bolger as the pieman, who dances around like a playful kitten, darting about the rest of the cast with his armful of pies, and his humerous gestures. You also get to see a little Rankin/Bass version of Ray, which is equally as charming. Great movie, great to watch when you're bored, or with he family, all year round.

The Enchanted World of Hans Christian Andersen
"The Daydreamer" has some really cool animagic sequences. Boris Karloff's song and dance bit with the Rat and the Mole is one of the best things I have seen from Rankin/Bass. The underwater sequence is great, with Burl Ives, Hayley Mills and Tallulah Bankhead playing the leads of The Little Mermaid, Father Neptune and the Sea Witch.

However, overall "The Daydreamer" is a mediocre film. The live action bits are pretty bad, with nothing really passing for acting or a storyline on display. The producer went the wrong direction, buy banking on the large cast of stars who are mostly unknown today.

Given that this is a mediocre film, I would have wished for a better DVD to make up the difference. "The Daydreamer" just doesn't have the punch necessary to pull of a DVD without accompaniment. Paired with "The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye: The Emperor's New Clothes" and you would have had a must-buy. The addition of any other Rankin/Bass animagic special would have been appreciated.

animation parts are fun, live action puts you to sleep
I know there are a lot of people who love this movie. I personally enjoyed all the talented people who lent their voices to the animated characters. And sure, the DVD image is as flawless as a new release print can be. Yet the combination of several Anderson Fairy Tales and poorly written live action dialogue connecting all the animation left me wishing that about 15 minutes had been trimmed. The story of a real boy who learns about how to become an unselfish person is basically a good one and he meets lots of interesting animated characters along the way, but some actors are wasted (Ray Bolger & Margaret Hamilton). It feels like the producers had access to these people and tried any way they could to fit them into the production, unfortunately at the expense of good pacing. If you are a Rankin/Bass completist, then pick this up, you won't be disappointed. Otherwise for most of us it will make a decent rental. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

GANGS/ MURDER AND A SAVAGE KILLER
The greats,known as Karloff and Lugosi,star in this tale of murder. With also a great plot and great acting. This movie contains a Jekkyll and Hyde monster, the kind Professor Kingsley and the evil Red Cannon who wants revenge on his friends,one of them is Lugosi. The movie is only 70 minutes and does go by fast but it does have alot of good parts. Stars BORIS KARLOFF,BELA LUGOSI,STANLEY RIDGES,ANNE NAGEL AND ANNE GWYNNE. Actors and actresses we all know and love.

Karloff's great, but Lugosi's role is a minor one
It's hard not to get excited when you come across a film featuring both Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff, but 1940's Black Friday features a somewhat disappointing and certainly unusual pairing of the two legendary stars. Not once do the two men appear in the same scene, and Lugosi's character is actually a rather minor one. As for Karloff, you won't find him hidden behind a mummy's shroud or dressed up as Frankenstein in this one (and it's always nice to actually see Karloff's own true face). Rather than playing a monster, Karloff gets to try his hand at creating a monster this time around. As the film opens, we meet Dr. Ernst Sovac (Karloff) on his way to the electric chair, and the notes he gives to a reporter tell the story of his downfall. Sovac's best friend was George Kingsley (Stanley Ridges), a mild-mannered college professor of English literature, who was critically injured when a group of mobsters tried to kill their former partner Red Cannon. Kingsley had serious brain damage and could not survive; knowing that Red Cannon had a spinal injury and was nothing but a low-down dirty criminal to begin with, Dr. Sovac made the decision to transplant part of Red's brain into Kingsley's. He saved his friend's life, but Kingsley soon began to act strangely. About this time, the good doctor found out that Red had half a million dollars hidden somewhere, and he took Kingsley to Red's old stomping grounds in New York hoping that the vestiges of Red in his friend's brain would lead him to the money. Unfortunately, Red actually began taking full control of his new body at times and set about systematically killing his old partners. Kingsley had no consciousness of the things Cannon had done when his persona reemerged, but events soon began to catch up with the dishonorable Dr. Sovac, making his bid for the loot all the more desperate.

The real horror of this movie is Sovac's increasingly criminal ambitions and disregard for his best friend's life and sanity. Lugosi's role as a gangster is something of a bit part for him to be playing, and even Karloff is somewhat overshadowed by the performance of Stanley Ridges as Kingsley/Cannon. The casting of this movie does have an air of controversy around it which does much to explain Lugosi's throwaway role. Reportedly, Lugosi was originally to play Dr. Sovac, with Karloff taking the role of Kingsley. Some say Lugosi couldn't pull the part of Sovac off, which I don't buy for a second; the truth of the matter, it seems to me, is that Karloff wanted the part of Sovac for himself. Thus did Lugosi end up with a minor part in the movie, and there may have been some lasting resentment on his part as a result. There is one very interesting aspect to Lugosi's otherwise forgettable performance, however. The trailer to the film claims that Lugosi, in order to make the scene more realistic, was hypnotized to actually believe he was suffocating when his character is shut up inside a small room; I have not found any corroboration for this claim as of yet, but the scene itself lost some of its luster when Lugosi's character began suffocating after only a couple of minutes in what was basically just a closet.

The whole brain transplantation idea is left rather vague, but the main flaw of Black Friday is the fact that some striking physical changes are wrought in conjunction with the transformations of Kingsley to and from Cannon. I can run with the transplant idea, but the notion that Kingsley's gray hair and wrinkles disappear when Cannon takes over is just a little much. Other than that, I was actually quite impressed with this film. In its own way, it does feature something of a novel twist to the whole Jekyll and Hyde motif, the action is compelling, and the cast is especially good for what could be considered a B-movie.

