Description

For the first time ever, the original The Mummy film comes to DVD in this extraordinary Legacy Collection. Included in the collection is the original classic, starring the renowned Boris Karloff, and four timeless sequels, featuring legendary action Lon Chaney, Jr. and others. These are the landmark films that inspired an entire genre of movies and continue to be major influences on motion pictures to this day ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Adequate Entry into Universal's Classic Monsters DVD Series
Not much has been made out of these new 'double-featurette' Monster set-ups yet. I picked this particular set up at a local store before buying any more. The transfers are very sharp looking and of high quality; there are sure no complaints about how the movies themselves look.

However, sad to say that these are pretty lacking in the cool extras that the original classic Monster releases had - track commentary, mini-documentaries and photo galleries are completely missing. What you do get for extras (assuming this set is indicative of the rest of the 2-for-1 releases) are sparse 'text only' production notes which may hold a little interest for fans; select cast bios and filmography; and vintage trailers for the movies (I do not recall seeing a 'Mummy's Tomb' trailer before so that was kind of cool). And for what little it is worth the jewel-box packaging art/design is also pretty disappointing (...). On the other hand, it is kind of nice of Universal to go for a somewhat more economically minded 'two for the price of one' format with these releases; I guess if they had to sacrifice some of the extras to acheive this.....personally I (like many serious fans) would rather have paid more and seen the documentaries and heard the commentary!

All things considered; the movies themselves are the bottom line and if this set is a fair representation of the rest of the new series, they look great and are definetely worth picking up. Sadly, a lack of cool extras as we had become used to with the original Classic Monsters DVD releases knock these a little bit down from 'Must Own' status.

1940's serial mummy films come to DVD!
Having already purchased these films on VHS, plus "The Mummy Collection" laserdisc box set, I was eager for a DVD release of "The Mummy's Hand" starring Tom Tyler, George Zucco and Peggy Moran (who, very sadly, passed away recently) and "The Mummy's Tomb" starring George Zucco, Turban Bey, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Elyse Knox (Mark Harmon's Mom). Apparently, according to other reviews here, in the first run of this DVD there was a formatting error, with the two features not in the correct order on the DVD top menu or title page. However, it must have been corrected in subsequent runs because when I put the DVD in the player the Title Menu displayed the films correctly and defaulted to the "The Mummy's Hand" (1940) first on the left and displaying "The Mummy's Tomb" (1942), to be watched second, on the right of the screen. Also, I had no problem getting back to the title page menu to watch the second film (and sequel) "The Mummy's Tomb. I used the "Top menu" (or title button some players) button from the menu page with my Toshiba player.
I thought the prints used were in good condition with "Hand" showing a little more wear than "Tomb". The dvd prints seemed almost identical to the Laserdisc edition. Maybe some small further scratches on "The Mummy's Hand", but the film was over 60 years old when the transfer was done (2001) and Universal did a commendable job. There was a scene from "The Mummy's Tomb" that was censored in 1942 and deleted from some theatrical and TV prints as well as the 1993 VHS edition release. Over a minute of the film, where the elderly character actress and Universal player Mary Gordon is strangled by the mummy (Lon Chaney, Jr.) was cut. It was restored to the 1994 Laserdisc box set edition and is included here. The print of "Tomb" was also cleaned up and is in very good condition. Sound restoration work is obvious on the audio tracks of both films. Dolby digital two channel mono English and Spanish soundtracks are included for both movies, plus English and French Subtitles. While light on extras, the dvd is a lot of fun and I am glad these films are available again for kids of all ages.

Horror Clasic's
The Mummy's Tomb, simply put it's more then a classic. Dick Foran, as Steve Banning, wonderful actor, and not forgetting Mr. George Zucco, also, of Sherlock Holmes, 1940's famed classic's. Mummy's Hand, a stand up movie in it's own right. Should I lose this DVD version I now own, I would purchase another! If your a true horror classic fan then this is a movie for you. I love it...

not a sequel
i like all 4 films featuring kharis, the mummy. but why do some reviewers call this a "sequel" or "follow-up" to karloff's 1932 mummy? the kharis films have nothing to do with the 1932 film.

Mummy's Hand a Classic --Mummy's Tomb has its moments
I'm sorry that Universal has stopped producing its deluxe DVD editions of its classic horror films. While it's nice getting two films for the price of one, I would have preferred that several of these films be issued individually with commentaries and a documentary. OK, not all the films in this last batch deserve that treatment but such beloved classics as Son of Frankenstein, Son of Dracula and Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman certainly do. No question The Black Cat should also be released in a deluxe edition (when they get around to releasing it) as it is one of the very greatest of all horror films. I would also argue that The Mummy's Hand is worthy of special treatment as it is a benchmark horror film and easily the best of its series (if you don't include the original The Mummy). For one thing, it established the whole mythology of Kharis and has influenced every mummy film made since. Universal's latest remake starring Brandon Frasier owes more to The Mummy's Hand than it does The Mummy. In fact, it's a remake that follows the 1940 film's storyline very closely. The films features a top-notch cast including George Zucco in what is arguably his most memorable role. The script combines horror and humor in a manner not unlike its 1999 remake. No actor has ever made a more frightening mummy than Tom Tyler - tremendous care was taken with the make-up and optical effects to make him look very ghoulish - and his facial expressions are much more restrained and effective than Chaney or the CGI mummy in the new films. Most of the music is lifted from Frank Skinner's score for Son of Frankenstein however H.J. Salter did contribute a few unforgettable cues that are now indelibly linked with Kharis and his romantic story. Fortunately, the film's lead actress is still with us and I wish Universal had taken advantage of the opportunity to interview Peggy Moran about her memories making this film as well as her other films at Universal in the early 40s. So few actors survive from these films that it seems a shame not to capture their stories on tape if they are willing to do so. Imagine the audio commentary she could have given us! I can't get very excited when it comes to the three Chaney mummy films although here again the studio should have invited Turhan Bey to record his recollections of working on the film. That would have been interesting - probably more so than the film itself. There are individual scenes in these Chaney films that I enjoy watching (the cemetery scenes in Tomb are beautifully done) but I can't sit through them complete without getting a little bored. Still, this is a very good DVD overall despite the lack of extras. I did notice a lot of wear on the print of Mummy's Hand. Maybe it's time Universal restore it. The Mummy's Tomb looked great. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the most engaging features from 20th Century Fox's Holmes series, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is also of historical interest as it based on a hugely popular, early 20th century stage play written by and starring William Gillette. Basil Rathbone cuts a fine figure as the lean, hawkish Great Detective, drawn into a complicated conspiracy by fiendish Dr. Moriarty (George Zucco) to distract Holmes while quietly preparing to steal the Crown Jewels. Nigel Bruce is on board as a buffoonish Dr. Watson, and British-born Ida Lupino is very good, and quite gorgeous, as a young woman who may be the target of a family curse. True-blue Sherlockians know that very little of Gillette's tale, and next to nothing about Zucco's or Bruce's performances, have anything to do with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's sacred canon. Still, this is a handsome production to enjoy on its own terms. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great transfer for good film
Most people either love or hate the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes adventures. Critics always point out that the films bear little resemblance to Doyle's original stories, and this is true of the 12 "modernized" movies that Universal made between 1942-46. But the two 20th Century Fox movies (this one and Hound of the Baskervilles) are different. They were quality productions set during the Victorian era and, even when they altered characters or plots, remained true to the flavor of Doyle's creations. Best of all, Bruce's Watson was not the buffoon that he later became in the Universal pictures.

