Blu-ray Review: Six Chilling Tales in Fantastic ‘The Vincent Price Collection’

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Average: 5 (2 votes)

CHICAGO – Scream Factory continues to impress with one of the most essential box sets of 2013 for horror fans — “The Vincent Price Collection,” featuring complete remasters of six of the legendary actor’s most beloved films along with hours of archival and new special features. The bonus material is cool but, as with a lot of these Scream Factory releases, it’s the HD remastering that is truly breathtaking. I don’t believe “The Pit and the Pendulum” looked this well-mixed in terms of color and shadow when it was released fifty years ago. It’s a great holiday season option for horror fans.

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-ray rating: 4.5/5.0
Rating: 4.5/5.0

Most of the films in the collection are from Price’s Poe period with Roger Corman, including one of his absolute best, 1961’s “The Pit and the Pendulum.” It’s the stand-out in this release but every film gets the same HD treatment and the special features are excellent, particularly introductions from Price himself that border on hilarious in their melodrama. And if you haven’t seen “The Abominable Dr. Phibes,” one of the weirdest movies ever made, you really owe it to yourself to correct that oversight. It’s gloriously strange.

“The Vincent Price Collection” works on multiple levels. History has kind of turned Price into a bit of a caricature, forgetting that he was much more varied performer than he gets credit for being (he’s GREAT in “Pit”). This set works both for hardcore Price enthusiasts and new fans. In other words, everyone.

The Vincent Price Collection was released on Blu-ray on October 22, 2013
The Vincent Price Collection was released on Blu-ray on October 22, 2013
Photo credit: Scream Factory

Synopsis:
This collection includes new and vintage bonus features that focus not just on each film, but on Price’s illustrious and enduring legacy as cinema’s most chilling actor.

Films Include:
The Pit & The Pendulum
The Fall Of The House Of Usher
The Masque Of The Red Death
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
The Haunted Palace
Witchfinder General (The Conqueror Worm)

Special Features:
The Pit & The Pendulum
Introduction By Vincent Price
Rare Prologue
Audio Commentary By Producer/Director Roger Corman
Theatrical Trailer

The Fall Of The House Of Usher
Introduction By Vincent Price
Audio Commentary By Producer/Director Roger Corman
Audio Interview With Vincent Price Conducted By Film Historian David Del Valle
Vincent Price Retrospective Commentary By Author Lucy Chase Williams, Featuring Piotr Michael
Theatrical Trailer

The Masque Of The Red Death
Introduction by Vincent Price
Interview With Producer/Director Roger Corman
Audio Commentary With Author Steve Haberman
Theatrical Trailer

The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Audio Commentary By Director Robert Fuest
Audio Commentary By Author Justin Humphreys
Theatrical Trailer

The Haunted Palace
Introduction By Vincent Price
Audio Commentary By Authors Lucy Chase Williams and Tom Weaver
A Change Of Poe: An Interview With Producer/Director Roger Corman
Theatrical Trailer

Witchfinder General
Introduction By Vincent Price
Audio Commentary By Producer Philip Waddilobe And Actor Ian Ogilvy
Witchfinder General: Michael Reeves’ Horror Classic
Interview With Vincent Price Conducted By Film Historian David Del Valle
Theatrical Trailer
Additional Vincent Price Theatrical Trailers
Interview With Victoria Price

“The Vincent Price Collection” was released on Blu-ray on October 22, 2013.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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