Eureka continue their excellent work releasing classic Universal horror movies to Blu-ray and making them available to UK buyers with new and different commentary tracks to their US Shout Factory counterparts. This time round we get four films, so let's take a look at what's on the set:
Murders in the Zoo (1933)
A cracking example of early 1930s pre-code pulp horror, here we have Lionel Atwill as a big game collector whose wife, played by Kathleen Burke, only has to so much as look at another man for the unfortunate fellow to meet a horrible fate. Of course with this being pre-code, it's quite possible that Burke's character has been doing more than just looking at other men and may have driven poor old Lionel to his current state of homicidal insanity.
He delivers his latest shipload of animals to an American zoo, and bumps off Kathleen's latest lover at a charity dinner using green mamba venom. But Kathleen is soon onto him and so the bodies have to start piling up. At just over an hour MURDERS IN THE ZOO is brisk murder-filled fun with Atwill stealing every scene he's in (of course).
Eureka's print is slightly cut (by Eureka themselves apparently) for animal cruelty. Extras include an image gallery and a commentary track from the always reliable Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby.
Horror Island (1941)
A cracking title for a so-so film and the least of this particular set (partly because all the others range from excellent to extremely watchable). Originally double-billed with MAN MADE MONSTER, HORROR ISLAND is more of a mystery romp than a horror picture. Wooden-legged (just the one, mind) Tobias Clump (Leo Carrillo) owns one half of a treasure map. The other half has been stolen by a mysterious character known only as the Phantom. Soon we have Dick Foran, Peggy Moran and a bunch of others all travelling to an isolated pirate castle where shenanigans ensue. HORROR ISLAND has been bundled in with several 'Universal Horrors' sets over the years but it always feel like the sore thumb of the bunch, as it does here. Commentary duties are again essayed by Kevin Lyons and Jonatan Rigby, who are much nicer to the movie that I have been here, and there's a still gallery.
Night Monster (1942)
A 'B' movie programmer (the original 'A' was Universal's THE MUMMY'S TOMB, which is nowhere near as good a this) NIGHT MONSTER is a variation on the theme of a group of people being bumped off in an isolated country house location. But it's also rather weird, boasting a mix of mysticism and monsters combined with an excellent cast (Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Ralph Morgan, Nils Asther and Leif Erickson) and a plot that must have had audiences opened-mouthed at the explanation for it all back in the day. I'm not going to say any more about the plot because that would be spoiling it, but NIGHT MONSTER might just be the best film on this particular set.
Eureka's disc boasts a brand new commentary track by Kim Newman and Stephen Jones who are as enthusiastic as I am for this one, pointing out its unique properties, giving us some good background on director Ford Beebe, and I agree with Mr Jones that Janet Shaw should have had a lot more screen time in a lot more movies.
House of Horrors (1946)
The run of 'classic' Universal monster movies was close to its end by the time they made HOUSE OF HORRORS. Martin Kosleck (the real star of this one even though he's billed quite a way down the list) is impoverished sculptor Marcel DeLange, who receives sufficient bad notices for his work that he decides to drown himself. On the point of doing so he sees someone crawling out of the river. It's The Creeper (Rondo Hatton) whose acromegalic features inspire not just to stay alive but to sculpt again, with The Creeper as the subject. He also gives his new subject a home, but while DeLange sleeps The Creeper prowls, randomly murdering a prostitute before bumping off the critics who had given his new friend bad notices.
HOUSE OF HORRORS does feel a bit like a studio at the end of its inspiration, but it's still an entertaining piece of work, especially for fans. Kosleck is excellent but Hatton is not a great actor, and Universal's attempts to turn The Creeper into a series were not successful, with only one, the prequel THE BRUTE MAN being filmed.
Eureka's extra for HOUSE OF HORRORS is a new commentary from Stephen Jones & Kim Newman who give the film (and its director, Jean Yarbrough) the enthusiastic appreciation it deserves. There's also a lengthier image gallery than for the other movies.
Creeping Unknown is coming out as a two disc Blu-ray set from Eureka on Monday 17th April 2023.
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