Press Release Warner Archive Collection Announcement: The Return of Doctor X (1939) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Coming from the Warner Archive Collection on October 29th!

New 2024 1080p HD master from a new 4K scan of the Original Nitrate Camera Negative

THE RETURN OF DOCTOR X (1939)
BD-50
62 Minutes
B&W
DTS-HD MA 2.0
Aspect ratio: 16x9 1.37:1 with side mattes
Subtitles: English SDH
NOT RATED
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Wayne Morris, Dennis Morgan
SPECIAL FEATURES: (TBA)
In a bizarre but fascinating bit of casting, Humphrey Bogart stars as a vampire in his only horror film role. After a murderous doctor is executed, he is revived with human blood--and soon people with that blood type begin to disappear. When an eager reporter stumbles across a popular actress who was thought to be dead, he can't help noticing that her skin is unnaturally pale and that she keeps her face concealed beneath a long black veil. Suspecting that evil is afoot, he investigates the terrifying world of a psychotic doctor (Bogart) and is drawn into a series of unsolved murders

 

[Robert Crawford]

Reserved for Amazon Pre-order Link.

 

[Filmic]

Bogart had more than a few bad things to say about it, which makes it all the more interesting today. Having been thrown into the part, pasty faced and white streaked, he does play it with gusto, even adding a shuffle walk and some nervous tics. Warners trading on the earlier 1932 film's reputation, but it has nothing in common with it except the title. Looks more expensive a production that it was, and quite a short B. Perhaps better paired with something else on a double bill.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Bogart had more than a few bad things to say about it, which makes it all the more interesting today. Having been thrown into the part, pasty faced and white streaked, he does play it with gusto, even adding a shuffle walk and some nervous tics. Warners trading on the earlier 1932 film's reputation, but it has nothing in common with it except the title. Looks more expensive a production that it was, and quite a short B. Perhaps better paired with something else on a double bill.

I just watched it again several weeks ago. It's a "B" movie with a first-rate cast.

 

[Nick*Z]

Odd that WAC should pass on releasing great horror flicks like I Walked with A Zombie and the Seventh Victim (both on their way via Criterion) but holds on to the lethally flawed stuff like this, and the previously released Mark of the Vampire, which has to be among the most tepid and dull 'horror' movies ever made in Hollywood. Bogie does give this one his all. But even that can fish it out of the soup of silliness. Badly bungled.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Odd that WAC should pass on releasing great horror flicks like I Walked with A Zombie and the Seventh Victim (both on their way via Criterion) but holds on to the lethally flawed stuff like this, and the previously released Mark of the Vampire, which has to be among the most tepid and dull 'horror' movies ever made in Hollywood. Bogie does give this one his all. But even that can fish it out of the soup of silliness. Badly bungled.

Why is it odd considering other iconic Warner titles that Criterion has released over the last several years.

 

[Dick]

Odd that WAC should pass on releasing great horror flicks like I Walked with A Zombie and the Seventh Victim (both on their way via Criterion) but holds on to the lethally flawed stuff like this, and the previously released Mark of the Vampire, which has to be among the most tepid and dull 'horror' movies ever made in Hollywood. Bogie does give this one his all. But even that can fish it out of the soup of silliness. Badly bungled.

Stop break-dancing all over my "tepid and dull horror movies"! They're the lifeblood of a well-rounded classic film collection. They're there to make the better-made movies look great, and the great movies seminal. MARK OF THE VAMPIRE might be a cheat, but it's cool and atmospheric and I watch it often. RETURN OF DR. X is a pretty, well, tepid and dull movie, but I would argue to the death that it isn't "lethally flawed." For it to be that, it would have to: Not have Humphrey Bogart in it; Not have a kind of enticing title; Not be unintentionally funny and finally -- perhaps most importantly -- Not fatal to watch.

 

[Filmic]

Most of the 30s horror cycle has something interesting or esoteric to see in it, even today. I can't quite say the same for the 40s era, where sequels proliferated and were short on invention. The interest in them now might be from interest in old movie genres and other aspects, which were not part of the original draw for audiences looking for basic escapism.

 

[Areyakiddin]

Why is it odd considering other iconic Warner titles that Criterion has released over the last several years.

Yep, I recall George mentioning in the past that licensing to Criterion was more about giving those movies the deluxe treatment in terms of bonus features, and now with 4k then Warner Archive would be able to.

Also when many of these were licensed out to Criterion, the Blu-ray side of Warner Archive was far less of a focus for them then it is now and weren't able to release many older movies onto the format.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Everyone says 1939 was the best year for Hollywood movies

 

[lark144]

Everyone says 1939 was the best year for Hollywood movies

And for me, THE RETURN OF DOCTOR X basks in that glow. I really like it. But then, I really like Warners B films of the late 1930's, especially those produced by Bryan Foy. It's fast paced, atmospherically photographed by Sid Hickox, the script filled with tough yet funny aphorisims that skirt felionious behevior. In short, an excellent example of the Warners house style. And for me, it holds up on repeated viewings, not as a horror film, which it really isn't, but as a crime/detective yarn with comic aspects. Wayne Morris and Rosemary Lane may not be James Cagney and Ann Sheridan, but they handle themselves well, and Vincent Sherman's direction is consistently interesting. Initially, I only watched the handful of scenes with Bogart and decided the film was skippable. Then one night, I couldn't sleep and started watching it from the beginning and was surprised how enaging it was. Like THE MASK OF FU MANCHU, my DVD sufferes from disc rot, so I'll be picking this up.

 

[Filmic]

It's a good point made about the late 30s being a wonderful time for movies that show production polish and atmosphere. Even the lowliest B pictures from the major studios seemed to have a certain extra buzz about them. Hard to define what the 'magic' was, and perhaps it never did really exist as a cultural force. The studio system may have fragmented under wartime pressure, where the mood changed.

 

[Dick]

Yep, I recall George mentioning in the past that licensing to Criterion was more about giving those movies the deluxe treatment in terms of bonus features, and now with 4k then Warner Archive would be able to.

Also when many of these were licensed out to Criterion, the Blu-ray side of Warner Archive was far less of a focus for them then it is now and weren't able to release many older movies onto the format.

Does Warner Bros license out their catalog titles to anyone other than Criterion?

 

[TravisR]

Does Warner Bros license out their catalog titles to anyone other than Criterion?

They've licensed to Scream/Shout Factory too.

 

[cadavra]

RETURN is a perfectly fine B horror film. Little-known fact: it was written for Karloff, who had a non-exclusive contract with WB at the time. Boris apparently balked, so they probably just replaced him with whomever wasn't working at the moment, and it happened to be Bogie. His performance is about the best it could be in a role he's totally unsuited for, but one wishes they could have looked a little harder for someone more appropriate.

 

[RBailey]

Since RETURN is a short film and the special features have not been announced, may I make a suggestion that another WB title be added to this release.

 

[Robert Crawford]

RETURN is a perfectly fine B horror film. Little-known fact: it was written for Karloff, who had a non-exclusive contract with WB at the time. Boris apparently balked, so they probably just replaced him with whomever wasn't working at the moment, and it happened to be Bogie. His performance is about the best it could be in a role he's totally unsuited for, but one wishes they could have looked a little harder for someone more appropriate.

I thought Bogie was fine in the role. I'm looking forward to watching this Blu-ray derived from a 4K scan of the OCN.