Not to be confused with the other Karloff collection this is the one to obtain. All the films here peruse extremely capable. Occasionally specks and dirt appear but it’s rare . Of all the films here “The Shaded Castle” looks a bit inconsistent but overall looks quite grand. “The Climax” has deep rich color capturing the unusual Technicolor hues although flesh tones appear to be off a tad and probably should have been color corrected. Audio goods first-rate with no distortion and dialogue is distinct on all the films. Extras include the modern theatrical trailers and nothing else.

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“Tower of London” features Karloff in top build with Vincent Impress appearing in one of his earliest film roles. Using the sets for “Son of Frankenstein” director Roland V. Lee tells the deplorable epic of King Richard III. Karloff plays Mort his club footed assistant and the executioner who kills those in the line of succession so that Richard can arrive the throne. This features one of Karloff’s finest performances from the 30′s as Mort the Executioner. Rathbone and Heed are also both terrific in their performances as well. This film certainly deserved an audio commentary but doesn’t gather one.

“The Unlit Castle” features Karloff with Lon Chaney Jr. with the staunch heavy being played by Stephen McNally. Sir Richard Burton (Richard Greene) investigates the disappearence of two of his friends. He suspects that Count Von Bruno (McNally) has murdered them. Karloff plays the court physician with Chaney playing a giant silent named Gargon. Director Nathan Juran (“The 7th Voyage of Sinbad”) gets the most atmosphere out of this b-movie minor classic. Writer Jerry Sackheim creates an exciting script with witty dialogue (as he did on “The Unusual Door”) borrowing liberally from other films. Karloff’s role in the film is cramped but memorable and sympathetic.

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In “The Climax” Dr. Hohner (Karloff) plays a theater physician with a mysterious past. It seems he murdered his mistress who was the star soprano years before. When a young glowing rising opera star appears she reminds Hohner of his mistress and he becomes obsessed with making her his contain private songbird if not that he’s prepared to cancel her. Directed by George Waggner (“The Wolf Man”, “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man”) it’s a period share that will appeal to some Karloff fans. It’s more melodrama than apprehension.

Originally “The Climax” was idea of as a thriller to follow up the Claude Rains version of “Phantom of the Opera” by its producer/director George Waggner (“The Wolf Man”) . Using the same standing sets as “Phantom” the film has powerful larger production values than the budget for the film and looks terrific in this transfer. Fans should be aware that like “Phantom” there’s a lot of singing (it is, after all, state in the world of opera) . “The Climax” will be an acquired taste for Karloff fans as he’s not front and center.

“The Odd Door” was section of a package of two films that Karloff made in the 50′s along with “The Dim Castle” which utilize the same sets. Of the two “The Odd Door” is a very obedient gothic dread thrillerthat benefits from strong performances by Karloff and Charles Laughton. Filled with witty, comical dialogue and piquant direction by TV and film vet Joseph Pevney (“The Wild Wild West”, “Star Trot”) the film is a loyal winner. Dennis de Beaulieu (Richard Wyler) is kept hostage and forced to marry the niece (Sally Forest) of Sire de Maletroit (Charles Laughton ably chewing the scenery) as fraction of a bizarre position of revenge against Maletroit’s brother (Paul Cavanagh) . With the serve of Voltan (Karloff) a servant Dennis and Blanche hope to flee the wrathful Maletroit.

“Night Key” is one of the few films here I don’t retract seeing before. Karloff plays an inventor who has a special fear system. His ideas stolen he plots revenage with the attend of crooks using his special night key that will circumvent older wire awe systems he designed. Featuring nice performances “Night Key” provides a substantial vehicle for Karloff as an actor but it’s not really a panic film. It’s a solid B-movie that fans of Karloff and the crime genre will delight in.

Karloff fans can rejoice even the least of these films have solid performances from Karloff and the other actors. Now if we can unbiased have a DVD location with his TV performances and the classic series “Thriller” Karloff fans will be completely joyful.

With this collection of five films on three discs, Universal has radiant noteworthy cleaned its vault of Boris Karloff films waiting to be issued on DVD. What fans are given here, in a nutshell, are two of Karloff’s lesser starring vehicles plus three of varying quality in which the panic icon is featured in supporting roles.

