Reviews (3)

A Satanic-Oriented Film
I liked this fine Lovecraft adaption from the first viewing and I didn't have to keep watching it over and over again to get it. These people go to a house and this guy has horrible dreams about a satanic cult. The cult is pictured in all their glory. This is based on Dreams in the Witch House by H.P. Lovecraft. To appreciate Lovecraft films more, you have to have read the stories that they were based on. Lovecraft is an important figure because he is the father of the modern horror film. Old school writers like Lovecraft, Bram Stoker, Lafenu, etc is why the likes of Stephen King and Anne Rice churn out bestseller after bestseller in more recent times. And now King, Rice, etc. are towards the end of their career. I hope that authors like KIng and Rice can get as much of a following after their careers as did Lovecraft; or will they fall by the wayside? Have they already? With films like Beyond Re-Animator and Dagon, Lovecraft is still going strong today. Someone who hadn't read about a books' length of Lovecraft can't appreciate him as much.

lots of good elements - so so result
Why is it H.P. Lovecraft always gets the short shift in film? Another Lovecraft tale brought to screen that likely would make the old master cringe and it's a shame since it has so much going for it. Performances of Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff and Barbara Steele - three horror legends - nice local shooting, but it basically falls sort of the mark with a apathetic script.

The film opens with a green skin (never explained!!) witch Lavinia Morley (Barbara Steele) taking to the oath to the devil from a blond headed man. Cut to an antique shop, where we learn the man was Peter Manning. Out on a antique hunt for items for the shop, he has vanished leaving a mysterious note to his brother Robert Manning (Mark Eden). Manning sets out to trace his brother, and the path leads to Greymarsh Manor owned by J.D. Morley (Lee). Descendant of Lavinia who has been dead for long long time.

Morley invites Manning to stay with him and his niece Eve (Virginia Wetherell), since they are no hotel rooms because they are holding a local festival about the burning of Lavinia Morley. Morely claims Peter was never at the Manor, but Robert soon learns he was and a lurking butler (Michael Gough). Boris Karloff plays Prof. John Marshe the local expert of witchcraft.

Manning begins to have strange dreams of his brother and the green witch. Steele looks impressing in her costume, but really has little to do. As the dreams grow, his feeling that Peter is dead and he begins to have doubts about Karloff and Lee. He wakes up wandering the countryside and stabbed. A Bobby popup in the middle of the night, stopping him from wandering into the lake.

Some hokey scenes of animal faced jury and bikini clad (wish they had spared me or gotten someone with a descent bod!!) antler bearing man. Sounds like that tossed in everything but the kitchen sick with no real thought of WHY?

Still nice fun for Lee, Karloff and Steele fans. But a shame. It's tries very hard, but falls flat.

Karloff, Lee and Steele in a H.P. Lovecraft adaptation
After the disappearance of his brother, antique dealer Robert Manning (Mark Eden) travels to the remote country manor of Greymarsh where he was last seen. There he stays with the charming J. D. Morley(Christopher Lee) and his beautiful neice, Eve (Virginia Wetherell). However, the Morley family is descended from Lavinia Morley (Barbara Steele in green makeup), the legendary Black Witch of Greymarsh. As Robert continues to investigate the disappearance of his brother, he is beset by horrible dreams about black masses and ritual sacrifices and ends up seeking the wheelchair bound Professor John Marshe (Boris Karloff), an expert on the occult, for help.

This 1968 film from Vernon Sewell, a rather uninspiring director who made the 1952 film "Ghost Ship," suffers because the story is not worthy of a film that has two of the biggest names in horror film history with Karloff and Lee (and a famous face in Steele). The two take turns stealing scenes, with Lee getting the better of the deal because for once he gets to display some charm as he goes his evil way. The story is loosely adapted from the H.P. Lovecraft short story "The Dreams in the Witch House," which means it is a good idea gone horrible astray .... There are plenty of ....laughs (Robert makes a comment about expecting Boris Karloff to pop up) and a few moments of passing erotic interest, but if it were not for Karloff's explanation at the end of the film we would not really have a good idea of what was going on.

"The Crimson Cult," released in England as "Curse of the Crimson Altar," is a bad movie whose badness works in its favor in terms of enjoying it on a level unintended by its creators. The reliance on psychedelic symbolism rather than substantive storytelling ultimately dooms the production. The presence of Karloff and Lee saves it from descending too far, and you do have Steele and Wetherell (who achieved some notoriety for her appearance in "A Clockwork Orange"). ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good movie, Good price!!
Made in 1940 but set in WWI, Boris Karloff plays a master spy working as a butler for a British war official. Enter double agent Helen Von Lorder and the fun begins with twists, turns, and double-crosses. This is a good movie! Even though it is a 60 minute "B" movie, it's got class. It was made by Warner Brothers and is very well done. The special FX are great (for the time and budget) though you might recognize one or two stock explosions from gangster pics. BUT THIS IS WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW: The Alpha DVD has quite good quality picture and sound. A couple of minor hiccups along the way but all in all, one of their better transfers. Still looks like a VHS but it's a cheapie and you get what you pay for... probably a litle more in this instance. Definitely watchable and highly recommended if you're into this kind of thing.

