The Corner Penthouse

Warner Brothers recently released the Hollywood Legends of Horror 6-Film Collection Blu-ray. Read on to find out more about it...

[ SYNOPSIS ]

Classic tales of mad passions and madder deeds! Includes:

• Doctor X (1932) - A wisecracking New York reporter intrudes on a research scientist's quest to unmask The Moon Killer.

• The Return of Doctor X (1939) - A hotshot reporter and a young doctor team up to investigate a series of grisly murders and a mysterious sample of synthetic blood.

• Mark of the Vampire (1935) - When a nobleman is murdered, a professor of the occult blames vampires, but not all is what it seems.

• The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) - Englishmen race to find the tomb of Genghis Khan before the sinister Fu Manchu does.

• Mad Love (1935) - In Paris, a demented surgeon's obsession with a British actress leads him to secretly replace her concert-pianist husband's mangled hands with those of a guillotined murderer with a gift for knife-throwing.

• The Devil Doll (1936) - An escaped convict uses miniaturized humans to wreak vengeance on those who framed him.

[ SPECIFICATIONS ]

Each movie is on its own disc, making this a six disc set. All movies are presented in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio and are not rated. All movies feature English audio. All movies feature subtitles in English SDH. Doctor X runs 1:16:33. The Return of Doctor X runs 1:02:56. Mark of the Vampire runs 1:00:31. The Mask of Fu Manchu runs 1:08:37. Mad Love runs 1:08:15. The Devil Doll runs 1:18:43.

[ SPECIAL FEATURES ]

All of the special features below can be found on the respective Blu-ray discs. Disc 1 is Doctor X, Disc 2 is The Return of Doctor X, Disc 3 is Mark of the Vampire, Disc 4 is The Mask of Fu Manchu, Disc 5 is Mad Love, and Disc 6 is The Devil Doll.

• DISC 1: Black-and-White Version (77:03) - This version is largely comprised of alternate angles and different takes, featuring a few new establishing and transition shots as well all slightly more rushed dialogue exchanges.
• DISC 1: Audio Commentary - with author/film historian Alan K. Rode; available on the color version only.
• DISC 1: Audio Commentary - with Scott MacQueen, head of preservation at UCLA's Film and Television Archive; available on the color version only.
• DISC 1: Monsters and Mayhem: The Horror Films of Michael Curtiz (27:39) - This retrospective covers all three of the director's horror films, which also include Mystery of the Wax Museum and The Walking Dead (1936, starring Boris Karloff).
• DISC 1: UCLA Before & After Restoration Reel (7:40) - Compares a few before-and-after clips, highlighting restoration work with comments from Scott MacQueen.
• DISC 1: Theatrical Trailer (2:15) - This vintage black-and-white promotional piece can also be seen here.
• DISC 2: Audio Commentary - with director Vincent Sherman and author/film historian Dr. Steve Haberman; originally recorded for DVD.
• DISC 2: Classic Cartoon: Doggone Modern (7:26) - This 1939 Chuck Jones short features a pair of curious puppies investigating a new all-electric model home.
• DISC 2: Classic Cartoon: Porky's Hotel (6:48) - This 1939 Bob Clampett short follows Porky Pig's misadventures as owner of a hotel.
• DISC 2: Original Theatrical Trailer (2:33) - Notable for its use of alternate angles and unused scenes.
• DISC 3: Audio Commentary - with UK author/critic Kim Newman and writer/editor Stephen Jones.
• DISC 3: A Thrill for Thelma (18:00) - This 1935 MGM short features an attractive woman who marries the wrong guy, and winds up in jail.
• DISC 3: The Calico Dragon (7:57) - This is a 1935 MGM Happy Harmonies short.
• DISC 3: Theatrical Trailer (1:57) - This promotional piece features Bela Lugosi, who speaks directly to the audience in character as Count Mora.
• DISC 4: Audio Commentary - with film historian Gregory Mank; originally recorded in 2006.
• DISC 4: Classic Cartoon: Freddy the Freshman (6:54) - This 1932 short, directed by Rudolph Ising, features a dog named Freddy who parties at college and becomes the star of a football game.
• DISC 4: Classic Cartoon: The Queen Was in the Parlor (6:46) - This 1932 short, directed by Rudolph Ising, spoofs a few nursery rhymes as well as then-popular singer Rudy Vallee.
• DISC 5: Audio Commentary - with film historian Steve Haberman.
• DISC 5: Theatrical Trailer (2:04) - This promotional piece featurtes Peter Lorre, as himself, taking a leisurely evening phone call from a female admirer. Can also be seen here.
• DISC 6: Audio Commentary - with film historians Dr. Bruce Haberman and Constantine Nasr.
• DISC 6: Looney Tunes Short: Milk and Money (8:09) - This early Tex Avery short concerns Porky Pig and his farmer father, who are in dire straits so Porky decides to work as a milkman to make ends meet.
• DISC 6: Looney Tunes Short: The Phantom Ship (7:36) - Directed by Jack King, this short stars Beans the Cat and his Saint Bernard nephews, who secretly stow away on Beans' plane to explore a haunted galleon in the Arctic.
• DISC 6: Theatrical Trailer (1:54) - This vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

[ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ]

No digital copy code voucher is included inside the standard six-disc blue Blu-ray case.

[ NOTES ]

Hollywood Legends of Horror 6-Film Collection is available on Blu-ray and DVD. It contains the same six discs that were previously-released individually. It's a nice collection of early Horror films. RECOMMENDED.

This item has been provided by Warner Brothers for review on this site.