Beasts Unleashed (1955, 1956)

Eureka are releasing two 1950s monster movies, both examples of low budget (and in one case extremely low budget) monster mayhem, on a single Blu-ray disc. The package is a limited edition of 2000 and comes with an O-card slipcase and a booklet featuring new writing on AIP monster creator Paul Blaisdell and an essay on weird westerns. As for the films:

The Beast with a Million Eyes (1955)

I wrote about this pseudonymously Roger Corman-directed (at least in part) movie when I reviewed its previous DVD release and so you can read all about what I thought of the film in more detail here. Eureka’s 1080p presentation does upscale the film from that release but this is still an ultra-low early AIP effort with grainy black and white photography to match. 

Eureka’s disc offers you the opportunity to watch the film as seen at the cinema (77 minutes 19 seconds) or with a prologue added for TV to help explain the title (78 minutes 10 seconds). Extras include a trailer and a piece by film expert Mark Bourn on alien invasion movies (22 minutes) with special attention paid to THE BEAST WITH A MILLION EYES.

The Beast of Hollow Mountain (1956)

We switch to colour and a 2.35:1 aspect ratio for the second film in the double bill, an American-Mexican co-production for United Artists and shot in Mexico. Taken from pioneering stop motion animator Willis O’Brien’s desire to make a movie featuring cowboys fighting dinosaurs, BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN certainly features quite a few cowboys, lots of cattle and some charming Mexican village dancing. At the hour mark of this 79 minute film we finally get to see the dinosaur that has allegedly been eating the cattle, who is more charming than the dancing and, to be fair, is present to give us some slightly wonky but endearing stop motion action for the rest of the film.

Kim Newman covers ‘Dinosaurs in Cinema’ in a new 17 minute talking head piece where he goes into exactly why the stop motion process used in BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN was different from, say, that practiced by Ray Harryhausen, as well as talking about everything from the early animated ‘interactive’ (watch the piece to find out exactly how) short Gertie the Dinosaur up to the JURASSIC PARK series. You also get trailers for both films.

Beasts Unleashed is out from Eureka on Blu-ray in a limited edition of 2000 on Monday 20th July 2026

Murders in the Rue Morgue 4K (1971)

The latest in the ‘Hammer Presents’ range sees the label following up its release of CRY OF THE BANSHEE with another AIP-produced Christopher Wicking (writer) and Gordon Hessler (director) collaboration. In fact it was their last, and marked the final film in the lengthy series of Poe ‘adaptations’ (some of them stretch the definition a bit) the company had been making since the 1960s.

At a Grand Guignol-style theatre in Paris members of the repertory company are being bumped off by a fiend in a black cape who pours acid on them. The company’s leader, Cesar Charron (Jason Robards in a very Vincent Price-style role), also has other problems to worry about as his wife Madeleine (Christine Kaufman) keeps having dreams about a masked man swinging an axe. The police are baffled and as the murders continue, all set against the backdrop of the stage play ‘Murders in the Rue Morgue’ that is being performed at the theatre, it turns out that the answers to everything lie in the past.

MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE is a bit too clever for its own good, wanting to do something different from adapting the Poe novel while acknowledging it, giving us a revenge plot filled with murders and even more stuff regarding the Charron family’s past. It’s all a bit much, not helped by having Christopher Wicking write the screenplay. Known for his rather oblique treatments of horror properties, Wicking’s scripts could tend toward the confusing and you really have to pay attention here to appreciate everything that’s going on. 

But for EuroHorror fans it remains a treat. Set in France and filmed in Spain by an American company operating out of its UK office, the film is an understandable mixture of actors, including Bond villain Adolfo Celi, Paul Naschy standby Maria Perschy, Hessler regulars Marshall Jones and Peter Arne, as well as international stars Herbert Lom, Lilli Palmer and Michael Dunn.  

Hammer’s disc features a commentary track from the always enthusiastic Chris Alexander (who performed similar duties on CRY OF THE BANSHEE) on the 1.85:1 aspect ratio director’s cut version. You also get the 1.66:1 framed theatrical release. The director’s cut runs 98 minutes, the theatrical runs 87 and also contain the tinted dream sequences some may remember from TV showings back in the day. Otherwise we get a new talking head piece from Kim Newman (21 minutes), an archival interview with director Gordon Hessler (12 minutes) image gallery, and a trailer. 

Gordon Hessler’s MURDERS IN THE RUN MORGUE is out in 4K as separate UHD and Blu-ray releases on Monday 20th July 2026

Cry of the Banshee 4K (1970)

For the first in their ‘Hammer Presents’ line, in which Hammer Films are releasing classic British horror from other studios, we’re getting the American International Picture CRY OF THE BANSHEE in a 4K restoration, which is going to be available in a two-disc set of either two UHD discs or two Blu-rays.