British, German, and Double Agents
Set during the last part of World War I, this spy thriller begins with the frustrations of the British military over the way the Germans seem to know their next move before they even do. It's obvious there is a spy or leak somewhere that needs to be stopped if they are to have any success in the War. Boris Karloff and Margaret Lindsay enter into the picture. Individually or together, they could be British agents, German agents, or double agents, and the true identity of each is revealed at the climax. The two spies test each other throughout the film as a plot to kill the British cabinet begins to unfold. The film moves along briskly, with a running time of around an hour. I have to admit that I was occasionally confused by the plot, although by the film's final moments I had figured it all out. Karloff, limping and with a scar, is good as the more sinister (naturally) of the two agents, while Lindsay does a competent job as his female counterpart. The last few minutes are devoted to rallying the public at the outset of World War Two when this was produced, with a poorly concealed speech about Hitler. It's definitely heavy handed, yet it is fun to watch as a sign of the time. Judging by the running time, the cast involved, and the production, this film was obviously intended as a 'B' picture, and as a modest little programmer, it succeeds fairly well. Those expecting a bigger scale production will be disappointed.

Margaret Lindsay tries to trap German spy Boris Karloff
"British Intelligence" is set during World War I, when Helene von Lorbeer (Margaret Lindsay), a nurse in a French hospital, assumes the role of a German spy and is sent to England to obtain information about a secret British offensive. Helene is set up as a guest in the household of Arthur Bennett (Holmes Herbert), a key British war official, where the butler Valdar (Boris Karloff), is also a German spy. Helene's real mission is to learn the identity of Schiller, the mastermind fo the German spy system in England. This 1940 film, directed by Terry Morse, is based on Anthony Paul Kelly's play "Three Faces East," which had been filmed in 1926 with Clive Brook and Jetta Goudal and then again in 1930 with Eric von Stroheim and Constance Bennett. Of course Karloff has to wear a unnecessary wound on his face, supposedly from a bayonet, and walks with a limp. But actually this is a decent spy thriller, even if the true identity of "Schiller" is obvious from the opening credits. Although explicitly about the First World War, there are several veiled but obvious references to Hitler and what is happening in Europe in 1940.

Fun Espionage Thriller
It's no classic, but Karloff fans will like this "B" picture full of twists and turns as you try to figure out just who's the good guy and who's the bad guy.

Best of all it's short and to the point. A virtue that Hollywood seems to be lacking these days. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Boris Karloff and an Egyptian gem that grants immortality
A valuable gem known as "The Eternal Light" is stolen from a Egyptian tomb and ends up in the possession of Professor Morlant (Boris Karloff). The Professor is dying, but believes the powers of the ancient Egyptian gods will give him immortality through the gem. Before he dies, Morlant tells his servant, Laing (Ernest Thesiger) to bind the gem in his hand when he is dead. He also warns Laing that if the jewel is stolen, he will rise from the dead and seek revenge. Of course, Laing steals the gem after Morlant's death and as the professor's heirs and others arrive at the estate to search for the jewel, the Professor rises from his tomb.

"The Ghoul" was really the first major horror film produced in England and obviously tries to follow-up on his previous success in Universal's "The Mummy." A rather simple tale that moves too slow for the most part, the film does show that even when his makeup is relatively simple, there is something about the way Karloff stares and the way he walks that is more suggestive of the dead than the living. Directed in 1933 by T. Hayes Hunter, the film features future Knights of the Empire Cedric Hardwicke and Ralph Richardson. Based on the novel and play by Dr. Frank King and Leonard J. Hines, "The Ghoul" was actually remade as a comedy in 1962 called "No Place Like Homicide!" with Philip O'Flynn of the Carry On gang in the Karloff role.

Boris is great, but ...
... this British horror film shot in March/April of 1933 and released in October of that same year isn't quite up to snuff. Karloff plays Egyptologist Professor Morlant, who believes that, if at the first full moon following his death, his soul brings a jewel called The Eternal Light to the god Anubis, he will be rewarded with eternal life. When Morlant dies, the jewel is bandaged to his left hand and his body is entombed with the statute of Anubis.

But his servant (played by Ernest Thesiger, later of "Bride of Frankenstein") steals the jewel and, when Morlant awakes (the shot of his arm reaching straight up into the air from the sarcophagus is most striking) and finds the jewel missing, he breaks out of his grave, murdering a few people (I think - the way the strangulation scenes are shot, Karloff's efforts seem weak, and after awhile the victims get back up again) until he finds his jewel.

Karloff isn't allowed many lines or chances to redeem this minor picture. His character dies quickly in the beginning (though his death scene is impressive, with the actor's pantomime skills and broken speech well suggestive of a dying man, not to mention a great-looking make-up job), so you never get to know him. Once he comes back to life, he utters not a word, just staggers around chasing after his jewel.

There is a running attempt at humor in the form of a female friend of the heroine, who is fascinated by an Arab who also wants to lay his hands on The Eternal Light. He orders her around and she loves it, but the scenes and the humor stick out like a sore thumb and lack the amusing touch of director James Whale ("The Ghoul" was directed by T. Hayes Hunter, whom several in the cast apparently disliked).

As Paul Jensen notes in his book, "Boris Karloff and His Films", "The Ghoul" merely becomes "a variation on the familiar reading-of-the-will eccentric household, non-supernatural melodrama" and not a very memorable one at that. One does, however, get to see a VERY young Sir Ralph Richardson - he plays the local vicar, Nigel Hartley, who has his own interest in the jewel.