In my opinion, however, most objections are now irrelevant, thanks to the excellent and faithful adaptations that Britain's Granada television made with Jeremy Brett as Holmes. We can finally approach the Rathbone-Bruce films as typical Hollywood literary adaptations of their era, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is grand entertainment. The atmospheric photography, the eye for period detail, and the charming performances are things that film lovers should not deprive themselves of simply because of the film's lack of faithfulness to Doyle's stories. (Critics should keep in mind that Doyle licensed out his characters to other writers -- and even incorporated their inventions into his own stories!) I won't give away the plot, but suffice it to say that Adventures is one of the best of the Rathbone-Bruce series. (I also like Fox's Hound and Universal's Scarlet Claw.)

MPI has really surprised me with the quality of this transfer. Up until now, they've specialized in documentaries and TV shows, so their work here is very promising. (They own distribution rights to Beckett, and I'd love to see them transfer that to DVD.) The UCLA restoration is great, though please note that a 65-year-old film that's been in the public domain for years is going to show signs of age. The transfer is uniformly good, with the foggy streets of London coming alive. I haven't experienced the pausing problem that other reviewers mentioned.

The extras are very good, the main one being Valley's commentary. He sounds a little stiff at times, but his information is interesting and he genuinely seems to love the film. It's well worth checking out. The picture gallery is less spectacular, since it's filmed and doesn't allow you to browse at will. The re-release trailers for some of the later Universal movies are fun; it's just a shame that they couldn't include the original trailer for Adventures. Maybe it doesn't exist any more....

Verdict: Highly recommended as an introduction to the Rathbone-Bruce series, especially if you can grab this one on sale.

Basil Rathbone returns as the Great Detective
Released in September 1939, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" is 20th Century Fox's near perfect follow-up to "The Hound of the Baskervilles" from the same triumphant year. Though the credits acknowledge William Gillette's famous play as the source, the story pitting Holmes and Dr. Watson against arch-fiend Professor Moriarty is wholly original.

What makes the film so memorable, aside from its successful recreation of the gaslight ambiance of London's Victorian Era, is the perfection of Basil Rathbone in his second go-round as the Great Detective. Rathbone even performs a song and dance (in disguise) in this adventure, and gets to keep company (platonically, of course) with the beautiful Ida Lupino.

Mary Gordon is on hand as Mrs. Hudson, a role she would reprise in all 12 of the Universal films to come, and Nigel Bruce, though not true to Conan Doyle's vision, is a delightful Dr. Watson. And few actors were better equipped to play Moriatry than the devilish George Zucco who would match wits with Holmes again (though not as the diabolical professor) in Universal's "Sherlock Holmes in Washington."

If "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" is not quite as impressive as the preceding "Hound," it is faster paced and generally more entertaining. A good show all-around.

Brian W. Fairbanks

a classic
As a child, my winter Saturday afternoons would not be complete without an old black-and-white murder mystery on TV. Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, what a treasure trove to have them all coming back out on DVD, as clear as they were when the original audiences fell in love with them in the 30's and 40's. Bruce's Watson is overplayed for today's sophisticated audience, but like the memory of a loveable grandfather I find myself enjoying him all over again. Those too young to know, who are used to explosions and gore, find it difficult perhaps to understand this 'kinder, gentler' era of detective story. And Hollywood did take a lot of latitude with this series, especially when they 'updated' Holmes to the 40's. So this one (and Hound) - which remains in the original Victorian era - remains the best of them: a damsel in distress, a 'creepy' funeral dirge, a family curse, the jewels in the tower of London, Moriarity and his orchids, and Rathbone singing and dancing a music hall number. What more do you want for fifteen dollars?

For fans of Holmes, a must see
Who wouldn't want to share the adventures of Mr. Sherlock Holmes? To live in fog-bound, gas-lit, Victorian London? To hear footsteps coming up the 17 stairs to knock at the door of the world's greatest consulting detective? To ride in a hansom cab to a mystery? This movie, the first of the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce pairing captures all of that. Escapism at its finest.

I Couldn't give it Half a star, so I gave it 1
I would have only given this movie half a star if I could, and that is because I can use the DVD case for my other CDs.
The movie is so irritatingly silly, that I couldn't bring myself to see it again.
Now, I should tell you that, I am a Sherlock Holmes fan and have read all of the stories and have all of the box collections by Jeremy Brett, and that is why when I chanced upon this one I didn't hesitate to buy it.
What a mistake I made.
The movie does its best to portray a man that is as far as possible from Sherlock Holmes, and yet they call him Sherlock Holmes!
From the very first moment that you meat "Holmes" when he is "trying to find the correct note with his violin that would irritate the flies", which is simply against the very simple fact that "Sherlock Holmes never knows anything or does anything, which is not directly connected with his line of work", to the moment that he fails at every step to clearly see the thing that is really going on (this by the way could be related to the incredibly dull plot of the story, but it does little to improve the character of the great detective), we see a figure which is anyone but Sherlock Holmes.
The above description would suffice to realize how Watson may be presented. Yes the local buffoon.
All this is simply against every intellectually interesting point that attracts the reader to Sherlock Holmes.
And at the end, to magnify that which is already a disaster, the plot of the story takes away the only possible surprising feature of the story, (which is one of the intriguing aspects of Doyle's genius in creating each of Holmes' stories), when they reveal to us plainly, what the one, Professor Moriarty, is planning to do, in his own words.

In sum, I wonder if this movie even deserves the half star that I had considered for it, because not only the movie was a complete disaster, it inflicted upon a unique figure in the history of literature such a stain that takes away the shine of even that half star. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Of the many film versions of Victor Hugo's novel, this classic from Hollywood's golden year of 1939 remains the best, rivaled only by the 1923 silent version starring Lon Chaney. In his triumphant attempt to create a performance as memorable as Chaney's, Charles Laughton played the lovelorn Parisian hunchback Quasimodo under a disfiguring costume and gruesome makeup that rendered the actor almost unrecognizable. The result is a gripping and heartfelt portrayal of the misshapen bell ringer who falls desperately in love with the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda (played by Maureen O'Hara). The lavish production also greatly benefits from exquisitely moody black-and-white cinematography, brilliant medieval set design, and the atmospheric direction by German expatriate William Dieterle, whose style was heavily influenced by German films of the era. The DVD release includes the original theatrical trailer plus an additional audio track with authoritative commentary by film historian Paul Mandell. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Laughton is Amazing
Charles Laughton is one of the great actors of all time. Watching this version of Vitor Hugo's novel it is not hard to see why. Laughton looks like he was born to play Quasimodo, the deaf and disfigured bell keeper of Notre Dome Cathedral. Wearing heavy face make up and a body suit, Laughton literally transformed himself to play the part. This novel has been adapted several times for the screen , but this is the best one. The performances are on the whole excellent. Particularly Cedric Hardwicke as the cold Chief Justice of Paris. Maureen O'Hara also gives a strong performance as Esmeralda. The direction of William Dieterle is very good, although he concentates a little too much on the subplots at times. On the whole this is an excellent film, that despite it's age, hardly seems dated. The story is a timeless classic and so is this film. Watch it just for Laughton's performance.

Grim,filled with pathos and terrific acting!!
This version of "THoND" is in my opinion,the best ever made.Charles Laughton epitomizes all the sadness,frustration and anguish the Hunchback feels when he falls in love with the beautiful Gypsy girl who showed him kindness..The supporting cast is wonderful,with Sir Cedric Hardwicke excelling as the Chief Justice who falls under the spell of the lovely Gypsy girl,Esmeralda,played gently and kindly by Maureen O'Hara.
When you begin watching this movie, you forget it is Charles Laughton.The make-up he wears is grotesque,and he is unrecognizable,but even through all the make up you can feel the gut-wrenching emotions he so ably portrays to the viewer.
Any classic film lover will most certainly already have this masterpiece on his/her DVD shelf.If you don't already have it,please give it a try.You will not be disappointed.Then,after you watch it,check out"The Beauty and the Beast," by Jean Cocteau,1948.Another classic love story not to be missed.