We're in sixteenth century England, and magistrate Lord Edward Whitman (Vincent Price) divides his time between sentencing witches and dealing with his Jacobean tragedy of a family. One case of the latter leads to him disrupting a pagan ritual led by Oona (Elizabeth Bergner) in which a number of cultists are killed. Oona curses Whitman’s entire family to die by the hand of the ‘Banshee’ which manifests itself through foundling child groomsman Patrick Mower, and once the revenge is set in motion there’s no stopping it.

Famously (to BritHorror obsessives if no-one else) available in two versions, CRY OF THE BANSHEE is present here in both, which accounts for the two discs in the set. Disc one has the UK version (called ‘Director’s Cut) here, available in two aspect ratios (1.85:1 and 1.37:1) and will be the one most familiar to UK viewers who may well have encountered it on ITV screenings if not at the cinema. It’s a bit of a mess of a film, rambling and lacking focus, with the revenge plot only kicking on about halfway through. 

Disc two has the US (here called ‘Theatrical’ cut) which has both pros and cons. On the good side, the attack on Oona’s ritual has been moved right to the front of the film which is where it should be, and offers us a rare example of AIP messing round with a finished picture and actually doing something positive with it. However it loses Terry Gilliam’s weird opening animated titles and we get a pretty poor Les Baxter score replacing the UK one by Wilfred Josephs.

But, in either form, is CRY OF THE BANSHEE any good? Chris Alexander, who provides a commentary track on Disc one seems to think so, and he helpfully talks about the US edit as well. The film feels like a very uneasy follow-up to AIP / Tigon’s WITCHFINDER GENERAL, where part of the point was that witches aren’t real. Instead CRY OF THE BANSHEE plays along with the numerous rip-offs of that film which all wanted to have their cake (torturing of witches) and eat it too (they actually are witches, allowing for all sorts of demon shenanigans). Vincent Price hated the film, while the rest of the cast includes the likes of Pamela Farbrother (FRIGHTMARE), Michael Elphick (TV’s Boon), Hugh Griffith (that bottle probably contains the real stuff), Hilary Dwyer and Swedish film star Essy Persson who gets to go memorably mad. All that said, it’s definitely not the film to show someone to demonstrate why you love British horror films as they’ll likely be left scratching their heads as to its appeal.

Other extras include Kim Newman talking about the film for 13 minutes and on disc two the 18 minute interview with director Gordon Hessler has been ported over from the old MGM Midnight Movies release. You also get the usual image gallery, TV and radio spots and a trailer. 

Gordon Hessler’s CRY OF THE BANSHEE is being released by Hammer Films in both two disc UHD and two disc Blu-ray sets on Monday 9th February 2026

The Oblong Box (1969)

"AIP from the BFI"

The BFI gives us a dose of gothic nostalgia as it releases American International Pictures' THE OBLONG BOX on Blu-ray.

It's 1860 and Sir Julian Markham (Vincent Price) is keeping his horribly scarred brother Edward (Alister Williamson) locked up in the attic. But Edward has bribed some crooked associates to drug him so he will appear dead and then dig him up after his 'funeral'.

Unfortunately body snatchers get to the coffin first and deliver it to Dr Neuhartt (Christopher Lee). Revived, the even more mad than he was before Edward embarks on a vendetta against those who messed up his escape, although when he finds out why he acquired his terrible injuries he comes after his brother as well.

By 1969 AIP's Poe cycle, which had started with FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER in 1960, had changed radically. Original producer-director Roger Corman had left, as had many of the personnel that had made those films so special. Michael Reeves was due to direct THE OBLONG BOX but was replaced by producer Gordon Hessler. For detailed reasons why listen to Steve Haberman's commentary, which goes into great detail about Reeves' contribution to the picture. 

It's by no means a great film, and one has to wonder why Christopher Lee didn't get cast as Edward so the two great stars could face off against one another. That said the combination of Hessler and screenwriter Christopher Wicking always yielded interesting results and their desire to produce something different from the horror cinema of even five years' previously is certainly in evidence here. 

As well as the commentary, extras include the short films THE PIT (1962), previously available on the BFI's disc of SCHALCKEN THE PAINTER, and two silent pieces: PRELUDE (1927) inspired by the Premature Burial, and THE BELLS (1913) based on a Poe poem. There's also a new 17 minute interview with Price's daughter Victoria and ten minutes of Roger Corman on Poe. The disc also comes with a booklet featuring writing on the film from Peter Fuller (about the film) Benjamin Halligan (about Michael Reeves' involvement) and James Bell (about THE PIT).