Only for die-hard Karloff fans - like myself.

Enjoyable British chiller
"The ghoul" is a pleasant horror movie without being a masterpiece. This British chiller tells the story of a professor of Egyptology (Boris Karloff) who is in possession of a mysterious jewel called "the eternal light". When the professor dies, the jewel is stolen by his servant (Ernest Thesiger). The professor will step out from his grave for revenge. The atmosphere of this film is most of the time enjoyable, but unfortunately it becomes too talky sometimes. Karloff is very impressive as a walking dead. The first minutes just before he dies are particulary thrilling. Foggy London adds to the general impression of mystery. And of course there is Ernest Thesiger who gives a great performance. Two years later he will be the excentric and diabolical Dr. Pretorius in "Brides of Frankenstein"! The direction of T.Hayes Hunter is perhaps too academic and we're missing the touch of Universal studios. It would have been a nice subject for film directors like Tod Browning or James Whale.
The quality of this DVD is very good - don't forget the film was made in 1933. I can only recommand this rarely seen horror movie from Great Britain.

Not the Czech print
Despite what previous reviewers have said, this DVD of The Ghoul is NOT from the print that turned up in Eastern Europe in the late '60's. The person put in charge of making the DVD was told to see what he could do with it. He made a few cursory calls just to cover the bases, including a call to the British Film Institute. Turns out that they were sitting on a copy that had not been screened in decades. It is overuse of a copy of a film that gives it the "beat" look; it we could take a first generation copy print of Frankenstein today, it could in theory look this good without a total overall. The print was so good that a typical transfer looked like it was made yesterday.

The Ghoul dates from a time when the studios had not yet wholeheartedly committed to making supernatural horror. They felt that audiences needed a final logical explanation to buy into it. The Universal films of the 30's turned that tide around, but this movie was still not fully into that realm. So if you go in expecting a super shock, you will be disappointed. However, if you like atmosphere and good acting, and want to see an amazing transfer of a 30's movie that looks like it was filmed yesterday, look no further. The plusses outweigh the minuses in this case.

Dead on Arrival
I've tried watching this movie over the years and found it boring,cold and so confusing that I could never understand what was happening. With this new DVD, I decided to give it another chance. Verdict: it's just as boring, cold and confusing as before. Technically, it looks great. Wonderful shadows and lighting. But this film moves soooooo slow. And poor Boris Karloff. He does what he can in the role of the glaring, stumbling old ghoul but he acts embarassed by the whole stunt. Great Britian simply didn't have the know-how in the early thirties to make a great horror flick like those being turned out by Universal. Don't waste your time on this one. Watch the l932 "The Mummy" instead to see how a real classic looks. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Boris Karloff Is The Main Attraction
In DICK TRACY MEETS GRUESOME the famous detective is able to trick Gruesome by placing a false story in the newspapers about another criminal who is going to squeal on Gruesome. Boris Karloff plays the part of Gruesome and he dominates the movie. Ralph Byrd has the role of Dick Tracy and Anne Gwynne is Tess Truehart.

The film was a big success for a "B" movie in both the United States and in Great Britain.

Dick Tracy takes on Gruesom Boris Karloff
In "Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome," the 1947 RKO film based on Chester Gould's comic strip detective, Ralph Byrd and Boris Karloff play the title characters. L. E. Thal (Edward Ashley), a disreputable doctor, gains possession of a gas, which temporarily paralyzes people. Gruesome uses the gas to stage a daring bank robbery, but the crime is witnessed by Tess Truehart (Anne Gwynne) who calls Tracy. At that point the entire affair becomes standard cops and robbers, although I have to admit that Karloff steals every scene from the hero. Director John Rawlins creates a serial-style with a series of episodes of varying degrees of excitement until the climax. It just seems to be that Gruesome does not look that, well, gruesome. Given all the times they insisted on burying the actor beneath makeup, it is rather ironic that there do not put much on Karloff to play "Gruesome."

Will Dick Tracy be a match for Boris Karloff? Yes, BUT...
In "Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome," the 1947 RKO film based on Chester Gould's comic strip detective, Ralph Byrd and Boris Karloff play the title characters. L. E. Thal (Edward Ashley), a disreputable doctor, gains possession of a gas, which temporarily paralyzes people. Gruesome uses the gas to stage a daring bank robbery, but the crime is witnessed by Tess Truehart (Anne Gwynne) who calls Tracy. At that point the entire affair becomes standard cops and robbers, although I have to admit that Karloff steals every scene from the hero. Director John Rawlins creates a serial-style with a series of episodes of varying degrees of excitement until the climax. It just seems to be that Gruesome does not look that, well, gruesome. Given all the times they insisted on burying the actor beneath makeup, it is rather ironic that there do not put much on Karloff to play "Gruesome."