Hugo's Hunchback: Outer Ugliness Hides Inner Beauty
When director William Dieterle transformed Victor Hugo's THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME to fit the big screen, he succeeded in capturing the power and sweep of an age that was characterized by individual examples of humanity lost in a sea of inhumanity. Much has been said about the universality of the Beauty and the Beast theme that has marked many past and future books, movies, and television series. Here, Dieterle makes use of the considerable talents of Charles Laughton as Quasimodo, Maureen O'Hara as Esmeralda and Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Frollo, all of whom play out their lives against a brute Parisian government that seemed determined to crush any opposition. One of the less acknowledged aspects of the Beauty versus Beast contrast is the theme that the beauty of Esmeralda and the beastiness of Quasimodo are not limited to those two alone. The very system that wrecks the lives of the poverty-stricken populace puts on a facade of saintliness that makes its inner core of corrupt ugliness all the more stark.

O'Hara's Esmeralda is sweetness personified. She is a lovely gypsy woman who unhappily catches the eye of a lecherous Chief Prosecutor, sanctimoniously played by Hardwicke, who commits a murder only to frame Esmeralda, who has rejected his advances. Hardwicke plays the Chief Prosecutor in a way that brings to mind every corrupt official who has ever been caught with his hand in the till. He sees nothing wrong with using the full weight of his office to humiliate and condemn a woman who has done nothing to deserve this. Enter Quasimodo, a hunchbacked and deaf bell ringer whose appearance frightens others to the same extent that Esmeralda's captivates these same others. Early on, she takes pity on him by giving him water after a savage lashing. Later, he shows that his inner being is far more decent and sensitive than the hypocrites that cry out for his blood. The trial that condemns Esmeralda as a murderous witch says a great deal more about the repressed ugliness of the judges even as they mouth pious and empty phrases that can only caricature but not capture the spirit of their criminal justice system, which in any event, stacks the deck against anyone whom the church accuses of misdeeds. Frollo's perfect diction,his sonorous phrasing, and his impressive robes linger in the audience's mind as a truly terrifying symbol of evil. The people of Paris themselves have two faces as well. As Quasimodo is being whipped, nearly every voice is raised against him. The mob of Paris was as unthinking then as when, centuries later, Madame Guillotine lopped off countless heads during the French Revolution. Yet, these same Parisians could storm a church where they mistakenly believed the King's soldiers were headed to arrest Esmeralda and take her for hanging. The theme of outer appearances hiding its inner opposites makes an unexpected appearance when Quasimodo intervenes and kills many of these same Parisians who want only to save Esmeralda from the King's soldiers who have been given new orders to save her. The final scenes of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME are full of unforgettable savageries made even more unforgettable by their lack of necessity. Quasimodo laughs maniacally as he repells the church door crashing mob. At the end, only Esmeralda finds a measure of closure as she is reunited with her lover. But for Quasimodo, all he has is the certainty that Esmeralda is safe from the rampaging mob, the lecherous criminal justice system, and an uncaring royal army. Quasimodo's closing line as he addresses the stone gargoyles atop the bells of his beloved church--"Why can't my heart be as stony as thee"--well evokes the paradox that often virtue comes with a high price tag. For good-hearted men--even human gargoyles like him, Quasimodo emerges as a man whose humanity dwarfs all those around him.

Good movie
Charles Laughton's performance of Quasimodo is excellent, instilling not only sympathy for the character, but also a sense of how the character's deformity caused him to be abused by not only the common people, but by a clergyman also.

It's not really fair to compare this version with the Lon Chaney silent. Chaney's performance is the stuff of legend, but this version is excellent. The visual quality is much better. The Chaney version is a classic, but it was a one-man show practically. Laughton's version has many fine performances by other actors also.

Recommended

Movie acting doesn't get any better than this!
Charles Laughton delivers what is,unequivocally, one of Hollywood's greatest performances. His "Quasimodo" embodies all of an actor's craft. Hidden and hard unrecognizable under heavy makeup, the performer manages to convey the spectrum of human emotion.

A young Maureen O'Hara as the beautiful "Esmeralda" and Sir Cedric Hardwicke as the sinister "Frollo" are equally as mesmerizing.

Acting 101 should make this required viewing and no film library is complete without it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Double feature - double pleasure
"Monsieur Beaucaire" (1946), this is Bob Hope at a top performance for a Costume Comedy at the style of "The princess & the pirate". The action occurs in the courts of France and Spain, nations on the verge of war. Bob Hope is Monsieur Beaucaire, the King Louis XV's barber forced to impersonate a duc named Le Chandre, or lose his head. At the same time, in Madrid, the traitorus Don Francisco commander of the spanish Army, wants to prevent the upcoming marriage of Le Chandre with Maria (a Spanish princess) and plans eliminate a Bob Hope, in order to destabilize the crown, unleashing a war between the countries. At the end, we see a Bob avoid the homicidal plans with lots of comic situations and gags. Very very Funny!

"Where There's Life" (1947), a year later Bob had a royal performance, when he is convinced by the General Katrina Grimovitch (Signe Hasso) that he is the heir of Barovia, and must ascend to the throne in order to let organized the fist democratic election in the country avoiding that an evil organization take the control. Of course this is a good excuse
for persecutions and gags of all kind. Very funny (only?).

This double feature disc represents a good value for Hope's fans and for all who want an inexpesive laugh now or later.

GREAT movie and DVD
Because I was only looking for "Monsieur Beaucaire", I was reluctant to buy this disc (it is only one disc not two) but I did and was pleasantly surprised by the hidden treasure "Where There's Life."

"Monsieur Beaucaire" is often seen on TV and is Bob Hope at his best. If you liked "Princess and The Pirate" then you will enjoy this title.

"Where There's Life" rarely shows on TV and is one of those movies you remember seeing, enjoying but just can't remember the title. It is a Hope "GEM" with an ensemble cast that delievers a wonderful movie. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Two Good Paramount films of the 1940s
Both of these films represent the type of film Paramount was famous for in the 1940s: brash, energetic, we're-all-in-on-the-joke type comedies that appealed to young men and women of that era.

My favorite of the two is "Star Spangled Rhythm." Make no mistake, this is no more a Bob Hope film than it was a Bing Crosby film when it was marketed as one on VHS in the 1990s. This is more an Eddie Bracken-Betty Hutton film, but also features every star on the Paramount lot during World War Two. This is by far one of the most bizzare films anyone will ever see, with a convoluted plot featuring a Navy man who thinks his dad runs Paramount, but who, in reality, is the security guard at the front gate. So.... the first half of the film deals with trying to keep that secret from Eddie Bracken, while at the same time trying to convince the Paramount stars to perform in a show for the Navy. Along the way, there are plenty of breezy and brash musical numbers that totally epitomize the Paramount musical comedy of the war era. Then, the second half of the film is the actual show they put on, while trying to hide everyone from the "real" head of Paramount. These skits are hit and miss. Some work, others don't. But the kicker is the patriotic finale featuring Bing.

As noted before, this is the most bizarre film I've ever seen, but it's one that I really love despite, or maybe because of its unbelievably strange nature.

Breakthrough Hope Classics...
Bob Hope had for some time said on his radio show that Madeleine Carroll was his "favorite blonde". The actress called to thank him, and a movie pairing soon followed. A parody of spy films (most notably "The 39 Steps"), the film delivers the laughs as British agent Carroll evades the Nazi bad guys with unwilling help from a penguin-toting vadevillian performer played by Hope.

Gale Sondergaard plays the spy chief with a prerequisite dose of iciness. Sadly, she isn't featured as much as one could wish, but her henchmen fit the bill as the heavies.