Universal = Desprate = Worst Horror film ever!
Bela Lugosi as a gangster? I mean, come on! That's like putting
Gene Kelly and John Wayne into U-571 or I LOVE LUCY. Karloff does his best on trying not to give BLACK FRIDAY a B rating. As for the transformation sequences, I thought that that was pretty dumb and remote. Imagine your grandfather turning into Tom Cruse or Brad Pitt! I think BLACK FRIDAY should be down with those stupid rubber monster movies where the monster picks up the heroine and part of his costume falls off or he drops the girl
and its in the final print. Stupid!

It's Friday the 13th with Karloff and Lugosi!
Maybe. The only disappointing factor of this surprisingly well-made thriller is that Boris and Bela never share a scene together. In fact, this is the only film that they have starred in together in which they do not share a scene. Anyhow this movie gives an interesting twist on the Jekyll/Hyde formula in which surgeon Karloff transports the brain of a rival gangster to save the life of his friend, a professor played by Stanley Ridges. Karloff then learns that the gangster had millions of dollars hidden somewhere. Karloff plans to make a fortune with it, but rival gangsters ( one played by Bela ) are after the now deceased gangster. Karloff and Ridges travel to New York. Already Ridges begins to behave like the gangster, and at night transforms into the gangster, Red Cannon himself, and goes forth to get revenge on Bela and the other mobsters who were not only responsible for his death, but are after his hidden money. I don't want give away too much, so buy this golden oldie, make some popcorn, grab a cold soda and enjoy BLACK FRIDAY! P.S. DON'T WATCH IT ALONE! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This all-time classic now has Horton Hears a Who! on the samevideo for a great double bill.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
To heck with the kids--this is one of the best holiday presents you can give yourself. Adapted from the children's book byDr. Seuss, this charming story is one to watch every holiday season. It is just edgy enough to help you forget the more cloying aspects of Christmas, yet it is also sweet enough to remind you of the reason for all that holiday cheer. Animation genius Chuck Jones directed this 1966 television production featuring the voice of Boris Karloff as the mean greenie. Bitter and selfish, the Grinch decides to steal Christmas away from the Whos, the sweet little folk who live at the bottom of his mountain home. When little Cindy Loo Who returns his hateful act with kindness, she melts the old miser's heart. There are many reasons to watch this: inventive wordplay, Karloff's impressive narration, and a very memorable soundtrack. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Horton Hears a Who!
Chuck Jones was chief animator on this lively adaptation of the famous book by Dr. Seuss. The story of a friendly elephant named Horton who discovers--deep inside a daisy--a tiny city called Whoville with tiny, intelligent residents--this film (fleshed out a bit from the source) is strong on character and has striking, appealing visuals. The little folks of Whoville, with their natural air of aristocracy, are a kick, and when they come to see Horton as a hero for his democratic view of all life big and small, the effect is quite touching. This should be a real treat for kids already familiar with the book, and just might inspire those who haven't read it to pick it up. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (99)

A Christmas classic...
Over the past few days, I've gotten into the Christmas spirit (already; as of this review, it's only mid-November), so I figured I'd review one of my favorite holiday memories now available on DVD.

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is undeniably my favorite animated Christmas special. A Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph and Frosty are great, of course, but the Grinch is the cream of the crop. Wonderful narration by Boris Karloff, immaculate animation and that special "Christmas vibe" you get when you're watching or listening to something really special; what's not to like? This is an essential piece of holiday history for your collection.

There's nothing I can really say to make you buy this disc; you've seen it by now and chances are, unless you're the Grinch himself, you absolutely adore it. What I can say is that this particular DVD makes an already perfect Christmas special even better. Not only do you get a few wonderful features that deal with the making of the the Grinch and a few fun games for the kids, but also "Horton Hears a Who," another wonderful cartoon made by animation genius, Chuck Jones.

The review written by Amazon.com summed it up perfectly with just one sentence - this is one of the best Christmas gifts you can get for YOURSELF.

You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch !
Since I was 12 years old I have looked forward to seeing the annual telecast of How the Grinch Stole Christmas on tv. Now that I own the video I have watched this ageless animated classic so many times I've had to replace the video twice ! The main character is the Grinch - he's lean and green and OH SO MEAN ! But he has a charm all his own and he decides to steal Christmas away from the sweet little folks in Whoville so he won't have to tolerate their singing and happiness. He steals their trees and toys and decorations -- even their Who Roast Beast and the last can of Who Hash ! But still the spunky little Who folk celebrate Christmas by holding hands and singing joyfully. I get a lump in my throat EVERY time the moment comes where the Grinch realizes he HASN'T stolen Christmas after all. Christmas is a season of the heart -- you can't buy it in a store or hang it on a tree. Buy the video and share this wonderful classic with anyone from age 2 to 92 ! I guarantee they will love it. I am 43 years old and I plan to watch it again when I go home from work today. Just writing this review makes me want to enjoy the video all over again !

And all the viewers cried "boo who who who"....
Everything you read is true! This Grinch is yellow and drab. The disk lacks the wonderful bright colors that everyone has a right to expect when buying the DVD version of a TV special they could see every year for free. Not that there is anything wrong with original--it's fabulous, 5-stars as far as Christmas specials go. But this version is thoroughly ruined by bad mastering. Wait for the re-release. Don't get caught! The correction is probably on its way and you can be sure they won't sneak it out--it will have new packaging, probably some new extras, and be clearly marked "remastered".

If you own the DVD and have your doubts (some reviewers seem to), try this: Take a look at the documentary extra hosted by Troy McClure. Throughout the documentary, they run clips of the Grinch in the background where the color is RIGHT! A beautiful bright-green Grinch--just like you remember. Compare that to the main feature (the thing you actually paid for), where he is washed out and nearly yellow.