1940's Nostalgia
Boris Karloff certainly looks the part as the recently released convict named Gruesome. The nerve gas story is corny as is the bank robbery scene especially when one bloke is frozen just as he is about to sneeze. Ralph Byrd returns as Dick Tracy and he later starred in the early 50's TV series. People who are familiar with the B movies of the 1940's will recognise character actors Milton Parsons and Skelton Knaggs as a professor and his assistant respectively. If you feel like going on a nostalgia trip watch this. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Christopher Lee at your service
"call them fantasy films...but please don't call them horror" is one of the lines given by the host, Christopher Lee, jokingly looking in utter disgust that the public would call these films 'horror'. his performance is hilarious because of his sophisticated and always serious approach to acting and yet he's offering a self-parody much in the tradition of Vincent Price. although he doesn't go over-the-top, Lee's participation/narration was vital for this program's legitimacy. clips of horror and Sci-Fi films are shown throughout...there's also clips of interviews with Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, and Roger Corman among others...the so-called drive-in horror titans of the '60s are also spotlighted: American International and Hammer, the two companies that were responsible for 90% of the horror output in the '50s, '60s, and early '70s. this is a great look at horror films and Lee's commanding voice and screen appearances keep it from being too tedious, as it may have been had a contemporary hot shot with little to no affiliation with the genre narrated the show.

Bad Beginning but the middle and the end are really good.
Don't turn it off! But first you need to watch at least five of these movies to enjoy it. With Christopher Lee being your host this makes the movie very fun. It talks about little trivia and cool things to know about tese films.->

1. Halloween
2. Frankenstein, 1931
3. Dracula, 1931
4. The Mummy, 1959
5. Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein
6. Psycho, 1960
7. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein
8. Mummy's Hand
9. Nightmare On Elm Street
10. The Bride of Frankenstein
11. House of Frankenstein

12. House of Dracula
13. The Lost World, 1925
14. The Mummy's Tomb
15. Tales of Tomorrow: Frankenstein
16. Phantom of The Opera
17. Mystery of The Wax Museum
18. Curse of Frankenstein
19. Werewolf of London
20. 1,000,000 Years B.C.

Only for The Most Desperate of "Horror" Fans
Unfortunately, the folks who put this "documentary" together seem to think horror is confined to cheezy Grade Z movies full of excessive "knife across the eyeball" style gore. A somewhat comatose Christopher Lee seems ashamed to be hosting this mess.

Great documentary (saw the DVD version)!
I saw the DVD version of this video and, being a horror film buff, found it very entertaining. The problem with documentaries like these, however, is that they do tend to get sort of dated in just a few years (e.g. although fairly recent films such as Bram Stoker's Dracula, Jurrasic Park and Wolf were discussed, more recent films such as the Mummy remake were not) especially in this genre wherein advances in make-up and special effects play an important role. Still, I would recommend this series to any serious horror film afficionado. Unlike many documentaries which seem to be made up of 90% interviews and 10% (movie) scenes, this is composed primarily of scenes with Christopher Lee's voice-over, interspersed with a few interviews. Notable highlights include hilarious outtakes from the film Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein as well as footage from obscure movies such as the 1960 version of Lost World. There are also interviews with John Carpenter, Peter Cushing and Claude Rains. I found this very enjoyable, although I'm giving just 4 stars for the DVD version since the sound quality was not very good for this medium (for VHS I'd probably let it off with 5 stars). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

mummy collector's set
Likewise to the other sets given birth by Universal's classic monster collection,the accomplishment of gathering 3 from the 5 mummy films officially released by the company stands as quite an impressively well-planned achievement in reference to the selections placed in the item.The choice of the brilliant original was understandable adding up to details that along the years have set Boris Karloff as the best egyptian nightmare,but the true question is why select the 2 final sequels to the successfull series of films?the answer lies in the wise decisions made by the releaser,in this case but of-course MCA/universal.Jumping into a theory of my own, placing Lon Chaney jr.'s final performances as 2 of the 3 flicks featured in the 3-pack was simply a common lack of assuring sense:Tom Tyler's 'THE MUMMY'S HAND' only demonstrated to the audiences of a sequelistic 1940's,the fact that the original scary character in the 1932 film was not scarily-comparable enough for the upcoming half-bandaged 'monster' set in the first sequel of the series,for truely distinguished reasons involving the violence and menace of 'imhotep's replacement 'kharis'-meaning introductions to a popular character must always be based on first impressions,and in the case of Tyler even though good,but not enough to exceed the mastering of the unstoppable fiend roled out by Chaney,that also enters the structure opening question #2,why not place 1942's 'THE MUMMY'S TOMB'?the logical answer and explanation of-course relies on 'first-impressions' once again that to some extent places the series in a 'raw' decision that isn't of the cast,but of Tyler's departure of the role after it was first seen by audiences and the public was blending into Tyler's face and portrayal,soon to experience a drastic change for matters of the second sequel's production.This all only as a theory of mine,partly explains the components of this great collector's set that stands of the usual high performance it's 'brothers' have(THE CLASSIC MONSTERS COLLECTION,THE CREATURE COLLECTOR'S SET)by supporting good quality and like always my admired vintage.There is simply no reason for not purchasing a great piece like this to form part in your set of unforgettable monster flicks from Universal's unmatchable collection of the early 90's that makes me truely recommend this 3-piece item that stands as a 'gem' in my favorites list.Great quality from each edition with it's appropiately marvelous packaging.3 words:buy it now!