"Star Spangled Rhythm" is a welcome, but odd inclusion on the disc. The story is a classic screwball comedy mixed with a dose of "Stage Door Canteen". Unfortunately, the numbers in the big show not only defy logic (the size and scope of the production is rediculously larger than believability can allow), but on top of that, they are mostly dull, overlong, and uninspiring.

The majority of the big names touted in the credits are more or less confined to appearing in the big morale show, save for two nice turns by Cecil B. DeMille and Preston Sturges. Bing Crosby is limited to what amounts to an extended cameo, while Bob Hope fares little better. Only two numbers really stand out from the show. One is a nice number with Paulette Goddard, Dorothy Lamour, and Veronica Lake in "A Sweater, A Sarong, and a Peek-a-boo Bang". The title refers to the famous trademarks of each star (Goddard's sexy sweaters, Lamour's island-movie sarongs, and Lake's vision-obscuring hairdoo). The other number is the balletic winter dance sequence in which a GI dreams about his girl back home.

"If Men Played Cards As Women Do" is a Vadevillian piece that was first performed back in 1929, and unfortunately, shows its dated quality. By today's standards, the characters come off as simply "femme" given the subtlety of the act. The point of the skit is similar to that commercial where burly men say things like, "Do these jeans make me look fat?" Of course Ray Milland and Fred MacMurry, et al, are lots of fun, but the skit just doesn't hold up.

Back on the Paramount lot, however, there's a fun number about defense workers called "Swing Shift". And then there's an interesting scene where Betty Hutton tries to gain access to the Paramount lot by literally going over the wall, with next to no help whatsoever from a pair of helpful passerbys.

While Bob does emcee the big event, and helps Betty with some of her scheming, he isn't really the star here. As such, the film, while nice to have, is kind of out of place in the Bob Hope Tribute Collection.

Either way, it's a good disc for Bob fans. Production notes and trailers are included for each picture. ... Read more

Description

SHERLOCK HOLMES IN WASHINGTON
Digitally Restored in 35mm
The master detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his faithful cohort Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) are back, preserved and digitally restored in 35mm to original condition by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. This newly restored version of the classic film includes the period war bond tag, studio logo and credits from its original theatrical release. Filled with ominous shadows and interesting camera angles, the visual beauty of the film in 35mm is stunning.

A British secret service operative, carrying top-secret microfilm from England to Washington, disappears while traveling to his destination.Fearing for his safety just before his disappearance, he passes the microfilm, ingeniously hidden, to another passenger on the train without her knowing.The agent is reported missing and Sherlock Holmes is called in to investigate.

Filmed during World War II, SHERLOCK HOLMES IN WASHINGTON pits Holmes and Watson against Nazi enemy agents.The British government asks Holmes and Watson go to Washington to recover the missing documents before they fall into the wrong hands, which would be disastrous for England and her allies.Holmes is up against an international ring of spies in a race against time to piece together the clues and discover the whereabouts of the microfilm before it is too late.Preserved and restored in 35mm by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Classic Sherlock Holmes
I loved this entry in the series. It was full of pithy, classic, Holmes deductions and Watson wise cracks. I enjoyed the other two WWII movies that were part of the Sherlock Holmes series and highly recommend this one as well. I thought it was excellent!!!! This movie is homeschooler friendly!

Enjoyable curio
Other than "Dressed to Kill," the last entry in Universal's 12 film Sherlock Holmes series, "Sherlock Holmes in Washington" may be the weakest effort but it remains an enjoyable curio.

In this third film, the attempt to update Holmes for the 20th century reached its zenith as the producers sent the great detective into the very center of the New World, Washington D.C., in another episode devoted to espionage and criminal activity related to World War II. The novelty is tolerable if only because we know there are less gimmicky, superior entries to come, but anyone whose love of Holmes came from the original Conan Doyle stories rather than the film adaptations will wince at this film more than any other. Basil Rathbone entertainingly overplays the role this time, and with his eccentric hairstyle and wardrobe looks less like Sherlock Holmes than my tenth grade high-school English teacher, the one everyone suspected of being gay (not that there's anything wrong with that).

What makes this entry worthwhile, aside from the always entertaining emoting of Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (more bumbling than ever as he discovers the Sunday newspaper comics and chewing gum) is the supporting cast. The superb George Zucco, whose Satanic presence enlivened many a B horror movie and who already appeared as Professor Moriarty in 20th Century Fox's "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," comes slithering back, not as Moriarty but as another demented creature, and Henry Daniell, who would be the best Moriarty of all (in Basil Rathbone's opinion, as well as mine) in "Woman in Green," is also on hand with his share of villainy.

This film may have greatest value for history buffs and sociologists than for Holmes fans, however. It remains fascinating to see how a major Hollywood film studio converted a beloved literary figure into a special agent as a way to contribute to the United States' propaganda campaign during WWII.

A Big Country, Watson, and a Small Match Folder
When I was a wee lad steeped in Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories, this movie struck me as plain awful. It was painful to see Sherlock as a tourist in a wildly inappropriate DC milieu (the back-projected crazy quilt of Washington monuments on his drive around town makes it seem the chauffeur is on crack), spouting pax Americana patriotism and even paying tribute to the crime-fighting superiority of the FBI (??!!). Nigel Bruce was a particular affront as a doddering Dr. Watson, noisily sucking down ice cream sodas and struggling to read 30 pages on a 10-hour transatlantic flight.

But time has been kind to "SH in Washington." This was the first of these movies written by Bertram Millhauser, who always came up with witty dialogue for Rathbone and Bruce and snarky bits of malice for the supporting cast. Basil Rathbone gives a hopped-up performance as Holmes, barking out ludicrously improbable deductions and even reprising his Louis XI imitation as a limp-wristed "eccentric" collector. There is a small gem of a performance from Gerald Hamer (unbilled, sadly) as the master spy who sets the plot in motion -- he gives the movie a few whiffs of danger, intrigue and poignance. And it's hard to dislike a movie with two Moriartys: silky sadist Henry Daniell and glittery-eyed psycho George Zucco. By the way, the suspense hinges on the fate of a fast-dwindling book of matches, so if you're trying to quit smoking, this is not the movie for you.

Washington never looked so good!
I am writing this pre-review to express my Great Expectations and excitement over the upcoming DVD release of the 14 Sherlock Holmes movies made by Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.
For those of us who have loved and worn out our VHS versions of these films, I am sure that I speak for many of us in expressing incredible anticipation and near shock that someone has finally recognized the need to release a "restored version" of these timeless classics.
We are told that they have been "Preserved and restored in 35mm by the UCLA Film and Television Archive." This is marvelous and I have already pre-ordered Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 from MPI Home Video.
I so hope that the entire 14 movies, are ultimately released in restored condition. Especially the rarest of them, "The Scarlet Claw" which has rarely been shown on televison and only been available on VHS sporadically.
To me and many others I know, Basil Rathbone is the definative Holmes. Not just because he looks alarmingly similar -as much as is humanly possible- to Sidney Pagets drawings of Holmes from the Strand Magazine illustrations, but mostly we love Rathbone because he portrayed the same Holmes that we as readers get through the buffer of Dr. Watson explaining away not magnifying Holmes' shortcomings.
Jeremy Brett chose to amplify every negative aspect of Holmes' personality that in the written versions Watson explained away. Rathbone's Holmes has been demeaned visciously over the past years and hopefully the respect and dignity that he gave his portrayals will be seen in all their accuracy and glory with these new digitally restored releases. ... these will have to be the best quality versions of these classics ever released...so for all of us who have cursed the incomprehensibly awful releases of these films over the years...our time has almost come. Show your support for this effort by ordering a restored version of American Film Histroy.
Much Thanks to UCLA, MPI, and Whoever was ultimately responsible for the idea of doing this!!!!