After living 15 years in Denmark I really came to miss some of the Christmas specials from my youth in the USA. I suppose anybody in the US with cable gets quite sick of these, but for me, the Grinch and Charlie Brown's Christmas were always an important part of building the Christmas spirit. Well, the spirit here seems to be all about greed and incompetence; sell the defective version this year, then sell the corrected version to the same people next year.

A CLASSIC CLASSIC!
This is just one of the great holiday classics from the sixties. A true holiday treat that never goes out of style. Also a true classic treat from the seventies "Horton hears a who". A must for any collector. The air dates for the Grinch from the sixties are as follow.
CBS 7:00 - 7:30 Sunday 12/18/66
CBS 7:00 - 7:30 Sunday 12/17/67
CBS 7:00 - 7:30 Sunday 12/22/68
CBS 7:30 - 8:00 Sunday 12/21/69
Buy it, a Christmas treat for always.

As Dour as You Want to Be
One of Christmas specials' enduring images is Max the dog, done up like a reindeer trudging up the mountain hauling the enormous bag of presents and trees. After not having seen this in quite some time, and not since Jim Carrey's version, it was great to return to one of Chuck Jones' masterpieces. As the marvelous Boris Karloff narrates, the Grinch comes to life reminding us that he was considerably more dour initially than the wild barely contained slapstick Carrey brought to the table. The famous Grinch song moves us slowly along like a black sludge as the Grinch endeavors to steal the commercial trappings of Christmas from the Who village. In the end, of course, good triumphs and the Grinch repents his ways and gets the picture of the holidays as a 'feeling' rather than material things. Still holds up well after all these years as it gets introduced to every new generation. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the most influential and innovative recording artists of the past three decades, Lou Reed has always offered a shrewd view of life in the big city in all its colors. It is no surprise, then, that he considers Edgar Allan Poe a spiritual forefather. In The Raven, Reed immerses himself in Poe's enigmatic world and sets out to reimagine his work to mesmerizing effect. In 2001 Lou Reed, legendary theater director Robert Wilson, and an all-star cast presented the musical POEtry at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Reed's subsequent studio adaptation, The Raven, has been hailed as one of his more daring and challenging albums. Here, accompanied by photographs by the acclaimed artist and director Julian Schnabel, is the definitive text of the CD release. The Raven includes Reed's distinctive takes on Poe's most celebrated works, as well as song lyrics written for the musical. The Raven is a fascinating meeting between a dark chronicler of the twentieth century and his nineteenth-century counterpart; the work on one iconoclastic genius offering a haunting exploration of another. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

"I'm always fascinated by your utter lack of scruples."
Roger Corman directed many films based on works by Edgar Allan Poe. These films include: "Masque of the Red Death", "The Haunted Palace", "Tales of Terror", "The Pit and the Pendulum", "The Conqueror Worm", "The Tomb of Ligeia", & "The Fall of the House of Usher." "The Raven" is based on a poem from Poe. As the film begins, sorcerer, Erasmus Craven (Vincent Price) is amusing himself with magic when he receives a strange visitor--a pesky raven. The raven, it turns out, is fellow magician, Dr. Bedlo (Peter Lorre). Bedlo has been stripped of his magical tools and turned into a raven by the evil Dr Scarabus (Boris Karloff). Craven turns Bedlo back into his human form and then learns that his wife--Lenore--who has supposedly been dead for two years--is alive and well and living with Dr Scarabus.

Craven immediately sets off for Scarabus's castle to discover the truth about Lenore. Bedlo's son and Craven's daughter are in tow.

The displays of magic are lots of fun to watch. Everything is campy and there's nothing very serious or frightening here--although young children may be impressed. The combination of Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff works very well. Vincent Price plays the noble, well-meaning Craven with tongue-in-cheek panache. Peter Lorre is the shady Bedlo. Karloff, naturally, is the evil magician, and together the three actors really feed off of each other's performances. A very young Jack Nicholson plays Bedlo's son. Nicholson's famous screen persona is absent, and in this film he plays a rather doltish character--displacedhuman.

Corman directs Price, Karloff & Lorre in a Comedy-Thriller
Director Roger Corman figured that the Poe adaptations he had been making at American International starting with "House of Usher" had pretty much run its course, so in a final masterstroke he decided to start playing up the humor. The result might be more like "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" than "The Pit and the Pendulum," but you have to admit "The Raven" is one of the best comedy-thrillers ever made. The film begins "straight" with Dr. Erasmuc Craven (Vincent Price) intoning Poe's poem, to an actual raven. But then the raven responsds on cue...with Peter Lorre's voice! It turns out the raven is really another magician, Dr. Bedlo, who has been victimized by Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff). Craven turns Bedlo back into a human, and Bedlo agrees to help Craven find his beloved Lenore (Hazel Court). Going along on the journey are Craven's daughter (Olive Sturgess) and Bedlo's son (Jack Nicholson--this explains a lot, huh?). The film's climax is an epic magical duel between Price and Karloff (why even bother with the characters' names anymore?), where the two sorcerers keep trying to top each other.

Ultimately the credit for this one goes mainly to the script from Richard Matheson, who invariably was the screenwriter on Corman's best films. This is another one of those early films with Nicholson that must have been a great source of embarrassment to him once upon a time, but Price, Karloff and Lorre are having so much fun hamming it up in this one that you have little choice but to enjoy the indignities heaped upon the future Oscar winner. This 1963 film should not be confused with the film with the same name Karloff made in 1935, although they would certainly make a rather obvious double-bill for a Saturday night.

DON'T GIVE UP YOUR DAY JOB
Not a great read. Could be better with loud guitars.