A must see for Mummy fans!
I have seen almost all of the mummy movies and these are three of the very best.These movies span the early years of the Mummy movies with three very different and very tallented actors.I recommend these three to anyone who loves Mummy movies! ... Read more

Description

After his performance in the classic Frankenstein, he becamesynonymous with terror.But behind his gaunt glare and distinctive lisp was the soul andmanner of a cultured English gentleman.Born in London in 1887, William Henry Prattabandoned his studie ... 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)

Too many cooks?
This movie is a legendary mess - Roger Corman wrapped filming on THE RAVEN early, and not wishing to waste a castle set and the remainder of Boris Karloff's contract, started a gothic movie, then handed this unfinished flick to a series of proteges to complete. Jack Hill, Francis Ford Coppola, and Monte Hellman all took cracks at trying to make sense of an unfinished script. THE TERROR is often referred to as a movie without a plot - there's a plot in there alright, but you've got to be prepared to fight for it. Worth seeing if only for the combination of Karloff and an alarmingly young Jack Nicholson.

Not Really a "Terror", But It's Still Good!
I have watched this movie twice on TV in the past, and I enjoyed it. Even though it's called "The Terror", it doesn't seem like a terror movie, but it is still entertaining. Jack Nicholson starred in this one (he was young then, just like in the original "Little Shop of Horrors" he was in before this one), and he played a Napoleon soldier. His then-wife, Sandra Knight, played Helene who was a "ghost" in the movie, and Boris Karloff, a famous horror movie actor, played the Baron.
This movie is a little phony, like the "witch" in the movie...and how she died. I never dreamed that lightning can burn a witch to a crisp like in this movie, just because she saw the hawk flying in the sky! Same thing at the ending when Nicholson kissed the beautiful Helene, who then melted on the ground, revealing her skeleton. Nice special effects in the 1960s...I give them (and Roger Corman) credit for that.
This is a good movie, although not Oscar-winning, to watch on a rainy day for fun.

Yes, Adult Human Beings Really Got Together and Made This!
The history of the movie is far more interesting than the movie, itself. Corman had three extra days after his prematurely wrapped The Raven shoot, and tossed this thing together off the top of his (and everybody else's) head to end up making two features for the price of one. Considering the circumstances, the thing is a masterpiece.

Of course, the finished product neither knows nor cares about the circumstances, which is why this movie is doubly entertaining. The mix of costuming and acting styles, the endless anachronisms throwing the audience out of suspension of disbelief that they are in Napoleonic era Germany (or is it supposed to be Spain? and if so, why so many German names? and if not, where does one get a seaside cliff in Germany?) - not to mention the genuinely really bad acting from pretty much everyone involved (including Karloff, who almost certainly didn't take it seriously), and the grossly mixed accents of the cast - make this one endlessly entertaining, in that drop-your-jaw, I-can't-believe-adult-human-beings-actually-got-together-and-made-this-thing kind of way.

It actually has a plot, which if you're really attentive and diligent you can pick out in the last five minutes of the movie, and if you do, it's terribly clever and grossly improbable, which just makes it all that much more fun.

But you won't care about that. What you really want to see is Jack Nicholson performing flatter than a block of wood, his then-wife Sandra Knight with an accent and acting style flatter still (though she is quite beautiful), Dorothy Neumann as a cackling revenge-driven old witch, Bronx-accented Dick Miller as a supposedly very German manservant, and Karloff struggling to keep a straight face given all the preceding impediments.

Nicholson happily confesses in interviews that they all had a ball making this wonderfully absurd movie, and it actually shows. Interestingly enough, if you're in the right mood, you can even see the horror movie this almost was, if they'd had more time to make it really work. There are some good gore effects - a man's eyes gouged out by a killer hawk, and an incredibly goopy melting woman, topping the list - and it's pretty handsomely produced, even with a decently eerie musical soundtrack throughout.

Don't watch it because it's good - watch it because it's FUN.

The best B horror movie of its class!
The Terror is simply a fun B horror flick. Forget the acting, it's terrible, but that's its charm (it's worth it just to see the early Nicholson). It's the atmosphere that makes this movie a classic. The musical score gives it the true feel of the late night horror genre. Of course it's not scary, but that's beside the point. The ancient castle with its wonderful architecture, the ocean waves crashing on the rocky beach, the "old women" and her shack in the woods, and Stephan (the butler) whose performance is reminiscent of a Mel Brooks movie, make it a treat. For Karloff fans, this is a must see. I've been a fan of Corman's work for quite some time, and I think this is one of his better films. I would also recommend "Die Monster Die," directed by Daniel Haller, for those incurable Karloff fans.

Low-budget, snail-paced movie...typical Jack Nicholson stuff
This movie moves at a snail's pace as a soldier takes shelter at an old Baron's castle while searching for a mysterious woman he discovered at the beach near the castle. Boris Karlof's performance as the elderly Baron is the only one that makes this movie worth watching for the first half hour, and even then his acting gets lame and overleveled. Just like other typical Jack Nicholson movies, the movie is very slow, and extremely boring. It is not scary, and it is very easy to see that it is fake and stagy...Rent it, don't buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Boris Karloff as the secret leader of a zombie/snake cult
The natives on Coaibi Island are being terrorized by an evil snake cult. While some are scarified to the poisonous snake of Kalaea (Tongolele) the Reptile Woman, others are turned into zombies by the mysterious Damballah. Police Captain Labiche (Rafael Bertrand) investigates the cult and questions wealthy landowner Karl Van Molder (Boris Karloff), whose niece Anabella (Julissa) is kidnapped by the cult. You will never guess who the mysterious Damballah ends up being at the end of this one.

