The Undying Monster)

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Staring: Laird Cregar, Linda Darnell, Merle Oberon, George Sanders, Glenn Langan
Director: John Brahm
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List Price: ~~$26.98~~
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Product Details
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Fox
EAN: 0024543466796
Format: Box set, Black & White, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Restored, Subtitled, NTSC
Label: 20th Century Fox
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
Number Of Discs: 3
Publisher: 20th Century Fox
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2007-10-09
Running Time: 224
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Theatrical Release Date: 1944-01-19

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Editorial Review
Description
Disc 1: HANGOVER SQUARE **Full-Frame Feature B&W **Commentary by Film Historian/Screenwriter Steve Haberman and Co-Star Faye Marlowe **Commentary by Richard Schickel **The Tragic Mask: The Laird Cregar Story **Hangover Square Vintage Radio Show - Performed by Vincent Price **Restoration Comparison **Trailer **Concertos Macabre: The Films of John Brahm **Restoration Comparison **Trailer

Disc 2: THE LODGER **Full-Frame Feature - B&W **Commentary by Film Historians Alain Silver & James Ursini **Man in the Fog: The Making of The Lodger **The Lodger Vintage Radio Show - Performed by Vincent Price **Restoration Comparison **Trailer **Still Gallery

Disc 3: THE UNDYING MONSTER **Full-Frame Feature - B&W **Concertos Macabre: The Films of John Brahm *Restoration Comparison **Trailer **Advertising Gallery **Still Gallery

Amazon.com
This three-disc collection of vintage suspense from the Fox vaults not only presents three atmospheric and underrated thrillers in sparkling remastered formats, but also serves as a long-overdue tribute to the talents of director John Brahm and actor Laird Cregar, who stars in two of the three films. 1944's The Lodger is probably the best-known of the three; it's a remake of a 1926 Alfred Hitchcock film and stars Cregar as a mysterious house guest who may be Jack the Ripper. Cregar is top-billed in 1945's Hangover Square as another psychologically tormented soul; here he's a concert pianist (Bernard Herrmann composed the film's stunning concerto) who flies into a psychotic rage at the sound of a dissonant chord. And 1942's The Undying Monster is the "truest" horror title in the collection due to its werewolf plotline, but there's more than a touch of detective drama (and scientific procedural) in its frames as well. All three pictures are distinguished by German-born director Brahm, whose expressionistic visual style and emphasis on psychological terror over physical frights help to set these films apart from the monster-driven horror films coming from Universal at the same time. He's aided considerably by Cregar, who set the standard for movie madmen for decades to come. In addition to their stunning remastering, all three films feature in-depth featurettes on their principal players and histories. Concerto Macabre: The Films of John Brahm traces the director's offbeat career (after making an impact with the three films featured here, he concentrated almost exclusively on TV, where his output included stellar episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits), while The Tragic Mask: The Laird Cregar Story explores the oversized actor's struggle with typecasting and his homosexuality. The Lodger gets its own making-of documentary, The Man in the Attic, which explores Brahm's stunning visual compositions and Cregar's intense performance in detail. Trailers and advertising galleries for all three pictures are included, as are two complete radio adaptations of The Lodger and Hangover Square, both starring Vincent Price, who became Fox's in-house heavy after Cregar's untimely death at 31. Commentary on Hangover Square by film historians Richard Schickel and Steve Haberman with cast member Faye Marlowe, and James Ursini and Alain Silver on The Lodger, round the extras on this chill-filled set. -- Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews

grade-A horror, 2010-09-01
If I might take a somewhat different tack... This set is not only an homage to Laird Cregar, but to John Brahm, a German director who came to the US to escape the Nazis.

It's tempting to call Brahm a poor man's Hitchcock, but that would be misleading and unfair. Brahm had his own distinctive style, with unsymmetrical and off-kilter framing, and highly dramatic lighting. He also infuses his films with tremendous energy. By comparison, Michael Curtiz is positively torpid.

"The Undying Monster" is the weak film in this batch. It's beautifully photographed (and that's an understatement), but Brahm's rapid pace occasionally gets in the way of understanding who-did-what-to-whom-and-why. And James Ellison's dreadfully LOUD and overbearing performance as a Scotland Yard investigator almost torpedoes the film. (It's surprising the sets remained standing.) "The Undying Monster" comes across as one of those awful horror/mystery films of the 30s (eg, "Mystery of the Wax Museum") helmed by a wildly talented director. Two stars out of four.

