Horror of Dracula, Curse of Frankenstein (1 Viewer)

[James Alexis]

These are due to street in two weeks time but still no reviews online or even details on specs.

What gives?

 

[JeremySt]

Bumping this thread back to the top.


Has anyone else heard the rumors that WB used the edited cut of Dracula for the DVD? Gee, I hope not.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

I've heard no rumors, but it's certainly possible they might accidentally use an edit of HoD - it happened with the LaserDisc. I'd keep my eye on Mobius (www.mhvf.net) for the scoop.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

What was edited from Horror Of Dracula in some versions? Blood? Please don't say that. I truly might kill someone if they have fucked that DVD up.
The British release is gonna be in a boxed set with Curse Of Frank and The Mummy for £25.99/$40.28 which is a bargain. Also on that day (21 Oct) we get They Live with commentary by Carpenter and Roddy Piper and featurette, Prince Of Darkness with comm by Carpenter and Pater Jason and The Changeling with comm by director Peter Medak. All anamorphic and in stereo for £11.99/$18.58 from www.play247.com
Great stuff for horror aficiandos.
Gordy

 

[Thomas Hart]

Check out http://www.mondo-digital.com for the answers you seek!

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Thanks for the review link, Thomas! Shame about the supplements, but it sounds like the transfers are reasonably up to par.

 

[Cees Alons]

Good to hear that. I'm waiting for that disc (and Revenge of Frankenstein too - is already traveling my way).
Cees

 

[JeremySt]

Thanks for the link Thomas! Fantastic!

 

[David Von Pein]

My order is in!
Now...what we need to supplement all the neck-munching festivities is the DVD release of DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Great stuff, Thomas!
Sounds like the transfers are very good. I'll be getting the region 2 boxed set, so the transfers should be ever so slightly better!
If only Lee had agreed to a 15 minute interview for each DVD...
Gordy

 

[Jeff_A]

I too am waiting for my pre-order to arrive. Although, I am worried about some of the film elements the reviewer pointed out. :frowning:

Now...what we need to supplement all the neck-munching festivities is the DVD release of DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE.

I strongly agree, David! In fact, it may be my very favorite Hammer title. While we are at it, how about these?
DRACULA A.D. 1972
TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA

 

[Randy Korstick]

Good to hear the transfers seem to be done well. I am gladly taking the upgrade plunge again for these films. From VHS to LaserDisc to DVD Too bad about the supplements but since these were not Anchor Bay I wasn't expecting too much there. These are must have films for Hammer or Horror fans. I'll add another vote for:
Dracula has Risen From the Grave
Dracula A.D. 1972
and my favorite:
Taste the Blood of Dracula
and throw in a vote for:
Frankenstein Must be Destroyed

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

I watched about half of "Horror of Dracula" last night. The reviews have been perhaps a bit too forgiving of its flaws. The film really suffers at 1.78:1 (and if you have the slightest bit of overscan, it suffers more) and should have been transferred no wider than 1.66:1. If they were going to insist on not doing that, they probably should have extracted their 1.78:1 image slightly higher in the frame. I have seen similar complaints leveled at the first three Bond films that were transferred at 1.78:1, but they did not have nearly the framing problems that this transfer exhibits.

Aside from the framing, though, the image quality is acceptable. The elements show their age a bit, but the colors are consistent and better than what I have seen on video before.

The audio appears to suffer from excessive digital processing which makes the all-important melodramatic score sound pretty lifeless. It is not subtle, either. It is very noticeable.

As much as I was pleased with WBs "The Shop Around the Corner", I was disappointed with this one.

Regards,

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Horror Of Dracula was, contrary to poplular belief, shot at 1.66:1 hard-matted: http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/e...enstei5758.htm
Any head-cropping that occurs in Warner's new DVD, was more or less there on the negative and all subsequent prints. I wish I still had my Warner VHS, so that I could compare the two...
But, I must say, I too would have prefered a 1.66:1 anamorphic windowboxed transfer. But Warner don't dig 1.66:1 WBX!
Keep watching the screens, Ken!
Gordy

 

[StevenA]

Horror Of Dracula was, contrary to poplular belief, shot at 1.66:1 hard-matted... Any head-cropping that occurs in Warner's new DVD, was more or less there on the negative and all subsequent prints.

I don't see how that establishes that this new release is not cropped.

If the film was hard-matted at 1.66:1 but has been transferred at 1.78:1, then there must indeed be cropping on top or bottom or both.

Anybody know if the UK R2 releases are in 1.66:1?

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

I'll have to ask my friend to dig out his 35mm Technicolor print (which I used to own) of Horror of Dracula. I don't remember a hard-matte on the film other than the main and end titles. Although there may have been individual scenes with a matte, similar to the early Bonds (which were not hard-matted all the way through, either).