"The Snake People," known variously as "Cult of the Dead," "Isle of the Living Dead," and "La Muerte Viviente," 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 finally released in 1971. Despite our affection for Karloff, this is a bad movie and watching it will simply make you feel sad. Go check out one of Karloff's lesser known horror films from the 1930s, like "The Tower of London" instead of this turkey.

Poor Boris!
In retrospect, it's a good thing Boris Karloff didn't live to see this trashy horror flick. The ailing, 80-year-old actor was glad to be working, but he could have selected a better project than "The Snake People." Judging by his limited footage, Karloff probably didn't know (or care) what kind of schlock he was making. Sadly, this is exploitation filmmaking of the worst kind. For Karloff completists only. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Too many cooks?
This movie is a legendary mess - Roger Corman wrapped filming on THE RAVEN early, and not wishing to waste a castle set and the remainder of Boris Karloff's contract, started a gothic movie, then handed this unfinished flick to a series of proteges to complete. Jack Hill, Francis Ford Coppola, and Monte Hellman all took cracks at trying to make sense of an unfinished script. THE TERROR is often referred to as a movie without a plot - there's a plot in there alright, but you've got to be prepared to fight for it. Worth seeing if only for the combination of Karloff and an alarmingly young Jack Nicholson.

Not Really a "Terror", But It's Still Good!
I have watched this movie twice on TV in the past, and I enjoyed it. Even though it's called "The Terror", it doesn't seem like a terror movie, but it is still entertaining. Jack Nicholson starred in this one (he was young then, just like in the original "Little Shop of Horrors" he was in before this one), and he played a Napoleon soldier. His then-wife, Sandra Knight, played Helene who was a "ghost" in the movie, and Boris Karloff, a famous horror movie actor, played the Baron.
This movie is a little phony, like the "witch" in the movie...and how she died. I never dreamed that lightning can burn a witch to a crisp like in this movie, just because she saw the hawk flying in the sky! Same thing at the ending when Nicholson kissed the beautiful Helene, who then melted on the ground, revealing her skeleton. Nice special effects in the 1960s...I give them (and Roger Corman) credit for that.
This is a good movie, although not Oscar-winning, to watch on a rainy day for fun.

Yes, Adult Human Beings Really Got Together and Made This!
The history of the movie is far more interesting than the movie, itself. Corman had three extra days after his prematurely wrapped The Raven shoot, and tossed this thing together off the top of his (and everybody else's) head to end up making two features for the price of one. Considering the circumstances, the thing is a masterpiece.

Of course, the finished product neither knows nor cares about the circumstances, which is why this movie is doubly entertaining. The mix of costuming and acting styles, the endless anachronisms throwing the audience out of suspension of disbelief that they are in Napoleonic era Germany (or is it supposed to be Spain? and if so, why so many German names? and if not, where does one get a seaside cliff in Germany?) - not to mention the genuinely really bad acting from pretty much everyone involved (including Karloff, who almost certainly didn't take it seriously), and the grossly mixed accents of the cast - make this one endlessly entertaining, in that drop-your-jaw, I-can't-believe-adult-human-beings-actually-got-together-and-made-this-thing kind of way.

It actually has a plot, which if you're really attentive and diligent you can pick out in the last five minutes of the movie, and if you do, it's terribly clever and grossly improbable, which just makes it all that much more fun.

But you won't care about that. What you really want to see is Jack Nicholson performing flatter than a block of wood, his then-wife Sandra Knight with an accent and acting style flatter still (though she is quite beautiful), Dorothy Neumann as a cackling revenge-driven old witch, Bronx-accented Dick Miller as a supposedly very German manservant, and Karloff struggling to keep a straight face given all the preceding impediments.

Nicholson happily confesses in interviews that they all had a ball making this wonderfully absurd movie, and it actually shows. Interestingly enough, if you're in the right mood, you can even see the horror movie this almost was, if they'd had more time to make it really work. There are some good gore effects - a man's eyes gouged out by a killer hawk, and an incredibly goopy melting woman, topping the list - and it's pretty handsomely produced, even with a decently eerie musical soundtrack throughout.

Don't watch it because it's good - watch it because it's FUN.

The best B horror movie of its class!
The Terror is simply a fun B horror flick. Forget the acting, it's terrible, but that's its charm (it's worth it just to see the early Nicholson). It's the atmosphere that makes this movie a classic. The musical score gives it the true feel of the late night horror genre. Of course it's not scary, but that's beside the point. The ancient castle with its wonderful architecture, the ocean waves crashing on the rocky beach, the "old women" and her shack in the woods, and Stephan (the butler) whose performance is reminiscent of a Mel Brooks movie, make it a treat. For Karloff fans, this is a must see. I've been a fan of Corman's work for quite some time, and I think this is one of his better films. I would also recommend "Die Monster Die," directed by Daniel Haller, for those incurable Karloff fans.

