and Michael Brooke, a Vincent Price panorama that encompassed the aforementioned titles and simi- larly deluxe versions of TALES OF TERROR, THE RAVEN, THE HAUNTED PALACE and THE TOMB OF LIGEIA. Though the set was prevented from including THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH by a rights problem specific to the UK, which prevented it from becoming the “CORMAN POE CYCLE” set which collectors have long been coveting, it suc- cessfully diverted public attention from that stum- bling block with its sense of focus, its audacious packaging, and bountiful extras—six audio com- mentaries, eight on-camera interview pieces, video essays, feature-length documentaries about Cor- man and Peter Lorre, and a 200-page book in- cluding fresh essays on each of the films by prominent authorities, Price autobiography ex- cerpts, and complete reproductions of the Dell
Comics adaptations of three of the Poe films. PS: Limited to 2,000 copies.
In each case, Scream Factory was there with the product first. In terms of sheer number, their two VINCENT PRICE COLLECTION sets give the customer more Price movies to enjoy—including the only Blu-ray presentations of THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH or HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL we’re likely to see any time soon. The supplements attached to each film are generous, entertaining and often unique, the commentary tracks knowledge- ably assigned and efficiently carried out. This said, the sets somehow lack presence. Everything is com- pressed to fit into a slim slipcase, with most of the titles compressed (with their extras) to be paired on discs, affecting their bit rate and thus detracting slightly from the overall liquidity of their appear- ance. There is also a certain carelessness about the way the set is programmed, with the films pre- sented randomly rather than chronologically. While the individual offerings are a delight, the whole has the feel of a casual theme confection assembled for the Halloween holiday rush, primarily for the impulse buyer with some consideration given to the devout fan—rather than the other way around. The Arrow sets, on the other hand, are ostenta- tious, thorough—and as flamboyant as Price him- self. They demonstrate a stronger sense of knowing their audience and what they seek in a quality re- lease. Not only is each film presented on its own disc, with bit rate maximized to lend the highest possible definition to their high definition, but the films are sensibly organized. The supplementary materials are generally more serious in tone, but they also include unexpected elements of the clever and playful. Each disc is individually packaged with newly commissioned artwork, and can be reversed
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to display the films’ original poster art, should the buyer prefer. If it’s within your budget to acquire all four sets, it’s well worth it, simply to avail yourself of the full diversity of unduplicated extras; however, for customers who need to be more selective, a closer look is required.
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER 1960, Scream Factory, 82m 23s Arrow Video, 79m 8s
When young Philip Winthrop (Mark Damon) trav- els the barren, desolate roads to the derelict man- sion where his beloved Madeline lives with her older, reclusive brother Roderick (Vincent Price), he finds the brother deranged with hyper-sensitivity and the sister, who suffered from catatonia, possibly pre- maturely buried. Scripted by Richard Matheson (I AM LEGEND, THE SHRINKING MAN), Roger Corman’s
first Poe film for American International is not the best of the series, but it stands as a remarkably original template for a new kind of psychologi-
cal, literate, one could even say psychedelic hor- ror film, and features one of Vincent Price’s most artful characterizations.
Though it got the ball rolling for the selection of films found on Scream Factory’s VINCENT PRICE COLLECTION, THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER appears on the second disc in the set, po- sitioned in support of THE HAUNTED PALACE (the sixth of Corman’s Poe-related films). It is available from Arrow Video in three different issues—in the order of their appearance: a stand-alone release, a deluxe limited SteelBook edition, and the first disc in the SIX GOTHIC TALES set. The contents of all three Arrow discs are the same, while the stand- alone sets offer my own essay about the film (“The House is the Monster!”) in a liner notes booklet, while SIX GOTHIC TALES presents it as a chapter of its limited hardcover book.
Naturally, the Scream Factory and Arrow Video releases worked from the same 2.35:1 digital mas- ter provided by MGM, whose source element is not identified. Using this, both companies made inde- pendent adjustments to the source material as their technicians saw fit. Still other opportunities for vari- ance might occur in the disc authoring stages. Here, as often happens, there is a distinct difference of bit rate between the two companies, with Arrow fa- voring single title discs and Scream Factory most often programming two to a disc. The compression that comes with pairing two films and their extras on a dual-layered disc can affect the visual quality of a presentation but not necessarily in ways no- ticeable to everyone. The Scream Factory remasters
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