Great Horror Classic Fun!
One of my favorite actors is Vincent Price. This film not only shows off his acting talents but his sense of humor as well. Peter Lorre is a great pain-in-the-side and the dialogue between the two fellows is funny! "Do you prefer dried bats blood or evaporated?"
Throw in Boris Karloff having a good time and you have a lot of laughs.
The sets are classic 1960's "B" movie. The special effects are nostalgic in these days of Lucusfilm.
If you want a great Saturday night popcorn muncher then you have to get "The Raven."
I got this and "The Comedy of Terrors" at the same time.

"Quoth The Raven"
This Book is an adaptation of Lou's Album of the same name(which is an adaptation of Lou's play POEtry). Overall it is a good read for the Reed fan or the Poe fan. In the book, Reed slightly adapts some of Poe's most memorable poems to reflect his feelings/experiances. Interesting stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Terrific House!
"House of Dracula" is a surprisingly sinister shocker from Universal right before it shut down it's B movie unit--and promptly fired all of its legendary cast and crew, including Evelyn Ankers, Fay Helm, Lon Chaney, David Bruce, etc. The whole movie is beautifully lit and photographed. The story is like an eerie dream, with everyone gliding around in a trance-like state. Martha O'Driscoll is wonderful as the nurse who falls in love with Chaney--the Wolfman. Her hushed voice and her playing of the Rachmoninoff Concerto are the highlights. Especially good is Onslow Stevens as the classical "mad" doctor. Since this is a fantasy movie, don't be surprised when all the monsters conveniently gather in the old mansion: John Carradine, as Dracula (good and chilling, but he still ain't Lugosi); Chaney as the Wolfman and Glenn Strange as the Frankenstein monster.There's even a female hunchback(Jane Adams) thrown in. Best scene: when the hunchback opens the door to the laboratory to check on the doctor and he has changed into a crazed, glittering eyed monster. His shadow, backlit onthe wall, races towards hers. Beautiful and dreamy and with terrific, expressionistic sets, this among the last of the Universal shockers. Enjoy it, buy it!

The Final Monster party at Universal!
House of Dracula is an enjoyable classic monster film. Onslow Stevens is quite good as the compassionate, but mis-guided scientist who trys to "cure" Dracula, the Wolf Man and The Frankenstein Monster as well as his lovely, but Hunchedbacked, assistant, the ravishing Jane Adams. Quite an ambitious agenda for one film! The results are mixed, Dracula can't stop preying on pretty nurses and is dispatched by the good doctor. However Dracula, played very well by John Carradine, reverses a transfusion and curses the doctor with some of his blood. The doctor performs an operation and cures Lon Chaney Jr. of the Werewolf curse. Tragically, Dracula's blood turns the good doctor to evil and he revives the Frankenstein Monster and kills his pretty nurse before he is gunned down by the now ex-Wolfman. Lionel Atwill (always a welcome addition to these films!) is electrocuted by Frankenstein before the monster is consumed in the flames of the laboratory. This movie whatever its faults certainly doesn't drag!! All this and more happens in a brisk 70 minutes. What I don't understand is why Universal hasn't released "House of Dracula" on DVD with its other classic monster films? I have the VHS tape above as well as the Laserdisc release of 1995. Both show a print that is quite well preserved. So where is the DVD Universal???????? I would like to complete my collection~and get a few more as gifts!! My brother and I watched these as kids growing up, far better than the often sexually explicit "Slasher Flicks" that today's pre-teens are watching!! When our parents were that age movies like "House of Dracula" were what they watched at the Saturday afternoon Matinee. I am sure they would also love to see it again as well. I can only hope that Universal "digs it up", before the next full moon or at least in the near future for a DVD release!

It Stunk but I loved it.
The late sequels in Universal Studios Monster line up were turkeys. As a rule the later the sequel, the bigger the turkey that came out. We all know that. We know it every time we rent one of them and we know it before buying any of them. But, they're fun to watch. They're so bad they're beautiful (or something like that). But, when you pull out the last of the sequels you do it knowing it should be something that "gobble, gobbles" its way around the yard a time or ten. Let's qualify this. Abbott and Costello's outing with Universal's group of "creepies" wasn't really a sequel. For one thing it didn't have any continuity with the rest of the pictures (not that some of the sequels did either). Unlike the sequels it was played for laughs, deliberately that is; some of the sequels had plenty of laughs but most of them weren't intentional. It was also a pretty good film. The later sequels weren't good films. House of Dracula was the last of the real sequels and only one thing can be said about it.

The film is utterly ridiculous. It features a bad script, bad acting and some lousy effects. The "plot" (use this term very loosely) has more holes than a strainer. The only iota of continuity is with Edelman's discovery of the Monster. Then he ends up doing so little all you can do is wonder why the character was used at all. Dracula and the Werewolf are just around and well, despite having been "killed" before. No explanation is ever given. Writer Edward T Lowe Jr. couldn't think of any reasonable ways to kill off the heavies so they lead themselves to their executions (though to be fair Lowe may not have been given much choice; his name appears on the credits of some much better films). Dracula's finish is particularly dumb. As the Count John Carradine turns in what has to be the best performance from any of the cast. He manages a fair degree of subtlety and avoids excesses even when the script(?) creates them. Unfortunately, the character he was given to play was a moron. When Dracula succeeded in getting himself killed all I could wonder was how he'd survived two days as one of the undead let alone five hundred years. Lon Chaney, reprising his role as the Wolfman fares even worse. As always he delivers his performance with conviction and feeling. This script kills him though. Any time he succeeds in creating sympathy for the character there's a line that nobody could deliver (not sober anyway) that follows. It's too bad. He was a better actor than that. It's no wonder he walked through a lot of his pictures drunk. The rest of this cast fares even worse. Onslow Stevens is reasonably palatable (if annoyingly patronizing) when his character is good. His "bad" state comes across like a pantomime that wouldn't have been convincing in a silent film. It's amazing the producers didn't decide to send him right over the top with shaving cream foaming from his mouth or something like that. The pair of women here play their parts as if made of wood. To be fair that's about all they were given to work with. Some of dialogue the "beautiful" assistant (Martha O'Driscoll) had would have made Lawrence Olivier struggle for credibility. Ultimately she's only believable when she's hypnotized; then she's supposed to act like a piece of cardboard. As the disfigured assistant the lovely Jane Adams could have been great. She captures the kindness and humility of the tragic "Nina" well. She wasn't given anything to work with either. As a result her character has the emotional range of a kazoo.