Low-budget, snail-paced movie...typical Jack Nicholson stuff
This movie moves at a snail's pace as a soldier takes shelter at an old Baron's castle while searching for a mysterious woman he discovered at the beach near the castle. Boris Karlof's performance as the elderly Baron is the only one that makes this movie worth watching for the first half hour, and even then his acting gets lame and overleveled. Just like other typical Jack Nicholson movies, the movie is very slow, and extremely boring. It is not scary, and it is very easy to see that it is fake and stagy...Rent it, don't buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Christopher Lee at your service
"call them fantasy films...but please don't call them horror" is one of the lines given by the host, Christopher Lee, jokingly looking in utter disgust that the public would call these films 'horror'. his performance is hilarious because of his sophisticated and always serious approach to acting and yet he's offering a self-parody much in the tradition of Vincent Price. although he doesn't go over-the-top, Lee's participation/narration was vital for this program's legitimacy. clips of horror and Sci-Fi films are shown throughout...there's also clips of interviews with Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, and Roger Corman among others...the so-called drive-in horror titans of the '60s are also spotlighted: American International and Hammer, the two companies that were responsible for 90% of the horror output in the '50s, '60s, and early '70s. this is a great look at horror films and Lee's commanding voice and screen appearances keep it from being too tedious, as it may have been had a contemporary hot shot with little to no affiliation with the genre narrated the show.

Bad Beginning but the middle and the end are really good.
Don't turn it off! But first you need to watch at least five of these movies to enjoy it. With Christopher Lee being your host this makes the movie very fun. It talks about little trivia and cool things to know about tese films.->

1. Halloween
2. Frankenstein, 1931
3. Dracula, 1931
4. The Mummy, 1959
5. Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein
6. Psycho, 1960
7. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein
8. Mummy's Hand
9. Nightmare On Elm Street
10. The Bride of Frankenstein
11. House of Frankenstein

12. House of Dracula
13. The Lost World, 1925
14. The Mummy's Tomb
15. Tales of Tomorrow: Frankenstein
16. Phantom of The Opera
17. Mystery of The Wax Museum
18. Curse of Frankenstein
19. Werewolf of London
20. 1,000,000 Years B.C.

Only for The Most Desperate of "Horror" Fans
Unfortunately, the folks who put this "documentary" together seem to think horror is confined to cheezy Grade Z movies full of excessive "knife across the eyeball" style gore. A somewhat comatose Christopher Lee seems ashamed to be hosting this mess.

Great documentary (saw the DVD version)!
I saw the DVD version of this video and, being a horror film buff, found it very entertaining. The problem with documentaries like these, however, is that they do tend to get sort of dated in just a few years (e.g. although fairly recent films such as Bram Stoker's Dracula, Jurrasic Park and Wolf were discussed, more recent films such as the Mummy remake were not) especially in this genre wherein advances in make-up and special effects play an important role. Still, I would recommend this series to any serious horror film afficionado. Unlike many documentaries which seem to be made up of 90% interviews and 10% (movie) scenes, this is composed primarily of scenes with Christopher Lee's voice-over, interspersed with a few interviews. Notable highlights include hilarious outtakes from the film Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein as well as footage from obscure movies such as the 1960 version of Lost World. There are also interviews with John Carpenter, Peter Cushing and Claude Rains. I found this very enjoyable, although I'm giving just 4 stars for the DVD version since the sound quality was not very good for this medium (for VHS I'd probably let it off with 5 stars). ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Christopher Lee at your service
"call them fantasy films...but please don't call them horror" is one of the lines given by the host, Christopher Lee, jokingly looking in utter disgust that the public would call these films 'horror'. his performance is hilarious because of his sophisticated and always serious approach to acting and yet he's offering a self-parody much in the tradition of Vincent Price. although he doesn't go over-the-top, Lee's participation/narration was vital for this program's legitimacy. clips of horror and Sci-Fi films are shown throughout...there's also clips of interviews with Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, and Roger Corman among others...the so-called drive-in horror titans of the '60s are also spotlighted: American International and Hammer, the two companies that were responsible for 90% of the horror output in the '50s, '60s, and early '70s. this is a great look at horror films and Lee's commanding voice and screen appearances keep it from being too tedious, as it may have been had a contemporary hot shot with little to no affiliation with the genre narrated the show.

Bad Beginning but the middle and the end are really good.
Don't turn it off! But first you need to watch at least five of these movies to enjoy it. With Christopher Lee being your host this makes the movie very fun. It talks about little trivia and cool things to know about tese films.->

1. Halloween
2. Frankenstein, 1931
3. Dracula, 1931
4. The Mummy, 1959
5. Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein
6. Psycho, 1960
7. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein
8. Mummy's Hand
9. Nightmare On Elm Street
10. The Bride of Frankenstein
11. House of Frankenstein

12. House of Dracula
13. The Lost World, 1925
14. The Mummy's Tomb
15. Tales of Tomorrow: Frankenstein
16. Phantom of The Opera
17. Mystery of The Wax Museum
18. Curse of Frankenstein
19. Werewolf of London
20. 1,000,000 Years B.C.

Only for The Most Desperate of "Horror" Fans
Unfortunately, the folks who put this "documentary" together seem to think horror is confined to cheezy Grade Z movies full of excessive "knife across the eyeball" style gore. A somewhat comatose Christopher Lee seems ashamed to be hosting this mess.