THE OBLONG BOX is out on Blu-ray from the BFI on Monday 21st October 2024

Die, Monster, Die! aka Monster of Terror (1965)

 

It's time for a UK Blu-ray release of the feature directorial debut of AIP art director Daniel Haller, and the second of AIP's HP Lovecraft adaptations (after 1963's THE HAUNTED PALACE). It may seem a bit odd for the BFI to be releasing an American horror picture but given that DIE, MONSTER, DIE! aka MONSTER OF TERROR (it was obviously 'lack of inspired titles' day at the AIP offices) was shot in the UK and features both some familiar locations and actors it actually fits very nicely into their 'Flipside' series.

Whereas THE HAUNTED PALACE was an adaptation of The Case of Charles Dexter Ward and starred Vincent Price, here we have Boris Karloff, Freda Jackson, Suzan Farmer and Nick Adams all rather shoehorned into a 'bares bones and before its time' version of The Colour Out of Space, a story that recently received a much better adaptation from writer-director Richard Stanley. But that doesn't mean DIE, MONSTER, DIE doesn't have its points of interest. In fact any fan of 1960s BritHorror will want it in their collection.

Because - this is the only time you get to see mid-1960 Surrey doubling as Lovecraft's Arkham, and Oakley Court as the home of Lovecraftian horrors. Then there's that still disquieting shot of those weird rubbery monsters that live in the greenhouse, familiar faces like Patrick Magee, Sydney Bromley, Leslie Dwyer, Harold Goodwin and Terence De Marnay all doing their bit in their only Lovecraft adaptation and a music score by Don Banks (Hammer's THE MUMMY'S SHROUD, Lippert's WITCHCRAFT). The BFI's print isn't a restoration but does represent a considerable upgrade from the DVD. 

A release like this, which will appeal most to those who already know the film inside out, is going to stand or fall on its extras and as always, the BFI has gone the extra mile to provide some fascinating stuff. First off is an excellent, lively commentary track from Flipside standbys Vic Pratt and William Fowler where they discuss not just the film but its literary basis, managing to get in a couple of mentions of the works of Arthur Machen and Algernon Blackwood as well. Stay till the end for Vic's list of 25 Gothic Tropes you can see in this film.

Other extras include a couple of scene reads from the as-yet unfilmed picture about LET ME DIE A MONSTER. The 14 minute piece also features an introduction by co-writer Ken Hollings and an outro by co-writer David McGillivray. The two also return to talk about Nick Adams and DIE MONSTER DIE! for a seven minute featurette. A Karloff Konversation is 20 minutes of chat about all things Boris between Vic Pratt and Stephen Jacobs. Otherwise there's 12 minutes of unit publicist Tony Tweedale's memories of working on the film, an image gallery and trailer, and a curious 16 minute black and white short entitled THE PEACHES. Finally, there's a booklet with new writing on the film, LET ME DIE A MONSTER, and H P Lovecraft.

DIE, MONSTER, DIE! is out on Blu-ray from the BFI on Monday 22nd July 2024

The Dunwich Horror (1970)

 

AIP's loose (that's putting it kindly) adaptation of HP Lovecraft's novella gets a Blu-ray release from Arrow Films.

Wilbur Whateley (Dean Stockwell all piercing eyes and permed hair) wants to bring back 'The Old Ones' and he needs Miskatonic University's copy of the fabled Necronomicon and Nancy Wagner (vapid Sandra Dee) to do it. Wilbur lives in a big old house with his father (Sam Jaffe) and an anemone-squid-centipede monster that's actually his brother whom he keeps locked in the attic. Until, that is, Nancy's friend Elizabeth (Donna Baccala giving the only really likeable performance in the film) lets it out to go on the rampage.

AIP's Lovecraft adaptations were nowhere near as effective as some of the Poe ones. The best is Roger Corman's 1963 THE HAUNTED PALACE (adapted from The Case of Charles Dexter Ward) with Daniel Haller's 1965 DIE MONSTERS DIE (from The Colour Out of Space) rating a poor second. THE DUNWICH HORROR isn't terribly good either, with its best aspects being Les Baxter's music score (one of his best) and Sandy Dvore's opening titles (one of his best as well). If you love the story you'll probably find this hard going but if you're interested in how popular social movements influenced movies of the period then the film's hippy trappings make it worth a watch.

Extras kick off with a commentary in which we are invited into the company of writers Alexandra Benedict and Guy Adams. We're not even a minute in before Mr Adams is talking about licking his own testicles (possibly a world first in commentary tracks). 'Tell me about these beauties' says Ms Benedict shortly after, referring (one presumes hopefully) to the opening title animation. After that things being more relaxed and informal, and we even get Mr Adams' David Lynch impersonation to keep things spicy.