The special effects range between fair and lousy. Most of them had been used before (and with better execution). Chaney's transformation from man to beast is solid but that's where quality ends. The animated transformation from bat to human or vice versa is one example. In other features (such as "Son of Dracula" three years earlier) the effect was obvious, but not bad. In this film the effect is so shoddy the producers may just as well have used a bat from a "Looney Tunes" feature. The sequences with the bat are even worse. In at least one of them the wires are visible. Flashbacks involving the monster are pathetic. Most are from other films (featuring other actors in the role) and it shows. Karloff and Strange didn't even walk the same way when portraying the creature. Where maintaining credibility is concerned this film emerges as a lesson in how to shoot yourself in the foot, several times.

It is fun to watch though, so much so that it's impossible to hate or even dislike it. In fact, it's hard not to love it. The transfer to DVD is stellar. The print used appears to be in good shape which is good. Sound and picture quality were, by the 1940's, very good. Granted, the tracks were mono but recording technology had already reached a level which still stands well today. Photography had reached a similar plateau. Some of what's in this film is excellent. The sets are spooky in a way only the old classics managed. The lighting which was an art form unto itself in black and white films is great. It's due to this that this film manages to remain spooky despite its absurdity.

The bottom line: it stunk but I loved it.

This text refers to the DVD transfer in the Legacy Collection

Hello Universal?!
Where's the DVD? We all need this one to complete set!!!!

And where are your other Lugosi/Karloff DVD's, like "Black Cat," "The Raven," and others?

Wonderful horror clash!!
This film has a great pace and fabulous monsters appearing once again. Dracula and the wolf man appear in Dr.Edelman's lab to find a cure for their deadly instincts. After wolfman is getting cured (finally), Edelman is poisoned by Dracula, who dies from sun exposure by the doctor,and turns ino a Jekyll Hyde monster. Dr.Edelman finds the body of the Frankenstein monster and brings it back to life. At the unforgettable conclusion, we get a murder and close view actions of the still living and powerful Frankenstein monster, who appears in the sequel again in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. View the film to get more info about it. Don't view it as a serious critic. Other reviews posted on Amazon as "John Connor" or from "Palm Desert California.." ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Charming but uneven
As has been previously written, this film is by Rankin and Bass the team responsible for the holiday classics Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. This fillm is more ambitious and more uneven than either of those two favorites. They simply expanded on holiday legends/songs in a bright highly satisfying way. This film is a partial live action drama which features Chris (Paul O'Keefe) a young Hans Christian Anderson, whose father (Jack Gilford) is a penniless cobbler, escaping his desperate life to search for the Garden of Paradise and dropping into three Hans Christian Anderson stories (The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes and Thumbelina all in the company's signature puppet inspired Animagic) on the way. This material has a lot of potential and the film does have some lovely sequences particularly during the Little Mermaid and Thumbelina sections. Maury Laws' songs don't reach the heights of Santa Claus or his wonderful work on The Little Drummer Boy but are tuneful and create a mood of wistful wonder. The character of Chris is fascinating too in that he initially seems simply a good hearted boy but often unintentionally betrays and abandons the characters around him and the animated sections have a darker tone than most children's programming. The religous tones (which are true to the Hans Christian Anderson original tales) in several of the stories also make this darker than the usual Rankin and Bass holiday fare.

There are problems. Often the film resorts to silly musical comedy routines to pull the audience out of the darker edges of the animated material. Jack Gilford performs in an almost vaudevillian broad comedy style and seems so powerless and impotent as Chris' father that one hopes that Chris is never forced to return home. Ray Bolger's charm is utterly wasted in his performance as the pieman and Paul O'Keefe's pleasant voice is undermined by the improbability of the situation (he's been captured for poaching and being led by rope down the middle of the town's square as the townsfolk cavort in the clearly underfunded big production number) that he's found himself stranded in. And the questions about Chris' character and his family's desperate financial straits are never resolved.

Still despite these qualms the film has undeniable charm and a certain magic pull in places. I still felt a magic shiver when Chris, caught in a seemingly inescapable situation, spies a flower magically opening up to reveal Thumbelina and a way to escape. I would certainly recommend this film to families to view together--just don't expect a seamless masterpiece or a film even as satisfying the Rankin and Bass Christmas specials.

I remember seeing this film as a child on television. I remember, even then, the print being muddy and the colors being washed out and skips cutting out moments of dialogue. What a pleasure it is to see this new DVD version of this film. The colors are full and bright and there is no bleeding and the sound is free of any pops and scratches. Not quite the labor of love their Mad Monster Party disc was but does include a brief history of the film in the insert.

Fascinating! Not your typical animated kiddie fare
This film was produced by the wonderful Rankin/Bass team - best known for their holiday masterpieces "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty the Snowman" and "Mad Monster Party", just to name a few. The wraparound story (which is live-action) deals with a young Hans Christian Anderson struggling to find The Garden of Paradise. On his journey, we are treated to four haunting stories, each filmed in Rankin/Bass's trademark stop-motion "Animagic". The stories are unusual in that they all end on a low note rather than a typical "Disney happy ending" - keeping true to Anderson's original tales. Included here are "The Little Mermaid", "The Emperor's New Clothes", "Thumbelina" and "The Garden of Paradise". Once again Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass have created a fantasyland of wonder and imagination filled to the brim with beautiful tunes.