Great documentary (saw the DVD version)!
I saw the DVD version of this video and, being a horror film buff, found it very entertaining. The problem with documentaries like these, however, is that they do tend to get sort of dated in just a few years (e.g. although fairly recent films such as Bram Stoker's Dracula, Jurrasic Park and Wolf were discussed, more recent films such as the Mummy remake were not) especially in this genre wherein advances in make-up and special effects play an important role. Still, I would recommend this series to any serious horror film afficionado. Unlike many documentaries which seem to be made up of 90% interviews and 10% (movie) scenes, this is composed primarily of scenes with Christopher Lee's voice-over, interspersed with a few interviews. Notable highlights include hilarious outtakes from the film Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein as well as footage from obscure movies such as the 1960 version of Lost World. There are also interviews with John Carpenter, Peter Cushing and Claude Rains. I found this very enjoyable, although I'm giving just 4 stars for the DVD version since the sound quality was not very good for this medium (for VHS I'd probably let it off with 5 stars). ... 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

Reviews (4)

Christopher Lee at your service
"call them fantasy films...but please don't call them horror" is one of the lines given by the host, Christopher Lee, jokingly looking in utter disgust that the public would call these films 'horror'. his performance is hilarious because of his sophisticated and always serious approach to acting and yet he's offering a self-parody much in the tradition of Vincent Price. although he doesn't go over-the-top, Lee's participation/narration was vital for this program's legitimacy. clips of horror and Sci-Fi films are shown throughout...there's also clips of interviews with Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, and Roger Corman among others...the so-called drive-in horror titans of the '60s are also spotlighted: American International and Hammer, the two companies that were responsible for 90% of the horror output in the '50s, '60s, and early '70s. this is a great look at horror films and Lee's commanding voice and screen appearances keep it from being too tedious, as it may have been had a contemporary hot shot with little to no affiliation with the genre narrated the show.

Bad Beginning but the middle and the end are really good.
Don't turn it off! But first you need to watch at least five of these movies to enjoy it. With Christopher Lee being your host this makes the movie very fun. It talks about little trivia and cool things to know about tese films.->

1. Halloween
2. Frankenstein, 1931
3. Dracula, 1931
4. The Mummy, 1959
5. Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein
6. Psycho, 1960
7. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein
8. Mummy's Hand
9. Nightmare On Elm Street
10. The Bride of Frankenstein
11. House of Frankenstein

12. House of Dracula
13. The Lost World, 1925
14. The Mummy's Tomb
15. Tales of Tomorrow: Frankenstein
16. Phantom of The Opera
17. Mystery of The Wax Museum
18. Curse of Frankenstein
19. Werewolf of London
20. 1,000,000 Years B.C.

Only for The Most Desperate of "Horror" Fans
Unfortunately, the folks who put this "documentary" together seem to think horror is confined to cheezy Grade Z movies full of excessive "knife across the eyeball" style gore. A somewhat comatose Christopher Lee seems ashamed to be hosting this mess.

Great documentary (saw the DVD version)!
I saw the DVD version of this video and, being a horror film buff, found it very entertaining. The problem with documentaries like these, however, is that they do tend to get sort of dated in just a few years (e.g. although fairly recent films such as Bram Stoker's Dracula, Jurrasic Park and Wolf were discussed, more recent films such as the Mummy remake were not) especially in this genre wherein advances in make-up and special effects play an important role. Still, I would recommend this series to any serious horror film afficionado. Unlike many documentaries which seem to be made up of 90% interviews and 10% (movie) scenes, this is composed primarily of scenes with Christopher Lee's voice-over, interspersed with a few interviews. Notable highlights include hilarious outtakes from the film Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein as well as footage from obscure movies such as the 1960 version of Lost World. There are also interviews with John Carpenter, Peter Cushing and Claude Rains. I found this very enjoyable, although I'm giving just 4 stars for the DVD version since the sound quality was not very good for this medium (for VHS I'd probably let it off with 5 stars). ... Read more

Reviews (10)

What a huge surprise
I wasn't expecting much out of this movie but it succeeded where most other horror/parody movies fail....it's actually funny.
Chucky's former girlfriend is unhappy. Living in a trailer park, involved with a jerk that makes black look un-goth, all she's got to get her through is that someday she'll be reunited with her one true love. Guess what? She gets her wish.
Bride of Chucky is gory, campy, still manages to be cheesy even with very good special effects, and is basically just a very fun, charming movie.

Oh, to further compliment the movie, Spook master Rob Zombie is the main attraction on the soundtrack. With Rob Zombie you can't lose!

Best Parody Sequel Ever
.... From the beginning to the end you will be screaming your head off and laughing .... The special effects were fantastic, compared to the cheezy ones from the other 3. The dialogue is hilarious, especially the banter between Chucky (Brad Dourif) and his bride to be Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly). Katherine Heigl (WB's Roswell) is super .... Alexis Arquette and John Ritter are hilariously evil ..., but it is the most hideously bizarre and funniest scenes ever.

chucky is the best there ever was
I went and seen chuckies bride and the movie was worth the price I paid for it. I think you guys should make more of those movies,all I can say is keep up the good work,and once again chucky rules!!!

CHUCKY IS AWESOME
I thought Bride Of Chucky was the best in the series and also my second favorite comes Child's Play 2. I have an obsession with wanting Chucky to come back ever since I saw Child's Play 3 and then Bride Of Chucky came out and now I have an obsession with wanting Chucky to come back. Chucky Rules.

Movie Bride Of Chuckie
I would like to see the movie please ... Read more

Reviews (34)

James Whale has a stellar cast but a second rate horror film
"The Old Dark House" is a bit disappointing simply because with all the talent collected on both sides of the camera you would expect an absolute classic horror film. This 1932 f