Sherlock Holmes in Washington
None of these Rathbone/Bruce movies are a very accurate representation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, but I find them enjoyable nevertheless. I always enjoy seeing Rathbone and Bruce in the roles of Holmes and Watson although neither of them would win any awards for accuracy. I found "Sherlock Holmes in Washington" to be one of the more enjoyable films in the series. I love the scene where Holmes is in the antique store even though he makes a mistake that the Holmes in Doyle's stories never would have made. I would recommend this movie as long as you don't mind something that's not very faithful to the canon. If you're looking for something more faithful then I would suggest the Jeremy Brett series (which I also love). ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Good Suspense Thriller
Done in a film-noir style, this movie is entertaining with a neat plot twist. Lucille Ball looks lovely and does a good job as the dancer who ecomes a police decoy to catch a killer. She has great chemistry with George Sanders (it was rumored they had a real-life affair). Boris Karloff also has a small part as a crazy fashion designer. If you're a Lucy fan, you'll want to own this movie.

PERSONAL COLUMN
A long over-looked suspence thriller by the once highly esteemed Douglas Sirk - his films of the fifties were better known - i.e. MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION & IMITATION OF LIFE, et. al. I just recently viewed this film last week and now realise my previous review didn't do it justice. Lucy gave a surprisingly good dramatic performance as an American taxi-dancer working in London. La Ball helps the police catch a madman who's out on the loose by posing as a decoy! Lucy co-stars with the elegantly sinister George Sanders and Charles Coburn is super in his offbeat role as Inspecter Temple. George Sanders (as a trivia note, Lucy and Sanders supposedly had a brief affair during this time) is exceedingly suave as Robert Fleming, Sandra's protective nightclub owner boyfriend. Ball, who had already appeared in dozens of films by this time, displays the inimitable spark which she would ignite into dynamite four years later doing I LOVE LUCY. The supporting cast is quite good : Boris Karloff, Sir Cedric Hardwicke and George Zucco. Our Lucyball even gets to sing! (alas, she is dubbed by Annette Warren).

"I was on guard against everyone except myself."
In the Douglas Sirk film "Lured" a series of young girls disappear after responding to personal ads. The killer taunts Scotland Yard by sending poems describing the girl and announcing the upcoming murder. The police are left with a handful of clues--the personal ads, the flaws of the typewriter used for the poems, and the fact that the killer has a penchant for Baudelaire.

Sandra Carpenter (Lucille Ball) plays an unflappable dance-hall girl whose friend is the latest victim of the killer. Inspector Temple (Charles Coburn) recruits Sandra to operate undercover through the personal ads. Sandra meets a lot of peculiar men through the ads, and soon she's juggling dates with bizarre dress designer Charles van Druten (Boris Karloff) and smooth playboy Robert Fleming (George Sanders).

This is an interesting role for Lucille Ball. Here she's worldly-wise and savvy to every pick-up line in the book. Inspector Temple sagaciously assesses Sandra's character and realizing she can handle men effectively, he adds her talent to his investigation. Lucille Ball fans will be pleasantly surprised by her role in "Lured," and Douglas Sirk fans should enjoy the film too. The characters are well defined, and the plot kept my attention throughout. It's in glorious black and white, and that complements the story and the setting--displacedhuman

Lucille Ball as a beautiful detec¿ive
"Lured" is a forgotten thriller of a movie, starring Lucille Ball as an American in London who helps Scotland Yard capture a serial killer. The subtle plotting is fast-paced and satisfying. Ball sparkles with wit and sophistication and makes the movie special.

You will be kept in suspense until the very end. If you know Ball only through her most famous manifestation as zany Lucy Ricardo, this movie will reveal her ability to fulfill a dramatic/romantic role. Although the real-life chemistry that sizzled between Ball and Desi Arnaz on the tv show is missing here, the supporting cast is splendid, and the city of London as it was in the 40s provides an interesting backdrop. Highly recommended.

not a typical Lucy movie
this is not your typical Lucy movie. but dont get me wrong it was still very good. its good to see that Lucille Ball can do something besdies comide. even though comdey is what she is remembered for. this movie is deffinitly recommened for a lucy fan or a murder mystry fan or both of that matter. it keeps you guessing until the very end. you think its one thing but they throw a cerve ball and its the total oppisite. i'm going to tell you what you can expect because then you wont get it. but i would recommend it. ... Read more

Description

The 12 Chilling Classic Movies features hours of chilling entertainment digitally re-mastered on three double-sided DVDs.Begin a library of Classic Feature Films with stars like Bela Lugosi, Rex Lease, Ginger Rogers, Boris Karlof, George Zucco, Tamio Kawaji, Don Sullivan and The Ritz Brother.Including features:The Monster Walks,Monster from a Prehistoric Planet,The Gorilla,A Shriek in the Night,The Giant Gila Monster,The Fatal Hour,Dead Men Walk,The MadMonster,Black Dragons, Invisible Ghost, One Body Too Many & White Zombie. ... Read more

Description

Dead Men Walk--In dead men walk we are treated to two George Zucco's, as he plays twin brothers; one being a doctor, and the other a student of the occult. Dwight Frye plays the vampire’s assistant.Frye would later go on to fame as Renfield in the classic Tod Browning version of Dracula. Monster Maker--Mad Scientist J. Carrol Naish exacts his revenge by injecting victims with acromegaly.Also stars future Frankenstein Glenn Strange. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Chilling Fun!
Well worth the money.These two lesser known horror features from the forties are just the thing to satisfy those looking for vintage chills.
Fun movies, well presented.
Lets see more like this on DVD.

Two of Sam Newfield's better horror cheapies on one DVD
Volume 8 of Horror Classics presents a pair of horror cheapies from director Sam Newfield, who turned out 23 films just in 1943. One of those was "Dead Men Walk," which stars George Zucco and Dwight "Renfield" Frye in a tale of science, the occult and vampires. Zucco plays Dr. Lloyd Clayton and his deceased twin brother, the evil magician Elwyn. Frye is Zolarr, Elwyn's hunchbacked servant who accuses Lloyd of Elwyn's murder. The doctor claims it was self-defense. But even from beyond the grave, Elwyn's evil reaches out to Lloyd's niece Gayle (Mary Carlisle) and her fiance Dr. David Bentley (Nedrick Young). It does not get more basic than this and the whole thing is crammed into 67 minutes of horrific fun. Newfield made "Monser Maker" in 1944 and this is clearly the better flick of the pair. This is a gruesome 62-minute film about mad scientist Dr. Igor Markoff, played by J. Carrol Naish, who infects his victims with the acromegaly virus that cause gross deformities. Ralph Morgan plays victim Anthony Lawrence and Glenn Strange, who would go on to play the Frankenstein monster for the first time that same year, plays Markoff's giant-size henchman, Steve. There are some tacky moments involving a gorilla, but there are a couple of real shocks here. It is nice to see that the heritage of B-Movies is being preserved on DVD, especially the schlock put out by PRC.

