Fox Horror Classics Collection [3 Discs]

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 3
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (Pre-1954 Standard)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital Stereo
• Encoding: NTSC
• Screen: Black and White
• Subtitle: English, Spanish, French
• Features:
  • Disc 1: Hangover Square
  • Commentary by Film Historian/Screenwriter Steve Haberman and Co-Star Faye Marlowe
  • Commentary by Richard Schickel
  • The Tragic Mask: The Laird Cregar Story
  • Hangover Square Vintage Radio Show - Performed by Vincent Price
  • Restoration Comparison
  • Trailer
  • Concertos Macabre: The Films of John Brahm
  • Restoration Comparison
  • Trailer
  • Disc 2: The Lodger
  • Commentary by Film Historians Alain Silver & James Ursini
  • Man in the Fog: The Making of The Lodger
  • The Lodger Vintage Radio Show - Performed by Vincent Price
  • Restoration Comparison
  • Trailer
  • Still Gallery
  • Disc 3: The Undying Monster
  • Concertos Macabre: The Films of John Brahm
  • Restoration Comparison
  • Trailer
  • Advertising Gallery
  • Still Gallery

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Laird Cregar - George Harvey Bone
       James Ellison - Bob Curtis
       Merle Oberon - Kitty Langley
       Heather Angel - Helga Hammond
       Linda Darnell - Netta London
       George Sanders - John Warwick
       Laird Cregar - The Lodger
       John Howard - Oliver Hammond
       George Sanders - Dr. Allan Middleton
       Bramwell Fletcher - Dr. Geoffrey Covert
       Cedric Hardwicke - Robert Burton
       Glenn Langan - Eddie Carstairs
       Sara Allgood - Ellen
       Faye Marlowe - Barbara Chapman
       Heather Thatcher - Christy

• Director:

  John Brahm

• Producer:

  Robert Bassler, Bryan Foy

• Book Author:

  Mrs. Marie Belloc-Lowndes, Patrick Hamilton, Jessie Douglas Kerruish

• Screenwriter:

  Lillie Hayward, Michel Jacoby, Barré Lyndon

• Cinematographer:

  Lucien Ballard, Joseph La Shelle

• Composer (Music Score):

  Hugo W. Friedhofer, Bernard Herrmann, Emil Newman, David Raksin

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Emil Newman

• Editor:

  Harry Reynolds, J. Watson Webb, Jr.

• Art Director:

  James Basevi, Lewis H. Creber, Richard Day, John Ewing, Maurice Ransford, Lyle Wheeler

REVIEWS:

• In what may be the best remake of a Hitchcock classic, John Brahm's take on the story of Jack the Ripper works because he does not try to mimic Hitchcock, and instead simply makes a solid thriller. Laird Cregar delivers a dominating performance as the mysterious Mr. Slade, who turns out, of course, to be Jack the Ripper. Cregar perhaps overdoes it at times, trying too hard to appear intense and tortured, but overall he gets it right, depicting a man so overwhelmed by his own misogyny that he lashes out against women. More importantly, what really works for The Lodger is Brahm's assured, solid approach to the material. He tells the story with plenty of style, but wisely does not try to make more out of it than is necessary. The psychological basis behind the film's plot is simplistic to say the least, but Brahm keeps the film interesting by making Slade so menacing. He does this by consistently emphasizing Slade's enormous bulk, often filling the frame with Cregar's intimidating presence and having him tower over his co-stars (particularly the victims). He also often frames Slade in a manner to emphasize that he is a prisoner of his own madness. Brahm, of course, is aided immensely by Lucien Ballard's photography, which is both haunting and lush. There is an especially well done scene in which one of the murders is shot from the killer's point of view, and the sequence plays out through the eyes of a trembling, encroaching camera. The solid supporting performances of Sara Allgood and an unrecognizable Cedric Hardwicke are also worth mentioning. The Lodger is no classic, but it is certainly superior to the average studio thriller. ~ Bob Mastrangelo, All Movie Guide
• The Undying Monster is an unfortunately uneven horror film that divides into three parts. There's a good, involving opening, followed by a decidedly dull middle stretch and a ripping climax. This structural inconsistency is a shame, though it's hardly the only failing in the screenplay. The story is at times clumsily told, and the "comedy relief" provided by Heather Thatcher's character is absolutely painful. However, when the writers are left to deal with the supernatural aspect of the piece, it's gripping and quite enjoyable. John Brahm's direction can't reconcile the pedantic middle with the exciting bookends, but when it is on target, it's devilishly good. The cast is uneven, with Heather Angel a standout for her excellent work and Heather Thatcher a standout for the annoyance she causes, and the rest ranging from acceptable to adequate. Where Monster consistently shines is in its atmosphere, thanks largely to Lucien Ballard's fog-filled, shadowy, evocative cinematography, which is constantly inventive -- a nice surprise for a "B" effort like this. The sets are also surprisingly good for a "quickie," and the score effectively plays up the tension. If Monster doesn't belong in the top ranks, its good points are such that horror fans should seek it out for a viewing. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

CUSTOMER REVIEWS: