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Halloween DVD ChoicesBy Chris HydeOctober 28, 2003
In the run up to Halloween 2003, many DVDs of scary bent have surfaced to terrify legions of home viewers. Here's a hair-raising overview of some of the recent ghoulish offerings. With Halloween now one of the biggest retail holidays of the year, the companies that put out DVDs tend to give all sorts of bizarre offerings to their savage public in the weeks leading up to the spookiest day of the year. Recent release schedules have been loaded with many a horrifying disk, and enough of those have found their way into the trick bag that it's time for a run through detailing some of the high profile standouts. So without further ado, here's a recap of some of what's risen up in the night lately around these parts:
Countess Dracula/The Vampire LoversMGM's Midnight Movie double features are usually a nice, cheap treat for any horror fan, and this Ingrid Pitt tandem effort is no exception. In Countess Dracula, Pitt plays an aging upper-class Eastern European woman who discovers that bathing in the blood of virgins will do wonders for her complexion. Vampire Lovers, on the other hand, features the horror star as a woman who preys on the young daughters of nobility and whose lesbian tastes inform her choice of victims. These two later Hammer films are solid entertainment, and would be worth a purchase simply due to the talents of Pitt herself. But MGM has packaged in more extras than you'd ever think you'd get with DVD that can be had for just over $10: the original trailers for both films, a Vampire Lovers photo gallery, Ingrid Pitt reading excerpts of Le Fanu's Carmila and feature-length commentaries for both movies featuring Ingrid as well as the director and writer of each. One of the year's best bargains.
Enchanting ShadowWith the Shaw Brothers now getting some recognition via Quentin Tarantino, it's time that this 1959 effort from the famed siblings also garners some recognition. An adaptation of the same classic tale that inspired A Chinese Ghost Story, this sumptuously filmed story features the exceptionally talented Betty Lo Tih as a spectral presence held under the sway of a more malevolent spirit. The pacing here is a bit on the slow side, but luckily that just gives the viewer the chance to soak up the incredible set design, which is unparalleled. The hyper-real artificial atmosphere that forms the backdrop gives the film an off-kilter feel that underlines the story's eerie qualities just perfectly. Yet another recommended Region 3 release from Celestial Pictures.
Dead & BuriedThe small town of Potter's Bluff seems pretty normal -- just your average seaside community, ocean breezes blowing across the picket fenced yards as fresh faced neighbors go about their business. But in this '80s piece of horror that's now been resurrected by Blue Underground, things are most definitely not what they seem. Local sheriff James Farentino keeps finding bodies, and has a hard time deciphering just why. Nice gore effects from Stan Winston help move this one along, and the always excellent BU extras allow this forgotten '80s gem to shine, most notably in an audio commentary from the director that explicates all kinds of interesting information about the production. I had missed this one in its heyday in the theaters, and it's great that it has resurfaced in this excellent edition.
Sound of HorrorWhile I certainly have reservations about the product that comes from Alpha video, I found myself unable to resist the siren song of a Spanish horror film from the early '60s that stars both Soledad Miranda and Ingrid Pitt. For the most part, the proceedings are standard monster movie stuff, though there are actually occasional flashes of real movie making hidden amongst the B-movie rubble. There's sure enough entertainment value to be had here for the lousy six bucks my copy of this public domain (though that status may be shaky, knowing Alpha) version cost me. I just hope that I didn't forestall anyone doing a nice version of this by buying this cheapie. Note to companies that care: I promise to still buy your restored version with the audio commentaries and extras, even though I have at this point lowered myself to Alpha level.
The GhoulFor long one of the lost pieces of 1930s horror, The Ghoul was made at the height of fame of its erstwhile star, Boris Karloff. Now returning to screens for the first time in decades, the film actually proves to be a bit stodgier than hoped for -- but as a historical artifact it's still one of the premier releases of the year. Restored to glory in a stunning transfer by MGM, this black and white tale of Karloff rising from the dead with the help of the ancient gods of Egypt has enough creepy moments among the tepid melodrama to warrant a long look. While the screenplay is somewhat weak, the cast is for the most part above average -- with a youthful Ralph Richardson holding down the lead and the always excellent Ernest Thesiger as Boris's shady manservant. The archival value of this one more or less outweighs the product itself, but the film is worth the purchase price on that quality alone -- as well as select pre-Code moments and the film's atmospheric air of disquiet.
Ring Virus (Korea)This one has been out for a while in Asia, but just now made its way to my doorstep. A remake of the successful Japanese film The Ring (which was also done Hollywood style), this Korean version of the story supposedly follows the path of the novel a bit more closely than its celluloid brethren. Still, the essence of the story is very much the same: eerie videotape that kills you in a week, mysterious phone calls, freaky psychics, ominous typhoons, etc. The tale unfolds a bit less coherently here, but with the emphasis still on atmosphere and character, the overall execution is pretty much a success. Lead actress Shin Eun-Kyung has fast become a solid presence in Asian film after her work in Im Kwon-taek's Downfallen and subsequent breakthrough performance in the smash hit My Wife Is A Gangster, and she lends Ring Virus a gravity that grounds the offbeat action. Personally I like the Japanese version better than this one, but the Korean Ring has a flavor all its own and is worth seeing in its own right.
UzumakiAnd speaking of Shin Eun-Kyung, here she is again in this odd Japanese manga adaptation about a small Japanese town that comes under the influence of a strange spiral phenomenon. Director Higuchinsky comes to the film from music videos, and it shows in his style -- it's long on wild imagery but somewhat short on anything else of import. Still, the film hangs together decently enough to make it a roller coaster ride worth paying for, and some of the scenes really are quite visually impressive. A mixed bag, but fun in parts and the eye candy is plentiful.
Outer Limits: Season 2Here's the deal: if you can only afford to buy one season of this classic TV show, go for Season 1. It's cheaper per episode, and the Joseph Stefano-produced episodes are undoubtedly superior in both thrills and philosophical depth. Season Two certainly has its merits, though, and while Ben Brady's production efforts often result in more straight-up otherworldly stories, there's still a nice sharp edge to much of the action. So while the overall season is a little more uneven than the first, that shouldn't obscure the fact that there are plenty of standout moments in this set as well. Especially of note is the Harlan Ellison-scripted Demon With A Glass Hand, surely one of the finest hour-long segments of sci-fi television ever made for the puny screen. If you care about genre efforts from this period of American history, there's no question this one should be on your shelf.
Comedy of Terrors/The RavenFor this Midnite Movie double bill, MGM has paired two Richard Matheson scripted efforts, both of which have plenty to recommend them. Comedy of Terrors features Vincent Price with Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Joyce Jameson and Basil Rathbone in a tongue-in-cheek piece directed by horror movie great Jacques Tourneur. Throw in a Les Baxter score, Rhubarb the cat, the legendary Joe E. Brown and a guest appearance by stripper Miss Beverly Hills and you've got a solid 90 minutes of fun. But the next film up on the disk, The Raven, is in fact even better. Played almost entirely for laughs, this one returns Price, Karloff and Lorre in a story that has pretty much no connection at all to Poe's classic poem. Matheson's script is little more than an excuse for the three horror giants of the cast to strut their stuff, but his fine writing tandems with the great cast to produce an immensely enjoyable satiric spoof of the horror genre. A young Jack Nicholson also lends a hand here, and helps create a hilarious tale that is not at all vomitable. And while the two films on their own would be worth a ten spot, the always reliable MGM has piled on Richard Matheson featurettes for each, as well as a Roger Corman bit on the Raven and additional photos and recordings that flesh out this incredible release. Such a deal.
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