DEAD MEN WALK and THE MONSTER MAKER make a fun time!
Roan Archival presents perhaps one of its most entertaining, if not distateful, volumes of "Horror Classics" devoted to preserving the "Poverty Row" pictures of Monogram and PRC. THE MONSTER MAKER is a particularly enjoyable (if not tasteful) hour of sick fun. J. Carrol Naish is superb as Dr. Markoff, a specialist in an elepantitis-like disease. Markoff uses his knowledge to gain control of his foes. In this particular story, he desires the hand of the daughter of brilliant pianist Frank Morgan. When Morgan refuses, he is injected with a virus that turns him into a deformed mess. When Naish discovers a cure, he uses it as a bargaining tool in a very sick and twisted way. This particular films is full of "mad scientist" cliches, yet I couldn't help but be utterly enthralled, especially by the higher-grade casting. As for the techincal side of this film, the print is a better than average one in quality. For the most part, THE MONSTER MAKER looks and sounds beautiful. But like most Poverty Row flicks, it is met with scrathes, speckled and at least one minor film jump. These are not distracting, however. The other side of the disc contains the campy DEAD MEN WALK with menacing George Zucco and the brilliant Dwight Frye (1931 DRACULA). What we have here is basically DRACULA told for the umpteenth time. The similarities in plot and in characters are oh so obvious. What saves this film are superb performances by Zucco as twins (one, if you haven't guessed, is cursed with VAMPIRISM!)and by Dwight Frye in one of his final roles. As for the technical side of this film, you get about the same quality as MONSTER MAKER print wise. DEAD MEN WALK seems to be more frequented by scracthes, splotches and speckles and a couple of film jumps, but overall its not distracting. Both films have attractive menus that are easy to navigate. This is definitely a GREAT value and highly recommended to those interested in this genre ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Thumbs up on this one, Alpha Video!
This overlooked gem arrived courtesy of PRC (Producers Releasing Corporation) in February of 1945. The film stars The Maddest Doctor of Them All (Lionel Atwill) coupled with the formidable talent of The Man with Neon Eyes (George Zucco). At the very beginning of this film we also spot actor Ian Keith who was under strong consideration to portray the evil Count in Universal Pictures' landmark DRACULA of 1931; additionally the same studio was considering Keith to portray Count Dracula in their 1948 monsterfest ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN! Along with this actor appears Jerome Cohen, who had previously worked as Bogart's partner in THE MALTESE FALCON (1941). Veda Ann Borg and Jacqueline DeWit fill out the rest of the cast, looking fetching and keep the action going.

Alpha Video has surprised this reviewer with a DVD of some better quality, the only problem being the extremely contrasty shots and scenes here and there. When the film goes dark, the picture is nearly midnight, which is unfortunate in that this product looks superior in every way to the VHS tape version issued by Liberty Home Video back in 1997. Certainly the folks at Alpha Video have access to an enormous amount of product and need the assurance that most of us would welcome better quality at a few dollars more. Once again their cover art is unsurpassed yet at the retail price of $7.95 most of us would rather go for quality over quantity.

FOG ISLAND is an enjoyable retelling of "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie with a dash of Universal Pictures' HORROR ISLAND as a vehicle for the talents of Atwill and Zucco. These two appeared in two other pictures together: HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1944) and another entitled THREE COMRADES (1938). An old dark house tale transposed to an island, the film is somewhat stage bound yet conveys a charm and innocence all its own. Of course the manor on the edge of the sea is equipped with sliding panels, secret passageways, skulls, suits of armor, an imposing organ and the requisite phony psychic dispensing astrological advice, actress DeWitt in a turban! This actress had specialized playing hard-boiled floozies and the like and she's very amusing here!

Zucco stars as Leo Grainger who has summoned a group of shady characters who had framed him years before. Of course he has arranged for the timely demise of each of the half-dozen or so victims-to-be in the appropriately spooky seaside manor. Atwill portrays Alec Ritchfield with his usual villainous style. A year after this film, the great Lionel passed away; no other actor in film history has come along to dethrone him nor does this reviewer believe one ever shall. Hollywood lost one of its great originals of all time.

The musical score by Karl Hajos is atmospheric and punctuates perfectly the nefarious activities throughout. The composer's output was phenomenally prolific but one should note and give credit to Hajos as he scored the immortal WEREWOLF OF LONDON for Universal in 1935!

Director Terry O. Morse was also responsible for helming the American version of GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS (1954), UNKNOWN WORLD (1951), SHADOWS OVER CHINATOWN (1946) and BRITISH INTELLIGENCE (1940). Morse wore a number of hats in the industry and acted as Editor on such memorable genre projects as ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS (1964) and CURUCU, BEAST OF THE AMAZON (1955).

The DVD is in divine black and white, clocks in at 70 minutes and has six chapter stops. The sole extra is the Alpha Video catalogue in its entirety, fully showcasing the spectacular artwork of their product. Thumbs up on this one, Alpha Video!

Slow start. Wild finish.
Leering butlers. Eyes in the window. Secret passageways. And yes...fog all around...A group of people are invited to a remote Florida island by the owner, Leo Grainger. He wants to punish the person responsible for murdering his wife. At the spooky mansion, with it's booby traps and hidden skeletons, the visitors are killed off one-by-one....A direct remake of 1941's "Horror Island", "Fog Island" is PRCs low-budget version of "10 Little Indians". Fans of horror-film stars George Zucco and Lionel Atwill will relish the over-the-top performances. Zucco and Atwill appeared together in only three films. Lionel Atwill was a Broadway star in the 1920's. Entering movies, he co-starred in Warners' 1935 "Captain Blood". But a messy personal scandal in 1942 left him employable by only Universal Pictures and lowly PRC. Lionel Atwill's climactic scenes in "Fog Island"'s watery finale are almost grisly. Just one year later, Atwill died of cancer and pneumonia while shooting the serial "Lost City of the Jungle". 1945's "Fog Island" also features Hollywood veteran Jerome Cowan. IMDB lists "Fog Island" at 1.37:1 aspect ratio 35mm. But this brand new DVD is closer to a 1.33:1 16mm source. Digital filtering has produced a generally crisp, clean transfer. But the source print contains blotches, clips, and a sub-par soundtrack. ("What did he say?") The DVD has 6 skimpy chapters and a catalog. Movie fans of Zucco and Atwill will take the boat-ride to murky "Fog Island". But for the rest, an enticing title brings very few shocks and frankly, litte interest.

Atmpspheric standout
Ultra-low budget production company PRC managed to create real atmosphere thanks to decent sets and a uniformly excellent cast, toplined by Zucco and Atwill. Even the romantic leads are not wooden, as is so often the case. The storyline, although a bit over the top, none the less zips right along, holding one's interest until the darkly happy ending.

Creepy!!
In this 1945 film starring George Zucco and Lionel Atwill is about an island mansion that terrorizes it's visitors.This is one creepy must see Movie!!

Enjoy a most interesting night on Fog Island
Based on the play "Angel Island" by Bernadine Angus, Fog Island is an interesting but somewhat problematic suspense thriller from 1945. Leo Grainer (George Zucco) has retreated to the isolated confines of the aptly named Fog Island after being released from prison. As the movie begins, he is accompanied by his step-daughter Gail (played by the lovely Sharon Douglas), whose mother was murdered during Grainer's time in jail. Grainer blames five of his former partners and employees for framing him for embezzlement and then killing his wife in an attempt to find the loot they are sure Grainer has hidden somewhere. He now invites these individuals to the island, convinced they will come in hopes of finding the loot they still seek, but Grainer is not planning on showing his guests a delightful time. These guests include three men, his former secretary, and a female psychic; in place of one invitee is the deceased man's son who comes mainly to renew his acquaintance with Gail. Grainer provides each guest with a clue to what they suppose to be the loot, and a night of sneaking around, mutual spying, arguing, distrust, and malice ensues. I had trouble following the story at a few points; a great deal of the action takes place in the dark, and the print of the movie is so bad that I often had trouble seeing what was going on. I am happy to say that I was not let down by the ending, although things did not go quite the way I had expected. There is really nothing frightening here, but the movie does generate a decent level of suspense; your mind will be engaged throughout just trying to figure out what the heck is really going on. Lionel Atwill and George Zucco are familiar names to fans of classic horror of the 30s and 40s, and their contribution, combined with Sharon Douglas' obvious appeal, do much to make Fog Island an enjoyable viewing experience still today. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Released in 1943 by the low-budget outfit Producers Releasing Corporation, The Black Raven offers what amounts to a watered-down "old dark house" mystery. George Zucco is in top form as Amos Bradford, the criminal owner of the Black Raven Inn. When a nearby bridge is washed out in a raging storm, the usual assortment of characters is forced to spend the night at the Black Raven. Not surprisingly, murder and mystery soon follow.

