I'm not doing a full review of each of these TEN films (I have pretty much done that under their individual titles) - but I chiefly wanted to make some relevant points about some of these movies which should help you decide whether to purchase this 3-DVD package or to get them in alternative offers.
First, I want to say that for the price, this package is actually a pretty good deal. I applaud the distributor for making this economy DVD set available and I feel like I got my money's worth and more.
"House on Haunted Hill" (B&W, 1959, 75 minutes) -- FIVE STARS! This is one of my top three horror film selections of them all, a terrific cult classic. This version is slightly reduced in clarity compared to many others which are available -- it's also rendered in full-screen which is a far inferior presentation to the original letterbox format. The best deal on this particular film (crystal-clear and in letterbox) is Vincent Price Double Feature: The Last Man on Earth/House on Haunted Hill. Of course with this DVD you also get "The Last Man on Earth," (one of the films in the 10-DVD set under review), yet another Vincent Price thriller which perhaps ultimately gave rise to the very superior color film of a similar theme, The Omega Man.
"The Human Monster" (B&W, 1940, 75 minutes) -- The genre here is actually more of a dreary mystery than it is a horror film and not one of Lugosi's better performances, (due to a weak/inappropriate script.) Lugosi is an insurance broker who scams his underwriters by, of course, knocking people off. He utilizes a pathetic, blind, buck-toothed near-mutant to facilitate his evil bidding - pretty distasteful, really and boring to boot.
"Indestructible Man" (B&W, 1956, 70 minutes) -- Lon Chaney, Jr. plays a robber/murderer who is caught and executed but, through a comedy of medical errors, is soon revived. He immediately seeks revenge upon his former partners in crime who sold him down the road and he kills anyone who gets in his way. I'm hardly on fire over this film but the singular redeeming aspect is that Chaney hunts down a sleazy, crooked, whining lawyer like a cur-dog... so that part was good.
"Invisible Ghost" (B&W, 1941, 61 minutes) -- FIVE STARS! The original film was 64 minutes but I don't know exactly what's been cut here. While this movie features an intricately complex plot, it's still thoroughly comprehensible -- the film editors did a great job on that aspect. This Lugosi vehicle is really a murder mystery and not so much a monster film except that Lugosi effects a Frankenstein-ish, arms-extended mesmerized gait as he heads off to strangle people. The film does end abruptly which is its single failing.
"The Phantom Creeps" (B&W, 1939, 75 minutes) -- FIVE STARS! This film/DVD is an adaptation from its original 265-minute serial version: Phantom Creeps - Volumes 1 & 2 (Complete Serial) (2-DVD). Of course the theater serial is notably better but the film here was nicely edited and the continuity is just fine. Lugosi always did his best stuff either as a monster or as a mad scientist, the latter being his role in this instance where his objective is essentially world domination through his cool robotic inventions, all powered by a rare and destructive element.
"Nightmare Castle" (B&W, 1965, 90 minutes) This is a really contrasty and grainy copy of the film, like it was snatched from a videotape which was originally recorded at a slow speed. Almost any other version would represent a superior choice so do not buy this package just to get this particular movie! It's an Italian film and a big Barbara Steele vehicle, B-Queen of older slasher-type horror flicks. The movie has also been known/marketed as: "Lovers Beyond the Tomb"; "Lovers from Beyond the Tomb"; "Night of the Doomed"; "Orgasmo," and; "The Faceless Monster". While the clarity isn't all that palatable in this instance, the movie itself is pretty strong in plot and I have always enjoyed it at the four-star level. While it's not precisely the same story, a similar type of film in this period genre which relies on many of the same gimmicks features Bill Campbell and you might like it too: Portrait in Terror.
"The Little Shop of Horrors" (B&W, 1960, 70 minutes) -- I first saw this flick on late-night television, two or three years after its release. It was well-received by almost everyone but most people found it tongue-in-cheek humorous, which surely met the objectives of the director. The despicable re-make, Little Shop of Horrors (Snap Case), was a dismal effort from my view, but I liked the original okay.
"Carnival of Souls" (B&W, 1962, 80 minutes) - This is a really strange and offbeat film, much like what one encountered in the television episodes of "The Twilight Zone." The movie conveys that 1960s film ambiance which reeks of the Drive-in Theater. Actually, it's not at all hateful... it's just in a category of its own, sort of refreshing in some aspects. I actually own this one in a different packaging which I like far better due mainly to the films which come with it: AMC Monsterfest Collection - Cult Classics, Vol. 1 (The Atomic Brain / The Brain That Wouldn't Die / Carnival of Souls / Night Tide).
In summary, this is a mixed genre of films spanning mystery, science fiction, horror, suspense/thriller, and beyond. I'm glad that I bought it and for the price, you could hardly go wrong in acquiring it if you like any two of these films.