Ah, to daydream...
This is another wonderful childhood movie, full of the joys and woes that come to a young boy who dares to daydream, perhaps a little to obsession. He gets into all sorts of adventures and trouble. What also trully shines is Ray Bolger as the pieman, who dances around like a playful kitten, darting about the rest of the cast with his armful of pies, and his humerous gestures. You also get to see a little Rankin/Bass version of Ray, which is equally as charming. Great movie, great to watch when you're bored, or with he family, all year round.

The Enchanted World of Hans Christian Andersen
"The Daydreamer" has some really cool animagic sequences. Boris Karloff's song and dance bit with the Rat and the Mole is one of the best things I have seen from Rankin/Bass. The underwater sequence is great, with Burl Ives, Hayley Mills and Tallulah Bankhead playing the leads of The Little Mermaid, Father Neptune and the Sea Witch.

However, overall "The Daydreamer" is a mediocre film. The live action bits are pretty bad, with nothing really passing for acting or a storyline on display. The producer went the wrong direction, buy banking on the large cast of stars who are mostly unknown today.

Given that this is a mediocre film, I would have wished for a better DVD to make up the difference. "The Daydreamer" just doesn't have the punch necessary to pull of a DVD without accompaniment. Paired with "The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye: The Emperor's New Clothes" and you would have had a must-buy. The addition of any other Rankin/Bass animagic special would have been appreciated.

animation parts are fun, live action puts you to sleep
I know there are a lot of people who love this movie. I personally enjoyed all the talented people who lent their voices to the animated characters. And sure, the DVD image is as flawless as a new release print can be. Yet the combination of several Anderson Fairy Tales and poorly written live action dialogue connecting all the animation left me wishing that about 15 minutes had been trimmed. The story of a real boy who learns about how to become an unselfish person is basically a good one and he meets lots of interesting animated characters along the way, but some actors are wasted (Ray Bolger & Margaret Hamilton). It feels like the producers had access to these people and tried any way they could to fit them into the production, unfortunately at the expense of good pacing. If you are a Rankin/Bass completist, then pick this up, you won't be disappointed. Otherwise for most of us it will make a decent rental. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Aliens come to earth to destroy Boris Karloff's super weapon
Boris Karloff plays Professor John Mayer, who constructs a machine that harnesses the destructive powers of a strange radioactive element. The military wants the device as a weapon but Mayer wants to use it to benefit mankind. That is when two aliens come to earth to destroy Mayer's machine, taking over the bodies of an escaped convict (Yerye Beirute) and Mayer himself. However, their mind control abilities are rather suspect as the convict kills a village girl and then goes after Mayer's daughter, Laura (Christa Linder), which, understandably, upsets Mayer and leads to the less than thrilling conclusion.

"La Invasion Siniestra," known variously as "Sinister Invasion," "The Incredible Invasion" and "Alien Terror," is one of the four films Boris Karloff made more Mexican producer Luis Vergara. Because of his emphysema, all of Karloff's scenes for the four films were shot in Hollywood during a five-week period in 1968 before the crews returned to Mexico to complete the films. This film, directed by Jack Hill and Juan Ibanez, was released in 1971 and has the dubious distinction of containing the last scenes Karloff ever made. However, these are all very bad films and you would be much better off checking out one of Karloff's lesser-known horror films from the 1930s, like "Before I Hang" instead. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Karloff Impressive!
Thanks to dir. Nick Grinde and the skills of Mr. Karloff, " The Man They could Not Hang" is a good thiller. This film along with other Columbia/Karloff entrys are well conceived.

" The Black Room" and " Before I Hang" are similiar entrys and are done well also. This concept of revenge against a jury that Hangs Dr. Savaard is unique for the 30's .

With that being said...where are other Karloff films such as the 1941 film " The Devil Commands" dir by Ed Dmytryk.??

A Great Thriller!
I first saw this movie on T.V. several years ago, and it gave me the chills. This is an interesting Karloff movie, in which a doctor (played by Karloff) tries to bring the dead back to life after a death, like, say an surgical operation and such. Then all "heck" breaks loose! This movie has lots to think about too! ... Read more

Reviews (99)

A Christmas classic...
Over the past few days, I've gotten into the Christmas spirit (already; as of this review, it's only mid-November), so I figured I'd review one of my favorite holiday memories now available on DVD.

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is undeniably my favorite animated Christmas special. A Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph and Frosty are great, of course, but the Grinch is the cream of the crop. Wonderful narration by Boris Karloff, immaculate animation and that special "Christmas vibe" you get when you're watching or listening to something really special; what's not to like? This is an essential piece of holiday history for your collection.

There's nothing I can really say to make you buy this disc; you've seen it by now and chances are, unless you're the Grinch himself, you absolutely adore it. What I can say is that this particular DVD makes an already perfect Christmas special even better. Not only do you get a few wonderful features that deal with the making of the the Grinch and a few fun games for the kids, but also "Horton Hears a Who," another wonderful cartoon made by animation genius, Chuck Jones.

The review written by Amazon.com summed it up perfectly with just one sentence - this is one of the best Christmas gifts you can get for YOURSELF.

