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Frankenstein 1970

Blu ray

Warner Archive

1958 / 2:35:1 / 83 Min. / Street Date – April 9, 2019

Starring Boris Karloff, Don Barry, Jana Lund

Written by Richard H. Landau

Cinematography by Carl E. Guthrie

Directed by Howard Koch

Color TVs, swimming pools and cars (especially cars). American culture of the 50s was fueled by desire for the newest status symbol – even the title of the latest monster movie was pitched to the upwardly mobile – get behind the wheel of the atomic powered Frankenstein 1970.

Take a look under the hood though and apart from a few modernistic bells and whistles (most notably its CinemaScope framing) director Howard Koch’s movie is doggedly retrograde. The swooning ingenues, skeptical villagers and dank dungeons – all would have fit comfortably in a Universal horror film of the 30’s.

The movie’s real attraction is a more than welcome blast from the past – Boris Karloff returns to Mary Shelley’s monsterverse...

Decades after playing Frankenstein's monster in several Universal horror films, Boris Karloff played the mad scientist himself, Baron Victor von Frankenstein, in Frankenstein 1970, and Warner Archive announced that they will release the 1958 horror film on Blu-ray with a new HD master.

Although an exact release date is not yet known, Blu-ray.com lists Frankenstein 1970 for an April release, and we have the official announcement and cover art from Warner Archive's Facebook page:

"Frankenstein 1970 (1958)

New 2019 1080p HD Master

Run Time 83:00

Subtitles English Sdh

Sound Quality DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English

Aspect Ratio 2.35:1, 16 X 9 Letterbox

Product Color B&W

Disc Configuration Bd 25

Special Feature: Commentary by Historians Charlotte Austin, Bob Burns, and Tom Weaver

Is there a doctor in the house? At the eerie House of Frankenstein, the answer is “yes” – and he’s out to make right the experiment in playing God that’s doomed his family for generations.

Dracula and Van Helsing seem more than a little confused, fighting the good fight of virtue against evil in a modern setting dominated by painful Mod fashions and flaky pop rock ‘n’ roll. Hammer’s desperation bid to make itself ‘relevant’ at least gives us Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, who keep the show on the rails despite the disastrous concept. The two leading ladies are favorites as well.

Dracula A.D. 1972

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

11972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 96 min. / Street Date October 16, 2018 / available through the WBshop / 21.99

Starring Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Stephanie Beacham, Christopher Neame, Michael Coles, Marsha A. Hunt, Caroline Munro

Cinematography: Dick Bush

Production Designer: Don Mingaye

Film Editor: James Needs

Original Music: Tim Barnes

Written by: Don Houghton

Produced by: Michael Carreras, Josephine Douglas

Directed by Alan Gibson

“But the movie is terrible.”

“Don’t worry about that. Caroline Munro looks great, that’s all you need to know.

It's an All Star monster rally -- Lon Chaney Jr.!, John Carradine!, Bela Lugosi!, Basil Rathbone!, Tor Johnson! -- with Akim Tamiroff in there pitching as well. It's considered a must-see picture, and this HD presentation is nothing to sniff at. Added bonus: a Tom Weaver commentary. The Black Sleep Blu-ray Kl Studio Classics 1956 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 82 min. / Dr. Cadman's Secret / Street Date March 22, 2016 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95 Starring Basil Rathbone, Akim Tamiroff, Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine, Bela Lugosi, Herbert Rudley, Patricia Blake, Phyllis Stanley, Tor Johnson, Sally Yarnell, George Sawaya. Cinematography Gordon Avil Film Editor John F. Schreyer Original Music Les Baxter Written by John C. Higgins, Gerald Drayson Adams Produced by Howard W. Koch Directed by Reginald Le Borg

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Older monster kids know that the 1956 chiller The Black Sleep existed for years only through stills in Famous Monsters magazine. We saw tantalizing...

I can’t think of a better time to be a horror fan than during the months of September and October. It’s when the studios try to capitalize on the spookiest time of year by releasing genre catalogue titles – many of them for the first time on DVD. That’s exactly what Warner Bros. has lined up with today’s announcement.

DVD Active reports that four Karloff and Lugosi classics will make their DVD bow on October 6, 2009. Warner Home Video has officially announced Karloff & Lugosi Horror Classics, which includes "The Walking Dead" (1936), "Frankenstein - 1970" (1958), "You’ll Find Out" (1940), and "Zombies on Broadway" (1945). The 2-disc set should retail at around $26.98. The only extra material will be a commentary by historian Greg Mank on "The Walking Dead" and a commentary on "Frankenstein - 1970" by historians Charlotte Austin and Tom Weaver.

Always nice to get some more golden era genre flicks on DVD,...