The Door Into Dunwich is a conversation between Stephen R Bissette and Stephen Laws about all things Lovecraft and cinema. Running a whopping 130 minutes it's consistently interesting and entertaining to the point that it's actually difficult to stop listening. After Summer After Winter gives us fantasy author Ruthanna Emrys talking about Lovecraft for 16 minutes, while The Sound of Cosmic Terror has the always excellent David Huckvale giving us an analysis of Les Baxter's score for just over half an hour. There are the usual trailer and image gallery. The first pressing comes with a booklet featuring new writing on the film.

THE DUNWICH HORROR is out from Arrow Films on Monday 9th January 2023

The Man With the X-Ray Eyes (1963)

Mad science leads to cosmic horror (well, a decent-sized hint of it anyway) as Second Sight releases Roger Corman's classic science fiction picture as a limited edition Blu-ray with a host of extras.

The researches of Dr James Xavier (Ray Milland) has led to him creating a serum 'X' that allows the eye to see through objects to what lies beneath. He's tried it out on monkeys and when it comes to human tests he decides to use himself as a subject. Initially he finds he can read documents covered by other papers, then at a party he finds he can see through everyone's clothes. 

Soon he can see further, diagnosing a child's heart condition and performing surgery for it against the clinical decision of his superior (John Hoyt). A threat of malpractice, plus an incident where he accidentally pushes a colleague out of a window, leads to Xavier going on the run & becoming a carnival sideshow attraction. But for him, the worst is yet to come.

A neat bit of 'meddling in things man must leave alone' is given a cosmic edge to it (and some great dialogue ) by a screenplay co-written by Ray Russell (Sardonicus and a number of very fine short stories) and Robert Dillon (PRIME CUT). The idea that Milland's Xavier is being tormented by what he can see at the edges of the universe has its roots in Lovecraft, but Roger Corman's no-nonsense direction keeps it all very sober until that final, classic, scene which I will leave you to discover for yourselves if you haven't already.

Second Sight's Blu-ray includes two commentary tracks, one from Corman and another fact-packed one from Tim Lucas. There's also a Corman interview and another with Kat Ellinger, as well as Joe Dante talking about the film and Mick Garris providing commentary on a Trailers From Hell segment devoted to it.

The disc comes in a sturdy slipcase with new Graham Humphreys art. The case also includes a double sided poster (UK quad art on one side, the new art on the other), plus a book with new writing on the film from Allan Bryce and Jon Towlson. 

Roger Corman's THE MAN WITH THE X-RAY EYES is out on limited edition Blu-ray from Second Sight on 

Monday 4th May 2020

The Amityville Horror (1979)

Everyone’s favourite Based On True Events That Were Most Likely Made Up To Earn A Bit of Cash movie gets a top of the line whistles and bells steelbook Blu-ray release courtesy of Second Sight.

        The cash-strapped Lutz family believe they’ve hit the jackpot when they purchase a lovely big house for very little money, not realising that these things tend to be cheap for a reason. Is it because the house looks a bit like an evil face? Is it because someone previously went mad there and killed the rest of his family? Or is it because there might be something living in / possessing the basement?

        They move in. Minor things happen like the babysitter getting locked in a room and a window frame bashing a little boy’s hand. George (James Brolin) starts to look ill and begins to develop a meaningful relationship with his axe. The house does its best to welcome Catholic priest Rod Steiger with some friendly flies but when he spurns this act of hospitality it tells him to get out.

        Some more minor things happen - money disappears and the toilets start belching vast quantities of black fluid. The family dog leads them to a walled up room in the cellar that contains...not much, really. Eventually, tired of all this low-key stuff that could easily be explained as ‘things any family might have to deal with’ the house decides to pour blood down the stairs and have it seep out of the walls to finally get rid of the people who want to hang crosses on its walls and have lots of arguments inside it.

        As a fan of movie monsters of all kinds I can never help but root for the house in the AMITYVILLE series, and what an impressive house it is - full marks to the film-makers for coming up with something that looks nothing like the place where the events allegedly took place (according to parapsychologist Hans Holzer) but which towers both literally and figuratively over all the events in the film. Mr Holzer both introduces the film and provides a commentary track on this disc. He would probably have benefitted from a moderator but he does like to keep talking, so that’s there if you fancy it.

        Second Sight’s Blu-ray does come with a wealth of decent extras, though, so if you're a fan of the film or those involved in its making this is going to be a worthwhile investment. There are new interviews with actors James Brolin and Meeno Peluce, screenwriter Sandor Stern, and a great interview with composer Lalo Schifrin where he show on the piano how he composed the music based on augmented 4ths. Plus he plays the music from ENTER THE DRAGON!

        There’s also a feature length documentary with Daniel Lutz, an archival featurette with Brolin and Margot Kidder, trailers, TV spots and repro lobby cards included in the set. An excellent package for all fans of THE AMITYVILLE HORROR. 

Second Sight are releasing their lovely limited edition Blu-ray steelbook of THE AMITYVILLE HORROR on Monday 26th June 2017