The others are classics. "The Lodger" is a nominal remake of Hitchcock's silent version. There's no harm in saying it's better than the Hitchcock, because it is. Sound makes it possible for a good actor to create a subtlety of characterization impossible in a silent film. * And Laird Cregar was a great actor. Brahm supposedly let Cregar do what he wanted, and he delivers.

Brahm does, too. When Cregar jumps out of the window into the river, the effect (for its era) is not unlike the Millenium Falcon jumping to hyperspace. Three stars out of four.

"Hangover Square" is, by a narrow margin, the best of the three, possibly because of Bernard Herrmann's remarkable score. Though it was written before filming began, the last few minutes work perfectly with scenes of a mansion burning down. The images seem almost tailored to the music, rather than the other way around. The fire is beyond spectacular; Darryl Zanuck must have been biting his nails over the possibility it might get out of control and kill Cregar. (It's amazing he didn't die of smoke inhalation.) Three and a half stars out of four.

Not enough can be said about these films' magnificent B&W cinematography, some of the finest I've ever seen. B&W can be much more expressive than color -- note, for example, how characters move in an out of the light, or have their eyes lightened or darkened, to great effect. This can be done in color, or course, but it's more "obvious" and less abstract. The scene in which Cregar shuffles across the gratings in the theater and the light coming through them ripples across his face is unforgettable.

* Note Norma Desmond's remark that "We had faces, then." Laird Cregar's performance is a perfect rebuttal to that.

EXCELLENT COLLECTION!, 2009-06-18
Three really good films. All great stories, all done with powerful story telling. This is a good additon to a DVD horror collection. Even my mother, who's not into Horror, loved "The Undying Monster".

Classics you'll enjoy. Beautful transfers.

'Hangover Square' Alone Worth The Price Of The Set!, 2009-02-19
If you admire good acting, directing and cinematography, this is a good movie to watch. It combines all of those elements. Fox is to be congratulated for making a great transfer as the picture is sharp and the lighting is outstanding.

To me, "Hangover Square" was easily the best of three films offered here in this "Horror Classics Collection," so I'll limit my reivew to it. That's not to trash the other two films, by the way. They can stand on their own, too.

As for HS,, the story settles in for awhile and you have to stick with it. If you're used to modern movies, you'll get bored but if you hang around "Hangover Square" to where the main figure commits his second crime, the rest of the film gets better and better from that point. So does the direction and the photography. Kudos to Director John Brahm for a variety of interesting angles, from floor level to above-ceiling, through peep holes and anywhere else he could think of to shoot the scene.

If you're a fan of film noir, Cinematographer Josesph LaShelle's work here will keep you enthralled. Once he gets rolling, scene after scene is jaw-dropping in his array of lights and shadows - superb stuff. These are really mysteries, more than horror films.

Laird Cregar is mesmerizing as "George Harvey Bone," a demented composer who, upon hearing discordant notes, literally goes insane and gets violent, intending to choke the life out of the last person who got him upset. What a shame the young Cregar never lived to see his great performance on screen. (Check out the 20-minute bonus feature of Cregar's career on this disc; it's fascinating.)

The fact that the actor is still talked about in reverent tones in Hollywood some 60 years after his death, is a testimony to his acting prowess. particularly since his career was so short. Linda Darnell adds a lot of sex appeal and evilness to "Hangover Square" and George Sanders - surprise - plays a good guy. How often do you see that?

The finale in here also is incredible - one you are guaranteed to remember!

Laird Cregar and gothic films, 2009-03-03
HANGOVER SQUARE is not only a showcase for Laird Cregar's talent, but one of the most gorgeous films of tragic star Linda Darnell. These three movies are classic Hollywood in the '40's, and fun to experience---they also have typically 1940's "dark" themes, and stunning production values.
UNDYING MONSTER stars the unique talent Heather Angel, a wonderful British actress made famous by her role as the suicidal mother in Alfred Hitchcock's LIFEBOAT.

Big Fan of Laird Cregar, 2010-05-15
This is a great product for the price. Laird Cregar did very few films before his death in 1944, two of which are in this selection. Hangover Square was his last film and featured him at his best. Extreme talent. The other movie "The Lodger" was also in this selection and once again his talent is featured. Great movies, great star.

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