You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch !
Since I was 12 years old I have looked forward to seeing the annual telecast of How the Grinch Stole Christmas on tv. Now that I own the video I have watched this ageless animated classic so many times I've had to replace the video twice ! The main character is the Grinch - he's lean and green and OH SO MEAN ! But he has a charm all his own and he decides to steal Christmas away from the sweet little folks in Whoville so he won't have to tolerate their singing and happiness. He steals their trees and toys and decorations -- even their Who Roast Beast and the last can of Who Hash ! But still the spunky little Who folk celebrate Christmas by holding hands and singing joyfully. I get a lump in my throat EVERY time the moment comes where the Grinch realizes he HASN'T stolen Christmas after all. Christmas is a season of the heart -- you can't buy it in a store or hang it on a tree. Buy the video and share this wonderful classic with anyone from age 2 to 92 ! I guarantee they will love it. I am 43 years old and I plan to watch it again when I go home from work today. Just writing this review makes me want to enjoy the video all over again !

And all the viewers cried "boo who who who"....
Everything you read is true! This Grinch is yellow and drab. The disk lacks the wonderful bright colors that everyone has a right to expect when buying the DVD version of a TV special they could see every year for free. Not that there is anything wrong with original--it's fabulous, 5-stars as far as Christmas specials go. But this version is thoroughly ruined by bad mastering. Wait for the re-release. Don't get caught! The correction is probably on its way and you can be sure they won't sneak it out--it will have new packaging, probably some new extras, and be clearly marked "remastered".

If you own the DVD and have your doubts (some reviewers seem to), try this: Take a look at the documentary extra hosted by Troy McClure. Throughout the documentary, they run clips of the Grinch in the background where the color is RIGHT! A beautiful bright-green Grinch--just like you remember. Compare that to the main feature (the thing you actually paid for), where he is washed out and nearly yellow.

After living 15 years in Denmark I really came to miss some of the Christmas specials from my youth in the USA. I suppose anybody in the US with cable gets quite sick of these, but for me, the Grinch and Charlie Brown's Christmas were always an important part of building the Christmas spirit. Well, the spirit here seems to be all about greed and incompetence; sell the defective version this year, then sell the corrected version to the same people next year.

A CLASSIC CLASSIC!
This is just one of the great holiday classics from the sixties. A true holiday treat that never goes out of style. Also a true classic treat from the seventies "Horton hears a who". A must for any collector. The air dates for the Grinch from the sixties are as follow.
CBS 7:00 - 7:30 Sunday 12/18/66
CBS 7:00 - 7:30 Sunday 12/17/67
CBS 7:00 - 7:30 Sunday 12/22/68
CBS 7:30 - 8:00 Sunday 12/21/69
Buy it, a Christmas treat for always.

As Dour as You Want to Be
One of Christmas specials' enduring images is Max the dog, done up like a reindeer trudging up the mountain hauling the enormous bag of presents and trees. After not having seen this in quite some time, and not since Jim Carrey's version, it was great to return to one of Chuck Jones' masterpieces. As the marvelous Boris Karloff narrates, the Grinch comes to life reminding us that he was considerably more dour initially than the wild barely contained slapstick Carrey brought to the table. The famous Grinch song moves us slowly along like a black sludge as the Grinch endeavors to steal the commercial trappings of Christmas from the Who village. In the end, of course, good triumphs and the Grinch repents his ways and gets the picture of the holidays as a 'feeling' rather than material things. Still holds up well after all these years as it gets introduced to every new generation. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Another H. P. Lovecraft adaptation debacle (despite Karloff)
H. P. Lovecraft's novella "The Colour Out of Space" is transplanted to England in this 1965 American International film directed by Daniel Haller. Nick Adams, saved temporarily from his monster movie career in Japan, plays Stephen Reinhart, who goes to Arkham, England to visit his honey, Susan Whitely (Suzan Farmer). Her family lives in an obviously haunted mansion where they are feared and hated by their neighbors. Although Susan is something of a ditz, her parents are genuinely spooky. Boris Karloff plays Nahum Whitley, a scientist bound to a wheelchair, while his wife Letitia (Freda Jackson) never leaves her curtained bed. Nahum has padlocked the greenhouse and the dungeon, uh, cellar, while Letitia begs for Stephen to take Susan and go far, far away before something horrible happens. Of course, it is too late. Nahum's family has been worshipping demons for ages and they have a glowing meteorite that is making plants and animals (including Letitia) mutate.

For one of the create horror writers of all-time, Lovecraft's stories sure make for a lousy set of films. A couple of episodes of "Night Gallery" game close and "The Dunwich Horror" is actually mediocre, but you know this one is in trouble as soon as you see the title. Karloff had almost died from pneumonia, but even confined to a wheel chair he out acts everybody else in the film. But the entire Cuthulu Mythos background of Lovecraft's stories is reduced to a few bizarre statutes and weird books in the Whitley library. Maybe if you never read Lovecraft you can tack on another star for this one, but not even Karloff's presence can elevate this one to a level of acceptability.

Ok AIP Horror
"Die, Monster, Die" is passable stuff for horror fans, with good atmosphere, photography, and art direction, and of course the presence of Karloff; but plotwise it's a bit of a tangle, a hackneyed adaptation of Lovecraft's 'The Color Out of Space' that loses the flavor of the story in trying to adapt it to the conventions of the Price/Corman/Poe films. Unique source material is, unfortunately, boiled down to a series of cliches. But for dedicated horror fans, they're good cliches.

Lurking With Lovecraft
Veteran screenwriter Jerry Sohl and scene designer/fledgling director Daniel Haller expand Lovecraft's "colorful" short story into a typical feature-length AIP shocker, with mostly good results.

Nick Adams visits his fiance Susan Farmer's ancestral estate in the country, where he is not welcomed with open arms. Farmer's father, Boris Karloff, has a feared and hated name in the region, for reasons no one will disclose. Karloff himself tries to send Adams away upon his arrival, but Farmer won't hear of it - nor will her mother, the sickly and sequestered Frieda Jackson, who sent for Adams in the first place.