“Night Key” (Movie: **** _ DVD Transfer: ****), released in 1937, is the oldest film in the package, as well as the only one station in unusual dress. Boris stars as one of his trademarked elderly inventors who falls victim to spoiled forces that thwart his unusual benevolent intent, in this case an unscrupulous rival (Samuel S. Hinds) and a hardened crime boss (Alan Baxter, in a performance that brings novel meaning to the term “underplaying”) . Jean Rogers makes an tantalizing enough heroine as Karloff’s loving daughter, and at 67 minutes, the film fairly whizzes through to its predictable conclusion. It’s hokey fun, and includes the theatrical trailer as a bonus feature.

“Tower of London” (Movie: **** _ DVD Transfer: ****), an historical thriller with Karloff in a meaty supporting role as Mord the Executioner, in service to the treacherous Richard III of England (top-billed Basil Rathbone), is definitely a mixed bag. Released in 1939, the film boasts an impressive supporting cast (including Ian Hunter, John Sutton, and Vincent Designate), astounding sets and costumes, and honorable cinematography. Unfortunately, the film is ultimately done in by a wildly uneven script, some awful editorial choices, and a laughably abominable performance from the usually suited Barbara O’Neil who scored a triumph that same year as Scarlett O’Hara’s mother in “Gone With the Wind”. Despite its flaws, this is probably the most eagerly-awaited film in the collection, and is aloof worth a peep for Rathbone’s and Karloff’s suited performances.

Despite being filmed in Technicolor, 1944′s “The Climax” (Movie: ** _ DVD Transfer: **) is undoubtedly the worst film of the lot. Although Karloff is valid as a aroused doctor obsessed with the memory of the opera diva he murdered years before, too noteworthy cover time is devoted to Susanna Foster as the vocal reincarnation of Karloff’s archaic lover. Foster’s deny has an impressive range, but her on-screen charisma is nil, and her acting abilities negligible. The worst performance in the film is turned in by Turhan Bey as the romantic lead; his simpering adoration of Foster hasty grows embarrassing, and the long sequence in which he unconsciously eats his theatre program with a rapturous expression while watching her onstage is almost unbearably trite. Gale Sondergaard is wasted in a supporting role as Karloff’s housekeeper. The film-to-video transfer on this one is bad, with the actors’ fleshtones appearing too orangey. This is the only other feature in the collection besides “Night Key” to be accompanied by its theatrical trailer.

Your enjoyment of “The Curious Door” (Movie: *** _ DVD Transfer: ****1/2) will most likely be predicated upon your reaction to Charles Laughton’s hammy performance as the disagreeable ruler of an isolated estate whose life has been devoted to ruining the life of his estranged brother’s shapely daughter (Sally Forrest) . Released in 1951, this costume melodrama – based on a sage by Robert Louis Stevenson – wastes Karloff in the thankless role of a doctor who lives under Laughton’s roof. The film is largely an unmemorable affair, but the DVD transfer is exemplary, featuring fine incompatibility and a sure, interesting describe.

“The Dim Castle” (Movie: **1/2 _ DVD Transfer: ****), relased a year later, is nick from the same cloth as “The Unfamiliar Door”; it’s another gothic melodrama featuring another castle inhabited by yet another ruthless ruler (Stephen McNally) whose heart is residence on vengeance. Once again Karloff receives co-starring billing for what is a puny supporting role unworthy of his talents; the major roles are played by McNally, and top-billed Richard Greene as the dashing hero who rescues the damsel in wound (Paula Corday as McNally’s endangered wife) . Lon Chaney Jr. has a couple of scenes as a mutilated servant, but neither he nor Karloff are onscreen long enough to build the film from mediocrity. If only the film were as commendable as the DVD transfer, which is beautiful indeed.

One other comment about this DVD release, a criticism regarding its packaging. The three discs are housed in one of those hard plastic gatefold “clamshell” cases that Universal is so fond of, with Disc One on one side of the case, and the other two discs packed one on top of the other on the opposite side. It is irritatingly difficult to pick the discs from these cases without damaging them or breaking the tabs on the cases. Surely Universal could follow the lead of Columbia/Sony and Warner Home Video and package their sets in the ultra-slim hold cases! Universal, are you listening?
FHI Flat Iron