While falling back on many clichés of the genre, the film also has much to recommend it. The spooky lighting and sporadically noir-like photography manage to hit a few high points, and the murder mystery is moderately engaging. The weather effects are surprisingly good (you'll really believe the actors are caught in a downpour!). --Mark Savary ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Two early Universal monster cross-over films
With the success of The Wolf Man in 1941, it didn't take Universal long to trot out a sequel; the following year, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man not only capitalized on the success of everybody's favorite werewolf, it also brought in Frankenstein's monster, thus becoming one of the first Universal monster cross-over films. Lon Chaney, Jr., returns as the ill-fated Larry Talbot, and the legendary Bela Lugosi dons the makeup of the Frankenstein monster - this fact alone makes the film intriguing.

Four years have passed since Larry Talbot's death. He's been lying in his crypt covered in wolf bane, not bothering anyone, and then two grave robbers happen along. The light of the full moon calls Talbot back to life, and he flees into the night in his werewolf form, waking up in a hospital in Cardiff the next morning. A Dr. Mannering (Patric Knowles) has performed surgery on his broken skull, but no one believes his werewolf story, even after he claims his first victim in four years. He ends up bolting the place and making his way to Europe, where he seeks out the old gypsy woman Maleva. She tells him that one man can be of help, a scientist named Frankenstein, but it turns out that the doctor is dead and his castle in ruins. Talbot engineers a means of drawing Baroness Elsa Frankenstein to the village (yet another heretofore unknown heir to the House of Frankenstein), but she refuses to help him. Searching the ruins, Talbot finds Frankenstein's monster frozen in ice and sets him free. Dr. Mannering eventually tracks him down to the village, and he agrees to help both the Wolf Man and the monster, but you know how these scientists get when they start delving into the mysteries of life and death.

Talbot, now afraid he cannot die, longs to be killed and put out of his misery. Baroness Frankenstein is just as desirous of seeing the monster destroyed. Now, if it were me, I would get an axe and just chop these guys into about a million pieces, but I guess that would be too easy. And, with the film being titled Wolf Man Meets Frankenstein, you know there has to be a monster clash before all is said and done, and you don't want your monsters battling it out at less than full strength. The film ends rather abruptly, leaving a slight taste of dissatisfaction in my mouth.

Watching Bela Lugosi play Frankenstein's monster is a pretty weird experience. Lugosi was the ultimate horror actor, but I don't think he was born to play the monster. I found it impossible to even recognize him under all the makeup until, toward the end, a fully recharged monster saw fit to give the audience a couple of vintage Lugosi grins. The film features a number of Universal stalwarts, including Lionel Atwill, Patric Knowles, Maria Ouspenskaya, and Dwight Frye. All in all, I was pretty impressed by this movie. Curtis Siodmak returned to write the script, and it did make for a successful sequel to The Wolf Man.

House of Frankenstein is a sequel to Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, one with its good points and its bad points. This was the first film to feature three of the Universal classic monsters: Frankenstein's Monster (now played by Glenn Strange), the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney, Jr.), and Count Dracula (John Carradine). It also threw the legendary Boris Karloff into the mix as a mad scientist following in Dr. Frankenstein's footsteps. John Carradine is probably the worst Dracula I've ever seen; he brings no sense of power or charisma to the role at all. Dracula doesn't even have a very significant part in the movie, strangely enough.

Boris Karloff is Dr. Gustav Niemann, one of the few mad scientists of note to actually be imprisoned. After fifteen years of prison life, he is still concentrating on his research; he even has a hunchbacked assistant ready to go as soon as he gets his freedom. A powerful electrical storm issues Niemann a pardon, and he heads for Frankenstein's castle in hopes of finding his hero's research notes. A carnival of horrors provides him the cover he needs to make his getaway, and it just so happens that this carnival's main attraction is the actual skeleton of Count Dracula. The Count returns to life (at least as much life as Carradine manages to give the character), but the film would probably be better served had it left Dracula out of the script entirely. Once Niemann reaches the village of Frankenstein, he begins searching the ruins of the castle and finds both The Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster frozen in ice. I don't even have to tell you that he revives both of the monsters. Lon Chaney, Jr., is once again superb in his role of the tormented Wolf Man seeking death but, for a time, pinning his hopes on Dr. Niemann for a cure to his cursed affliction. Frankenstein's monster basically just stumbles and bumbles his way through the script, having already fallen victim to the awful stereotype of the big, dumb monster. When Karloff looked into the eyes of the monster, I am sure he saw almost no similarity to the monster he portrayed so powerfully in the first three Frankenstein films.

House of Frankenstein fails to live up to its potential. Its strengths include Karloff's fine performance as a non-monster character, Chaney's impressive performance as the Wolf Man, and the combination of three classic monsters in one movie. Its weaknesses come in the form of Carradine's awful performance as Dracula, the silliness of the whole Dracula subplot to begin with, and a fairly boring conclusion regarding Dr. Niemann and the monster. It's still a fun movie to watch, but it cannot compare to the classic movies that gave birth to the monsters we see exploited here for box office profits.

Monsters Galore . . . and (a bit of) Glory!
Stein vs. Wolf: Bela Lugosi (as the Monster) and Chaney, Jr. are quite less than spectacular in this contrived plot. The result is an enjoyable but slightly below par film, especially for a classic Universal monster clash! Lugosi was appropriately deemed "unsuitable" for this particular role . . . but only after the film had already been shot! What's a film producer to do? Keen observers will observe scenes in which Lugosi is actually moving his lips without (the audience hearing any) dialogue!

House of Frankenstein: Karloff escapes from prison, and combines (with his helpful hunchback assistant) to quickly dispose of the host of a traveling horror show. It's an old fashioned (horse and carriage) operation, and Boris assumes the role of driver and imposter. Let the fun begin: Boris Karloff is indeed most delightful (too bad he couldn't play the monster too)! John Carradine is a fairly convincing Count Dracula who discovers the Monster and Wolfman . . . who just happen to be frozen by the dam waters released by furious villagers in the companion to this DVD set. House of Frankenstein is a rare sequel ("Bride of Frankenstein" being more notable) that is clearly superior to the original.

Our large family of adults and children provided the following cumulative ratings of these monster bashes . . . "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman": B minus (B-); "House of Frankenstein": A minus (A-).

Two Second Tier classics on One DVD
These are two of my favorite films from the second tier Universal Monsters pictures. Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman in particular was always a childhood creature feature favorite. The film finds Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr) accidentally brought back to life (recall the Wolfman was killed in the end of the original film) by a couple of would be grave robbers. None to happy to be alive he begins a journey that would span a few more films to find a cure for his lycanthropy. His search brings him to the castle Frankenstein and a mad scientist who promises a cure for the wolfman, but soon becomes consumed with the Frankenstein monster. Frankenstein was played for the first time by Bela Lugosi in a role that he originally turned down. The quality of the film transfer is descent, though there are a few scratches and other minor imperfections. It would be nice to see the film given the deluxe treatment, but a few "imperfections" give these old movies character.

In House of Frankenstein we are treated to Boris Karloff in the role of a mad doctor bent on the revenge of those who sent him to prison. Obsessed with the secrets of life and death, his journey takes him to the ruins of the Frankenstein castle. Here he will find the bodies of the Frankenstein monster and the wolfman, frozen by the dam waters released by the villagers in FMTW. Lon Chaney Jr reprises his role as the tortured Larry Talbot. Glenn Strange plays the Frankenstein monster. I always thought Frank looked a little goofy in this film. John Carradine rounds out the monster cast as Dracula. It's fun to have all of these monsters in the same film, but the real gem here is Karloff. As above, the film transfer is descent with a few scratches and imperfections. Sound quality is very good though.