Standoffish Karloff is hiding something, and even Jackson isn't fully sure what it is. It has something to do with a meteorite that permanently blasted the nearby heath some years ago, and is somehow killing Karloff's household. Jackson wants Adams to take Farmer away from the unhealthy environment.

But Adams discovers from town doctor Patrick Magee that Karloff's family has always been twisted with a bizarre space-cult religion, which in some way has something to do not only with their penchant for undiagnosable wasting illness, but also seems to have created an unknown poison that is sucking the vital life force out of the entire area and gives birth to mutations.

It isn't long before Adams discovers the hidden source of Karloff's family's - and the town's - woes: Karloff has been keeping the meteorite in his diseased progenitors' religious shrine, where its unearthly cosmic force continues to ravage anything in the vicinity. Before the story is out, most of his household will succumb to it - in colorfully hideous fashion, by way of disintegrating facial makeups and sundry other mutations - and Adams will have a nasty time delivering poor Susan Farmer (and himself) to safety.

The movie is uneven, and takes a while to get going. There are a lot of stalking-through-the-mansion shots. But director Haller's experience as an artistic scene designer shows, and the film is indeed extremely colorful and atmospheric. There are some clever puppet effects used to show mutated plant-creatures and lesser changed animals. Jackson's disintegration is a great moment, very creepy and unsettling. And Karloff undergoes a final unlikely mutation himself, transforming from a wheelchair-ridden irascible old man into a silvery-greenish, bald, athletically powerful alien attacker - which makes no logical sense whatsoever, but is great fun to watch.

A typical movie of the studio and the time, but elevated by a good cast, decent script, and terrific production design and cinematography.

Typical 60s AIP Brit-Horror
Whether or not you like the style of the films AIP made in the UK in the mid-sixties will determine what you think of this. Nick Adams arrives in the cosy little English village of Arkham and discovers peculiar goings-on up at a big old house where Boris Karloff is creating strange mutated things in his greenhouse with the aid of a glowing green meteorite. Boris's wife is starting to mutate as well and she manages to go on the rampage and get her face melted before the whole thing ends predictably in flames. Daniel Haller's exercise in adapting Lovecraft was presumably filmed around Bray studios as the house used for the exterior shots is none other than Oakley Court, the location used for many a classic British horror film including The Reptile, Vampyres and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
As a piece of filmic Lovecraft the picture doesn't really work. If, however, you want a well-preserved widescreen slice of mid-sixties Brit horror then look no further. MGM's print has a few scratches but the colour photography in the opening scenes of the railway station and the village must look as good as (if not better than) when the film was first released. The special effects are what you would expect from this time period - psychedelic colour filters and rubber puppets twisted into funny shapes to simulate the greenhouse mutations. Good value for money, even if the only extras are a trailer and chapter selections.

Nice DVD edition of uneven Karloff occult thriller
Roger Corman's long-time art director, Daniel Haller, who later helmed a handful of cult films (Wild Racers, Devil's Angels) and innumerable TV series, got his first directorial shot with this entertaining if ultimately somewhat disappointing mixture of gothic mystery, occult, and science fiction elements. The screenplay by Jerry Sohl unsurprisingly bears only slight resemblance to H. P. Lovecraft's original story, although it's still pretty outre for 1965. (Sohl also penned a few Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Star Trek, and Invaders scripts, not to mention Frankenstein Conquers the World and Curse of the Crimson Altar, the latter also starring Karloff and loosely based on Lovecraft.) The "frightened townfolk" beginning is laughably heavy-handed, although the middle section where we're slowly fed details about the bizarre goings-on at the Witley mansion is actually fairly absorbing. Unfortunately any suspense and air of mystery that's been generated is completely dissipated by the obvious, schlocky "monster on the loose" climax (did anyone really think audiences would be fooled into thinking that stuntman in the plastic mask was Boris?). Twerpy Nick Adams (who apparently fancied himself leading man material and took his inevitable career slide harder than most) exudes little charisma as the hero, although Suzan Farmer (Dracula: Prince of Darkness, Rasputin the Mad Monk) is appealing as Karloff/Witley's daughter Susan. There are a number of other positives: Paul Beeson's cinematography and the Witley mansion sets look great, of course; Freda Jackson (Great Expectations, Brides of Dracula), Karloff, and Patrick Magee (Dementia 13, Clockwork Orange, Asylum, etc.) lend some class to the proceedings; the cosmic stones and eerie mutant plants are effectively realized; there are a few credible shocks; and the brief gore FX are surprisingly over-the-top for a mainstream film of the era. But as much as I would like to love this movie, it really needs a better finish. (Apparently a crowd-pleaser though, Die Monster Die played the drive-in circuit for years, often filling out dusk-till-dawn shock-o-rama bills.) Definitely worth a look for Karloff completists and AIP junkies (like myself) who will watch and usually enjoy virtually anything with their logo on it. Lovecraft cultists and mainstream movie fans expecting an intelligent denouement are bound to be disappointed. Haller adapted Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror for AIP five years later with similarly variable results.
MGM Home Video presents the movie in an unspectacular but quite serviceable package. The trailer is letterboxed to 2.35:1 with overall excellent image quality marred only by some light speckling. Sixteen chapter stops and French and Spanish subtitles are the only other extras. The source print used for the feature is not exactly stunning but still quite a bit above average. The brightness, contrast, detail, and color saturation of the anamorphic widesceen (2.35:1) transfer are excellent throughout. The image is not razor-sharp, but still acceptably crisp (the slight softness of some shots seems to be resident in the source print). Physical damage is limited to some sporadic very light speckling. Overall quite satisfying for the very reasonable price. ... Read more