Blu-ray Review Back from the Dead – Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[t1g3r5fan]

Today, Back from the Dead. Best known today for creating the TV series Rawhide and helping to turn the radio series Gunsmoke into a long running and successful TV series, Charles Marquis Warren first started off work in Hollywood as a script boy in the 1930’s before going to New York City to work as a pulp magazine writer; after serving in the United States Navy during WWII – discharged after being wounded by a grenade (he also earned a Purple Heart) – he returned to Hollywood and established himself as a screenwriter before ascending to the director’s chair in the 1950’s. After leaving Gunsmoke following the second season, Warren returned to directing movies, of which Back from the Dead was among his first efforts following his first sojourn into television. Originally released by 20th Century Fox, Kino has licensed the movie from Paramount – the current rights holder – for its home video debut.



Back from the Dead (1957)



Released: 12 Aug...

Continue reading...

 

[Flashgear]

Thank you Mychal for another fine and thorough review! It's been many years since I've seen Back from the Dead. I'm delighted and excited by your praise of it's cinematography and location filming. Great that they included two new commentaries and a vintage audio interview clip with Marsha Hunt.

KL continues to delight us in bringing us rarities and much desired films in HD.

I'm also a big fan of Charles Marquis Warren, his theatrical films and television work (especially his Westerns). I find familiar and reliable faces like Arthur Franz, lovelies Peggy Castle, Marsha Hunt et al, to be marvelously nostalgic for me.

Looking forward also to KL's imminent two disc Blu set of Sci-Fi Chillers, with three films, The Unknown Terror/Colossus of New York/Destination Inner Space...when I get that, I can stage the original Charles Marquis Warren 1957 theatrical double-feature of Back from the Dead and The Unknown Terror!

Kudos also to Paramount for enabling Kino-Lorber's great work with more newly remastered HD transfers!

 

[Camps]

Randall, you took the words right out of my mouth!

A highlight of this disc is the Tom Weaver (and friends) commentary; insightful and entertaining as always.

Mega-Kudos to Kino for unearthing these rarities.

 

[Dick]

Mychal, you certainly make this sound more interesting than the BOMB rating in Maltin's guide suggests. Between you, the Regalscope B&W presentation, and the two commentaries, I am inclined to at least rent this. Thanks for your review!

 

[Dr. Lejos]

In a way, Maltin does the film a service by not elevating our expectations in any way, which is probably the best way approach this film … which I would categorize as one for completists rather than those searching for buried treasure. Finally seeing it as it was meant to be seen (the b&w/scope format is really ideal for vintage horror subjects, giving our eyes a wide perimeter for shadowy images and occurrences) and a decidedly sophisticated, if admittedly muddled, approach to its occult subject matter, certainly qualify it for fans of the genre and 50s trends in general … with the option to double-bill it thanks to Kino’s companion release as noted above.

It’s blu-ray releases like this which make me so grateful to distributors like Kino, who take the plunge for cinema archeologists among us.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Thanks for the review, I wish I liked the film enough to buy it!