Scream Factory is once again gracing our home theaters with another entry in their Universal Horror Collection.
This time, Volume 4, which hits some high points in the series.
Most interesting, for me, was the inclusion of The Climax, a 1944 Technicolor Boris Karloff production, one of only four, released by Universal that year. There were only three in 1943, and a single production in 1942.
Generally, The Climax looks nice. Not great, by any means, but more than watchable. Some major mis-alignment, especially during printer functions, and some uneven fields for illumination are the culprits.
The three black & white productions are Night Key (1937), another Karloff film, Night Monster (1942), with Bela Lugosi and Lionel Atwill, and House of Horrors (1946), with Rondo Hatton as The Creeper.
Night Key is a good looking transfer, albeit with the Realart main title sequence. Nice blacks, good shadow detail, grain, et al.
Night Monster is beautiful, with the exception of the third reel, which is a less than stellar dupe.
House of Horrors is also a quality transfer, with an interesting doc on Mr. Hatton, who used to frighten me on TV as a child.
All in all, a nice addition to the Scream Factory series. Hopefully, we’ll get more in the future.
Image – Night Key – 4.25
Night Monster – 4.5
The Climax – 3.5
House of Horrors – 4.25Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Recommended
RAH
Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.
His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.
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