These films are far from perfect, but are great fun. They are must haves in any classic monster DVD library. It's too bad they are out of print. I've heard rumors that Universal will re-release many of these later in the year along with some of the previously unreleased (at least on DVD) monster flicks. Still, I recommend finding a copy if you can.

A couple of notches below the previous films...
First both these films are campy fun. I grew up watching both of these films pretty regularly on Creature Features. It was a natural transition for Bela Lugosi to play the monster in FMWM due to the ending of Ghost of Frankenstein. It's not a terrible film just not all that well written which is a surprise given that the scribe was Curt Sidomak (Donovan's Brain and a number of minor science fiction classics). Earle Kenton's direction is stylisth given the budget limitations. The problem in the film is more with the self pitying Larry Talbot. As written Lon Chaney, Jnr. is given little more to do than wallow in self pity. Sure, he's a wolf man at night and usually has to change clothes after every full moon (they rip apart as he changes) but come on!

Anyhow, Lugosi plays the Monster as a lumbering idiot (if the dialog hadn't been trimed his portrayal might have been a bit better). It's ironic that Lugosi ended up playing the role as his star was fading since he turned it down originally. It made Boris Karloff a star. The rest of the cast ranges from weak to competant. This isn't the best in the series but it has a number of entertaining moments. Reportedly, Glenn Strange actually played the Monster in many of the long shots as Lugosi wasn't up to the task.

House of Frankenstein promised much more than it delivered but still has a number of bright spots. First, there's Karloff. Although he doesn't play the Monster (he's an escaped criminal/scientist), he's given plenty of scenery to chew. His performance is one of the best in the picture. Lon Chaney, Jnr. returns and for good measure Dracula shows up as well. There is a law of dimishing returns when it comes to monsters or villians (we'll call it wtdk's Monster/villian law-- for an example look at the last two Batman films).

I have to agree that John Carradine doesn't do the part of Dracula justice. He just isn't convincing (nor was Lon Chaney, Jnr. when he played the role in Son of Dracula. His delivery was always stiff and deliberate but was exceedingly bad in that film). Carradine would reprise the role in House of Dracula the following year.

It's no surprise that the DVD doesn't have a lot of extras. While both films are solid and entertaining on their own, they're far from classics in the series. Due to the age of the film, it's unlikely that a lot survived in the way of outtakes or alternative endings (both films were shot on volatile nitrate stock). If you're looking for classics stick with Whale's Bride and Lee's Son of Frankenstein. If you're looking for a fun, inoffensive time by all means pick these up.

Frankenstein and the Wolfman meets DVD!!
I finally got a copy of "Frankenstein meets the Wolfman/"House of Frankenstein" on DVD, (Frankenstein may have stepped on the box for good measure, but I digress) the image quality was better than expected after reading some of the other reviews and the sound was strong. A close comparison to the 1987 Laserdisc release of "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man" shows an improved overall picture quality. While there may be an additional scratch here or there, considering that another 14 years had passed, between 1987 and 2001 when this DVD was released and that the film is now nearly 60 years old I thought it was very well preserved. I also compared "House of Frankenstein" on this DVD to the 1994 Laserdisc release and found the two prints actually very close in quality and the image again improved by the DVD format. I am amazed that people are gripping about extras for the prices these are going for considering that the laserdisc for "Frankenstein meets the Wolfman" alone was more and as "House of Frankenstein" was released on a two movie-two laserdisc set for considerably more I think the DVD is a bargain. Also, I found the DVD menu was easy to use and I had no problem pulling up the top menu and going back and forth between the two features after one had finished. Yes, some music on the menu screens would be nice and a running commentary is always a wonderful addition, but considering this DVD package does not cost anymore than the two movies do on VHS, it's a fair price. So get busy, make some popcorn and enjoy the show. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good '40s B; character actors help this newspaper yarn
This is one of Paramount's low-budget features produced by William Pine and William Thomas. As is customary with Pine-Thomas product, the cast is accomplished, the story is atmospheric, and the workmanship is efficient. The entire cast will be familiar to fans of old movies: William Gargan and Ann Savage as the bantering newspaper reporters trying to outscoop each other when a murder victim disappears, George Zucco as a velvet-voiced, dangerous killer, Leo Gorcey as comedy-relief office boy, Charles Halton as a worried museum curator, Don Beddoe as a frustrated detective, Paul Hurst as a bemused watchman, and George E. Stone as the missing corpse (always a fine actor: he doesn't say a word, but he expires eloquently). The pacing is good and the dialogue is snappy. The DVD derives from an old 16mm print that was very popular at some TV station -- there are frequent cue marks for station breaks, but thankfully no choppiness or serious damage. This has its own peculiar charm for movie addicts, because it looks just the way late-show movies used to look on television, before video and cable. It's an enjoyable hour for movie buffs. ... Read more

Description

The third and final entry in Hal Roach's famed "Topper" trilogy may very well be the best of the lot. Returning for their third portrayal of Mr. and Mrs. Cosmo Topper, Roland Young and Billie Burke are consistently upstaged by a sparkling new addition to the "Topper" troupe, Jack Benny's famed manservant, the loveable and irascible Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. This time around there is a "new" ghostly presence in the shapely form of Joan Blondell, who is unceremoniously dispatched by a cloaked knife murderer in a case of mistaken identity. Naturally, Joan floats over to the Topper's quiet abode and nags Cosmo into investigating her death. Back they come to the spooky scene of the crime, where Topper is accused of the murder by a houseful of creeps headed by ghoulmeister George Zucco. And who else should be the lead detective on the case, but the uproarious Donald McBride of "Room Service" fame, thoroughly bungling everything in sight! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

CHUCKLES AND LAUGHS!
This is the first Topper I've seen minus Cary Grant. But Joan Blondell holds her own and carries the day. There are constant laughs to be had here and frequent giggles, the biggest instigator of them being the briskly clever dialogue and the performance of Eddie (Rochester) Anderson, who for many years performed with Jack Benny. His terror at the "ghostly" goings on is replete with humor.

It is a pleasure to see a young Dennis O'Keefe acting opposite Carole Landis, sweet, beautiful and a fine actress (what a tragedy she committed suicide over an ill-fated love affair with the then married Rex Harrison - or should I say what a waste, since in this film she displayed such potential as an actress). And there is a wonderful, laugh till your sides split, performance by Billie Burke, who lets all the stops out in this one. She seems to relish her role and uses her up and down tremolo voice, sometimes raising it to a hilarious screech. This is definitely one of her best films.

Watch it and have fun! Because it's a fun movie at heart.

Topper's RETURNED!
And he's got a carload of women! Actually, not a carload ,just two... One of whom happens to be a ghost! She drags topper to an old creepy house to find out who killed her. The house happens to be full of all sorts of secret passages, and WEIRD personalities.And of course, Mrs. Topper suspects that the young lady who got Cosmo over here is 'the other woman'. This movie is truly funny, and it's backed up by Eddie, or Rochester, Jack Benny's Valet. A Must-See!

Wonderful!
I love this movie! I hadn't seen it in years, but remembered loving it, so today I watched it. I love it. It's funny, mysterious, and dramatic. Plus it's always nice to watch an oldie and realize how different they are from today's. I would definately reccomend this!!

A great old movie
Topper Returns is an example of how old Hollywood could do classic work, with a movie that isn't great, but exceedingly good, and at times downright hilarious. Roland Young, the woman who plays his wife (forgot her name) Joan Blondell and Eddie Anderson make this a comedy, albeit a black comedy with it's overtones of murder, worth buying. And don't forget, it was nominated for two Academy Awards. It's good viewing for Mom, Dad and k