FIRST AN APOLOGY, I am a little behind on my reviews of PCASUK Peter Cushing Blu Ray releases. Housekeeping, pandemic domestic issues and general chaos, but I am sure no way as bad as most people's, have distracted and kept me busy. So I am making my way through the releases of the last five months. This is a release review I have tussled with, even though the draft of it was half written and sat on the blog desk for a few weeks, I resigned myself to the fact it had to be done and finished today. 'Brides' is a Hammer film I LOVE! But I HATE writing a negative release review, I try and find balance for all content on these releases. We are living in a time when all businesses are struggling to make a crust, for many, finances are stretched and I personally wouldn't want to spending my limp lolly resources on something, I later find I really could have done without.
SO, AFTER several screenings, here is my assessment on that Peter Cushing Hammer films blu ray release, that many fans were waiting for. Me, to be honest.. I could not see how this already available as an adequate package could be improved on . . but one distributor, gave it a shot and a pat on the back for trying, sadly this one was never going to get any better . . .
THE CAST:
Peter Cushing (Professor Van Helsing), Yvonne Monlaur (Marianne Danielle), David Peel (Baron Meinster), Martita Hunt (Baroness Meinster), Freda Jackson (Greta), Andree Melly (Gina), Mona Washbourne (Frau Lang), Miles Malleson (Dr Tobler)
THE CREW:
Director – Terence Fisher, Screenplay – Peter Bryan, Edward Percy & Jimmy Sangster, Producer – Anthony Hinds, Photography – Jack Asher, Music – Malcolm Williamson, Special Effects – Les Bowie & Syd Pearson, Makeup – Roy Ashton, Art Direction – Thomas Goswell & Bernard Robinson. Production Company – Hammer / Hotspur.
THE PLOT:
MARIANNA DANIELLE, a young schoolteacher on her way to take up a position in Transylvania, is abandoned in a village by her coach driver. She ignores the warnings of the locals and accepts an offer from the Baroness Meinster to spend the night at her castle. At the castle, she meets The Baroness’s handsome son whom the Baroness keeps in chains. He tells Marianne how the Baroness has usurped his rightful lands and pleads with her to free him. She does so, unaware that he is a vampire. Meinster then proceeds to vampirise his mother and stalkes Marianne as she journeys on to her school. Luckily for her, Dr Van Helsing is in the area, hunting down the disciples of Dracula.
OPINION:
BACK IN 2005, Universal released a very good package of FOUR Hammer films, on TWO DVD's in the US. Released as region TWO first in 2005 and later as a region ONE box set in the UK, it contained EIGHT prime Hammer film titles, one of which was a superb and crisp version of 'The Brides of Dracula'. As a DVD it's quality was very good indeed and awaiting the day when another digital medium was not far off, many were more that happy with the package, of this version of a Peter Cushing favourite. The same Brides of Dracula DVD discs was released on it's own in the UK, in 2007 by Showcase media. As the image quality was so good, I too thought, if the image quality is THIS good on a DVD, I can't wait for the upgrade on something else!
SUCH ARE THE RULES that drive us to buy the new soap-powder, the next model of car from a certain manufacturer, the next shampoo. However good that product is, no doubt when sales level, the arrival of a 'NEW and IMPROVED' version arrives. Sadly, Baron Meinster, Cushing's Van Helsing and the 'Brides' cast, were fated out of a 'New and Improved' deal back in 2008. But more on that dilemma later . .
THE VISUALS:
A QUICK LOOK at their back catalogue of very good Hammer and Cushing releases over the past few years, it's no surprise that Scream Factory has released Hammer films 1960 'The Brides of Dracula' as part of their much appreciated Collector’s Edition series of Blu-rays. Rather than release the same technical grade as the Region Free, UK Final Cut blu ray of 'Brides', Scream has decided to give the film a new 2K scan from the interpositive. Which sounds like a great idea, until you sit down to watch the results. I have read quite a few reviews of this release at other sites and pages, and only one, as mentioned in detail the issue with the visual quality of this release. The results are soft, making the detail more softer and muted than I personally would like through-out.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND some collectors don't actually like grain. In fact one review justifies the 'softness' as, 'the film retains a healthy medium-bodied grain without obstruction, and the image is strong throughout with just a few bits of softness here and there. . .' No, the muted blandness is present through out. Cramming everything, and a little needed other ratio of the film, from a weaker source, was in my personal opinion a mistake. Without the A GRADE master, that is obviously absent in the last TWO releases of BRIDES for the commercial Blu Ray market, there seems little point releasing a film, that has already been tweaked to its limit elsewhere, except then to provide a different ratio and availability to another region without their own release?. Bare in mind, the Final Cut Blu Ray IS REGION LOCK FREE! I sometimes wonder, what it is that technical teams actually SEE when adjusting and governing the quality of the picture, when they finally put that tick in the box, and pass the finished results for release. Whilst watching Scream's release, I set up another TV and player, and ran the 2005 Universal DVD of the film, along side Scream's blu ray. It's a great pity that the technical team didn't do so too. BUT there maybe a reason for that. . .
BACK IN 2008, on the morning of January 5th a huge fire broke out at the Universal Backlot in Los Angeles. “A total of five structures within the New York exhibit, including one soundstage, were lost,” said another L.A. County fire inspector, Frank Garrido, who added that the blaze had started in the back-lot area depicting New York City, which was destroyed." Further more, 'A building that holds a video vault of original and master versions of old movies had been destroyed and the vault itself had been “compromised.” said Ron Meyer, the president of Universal Studios, who also stated that “nothing irreplaceable was lost” in the video vault. (Source)
WELL, AT THAT POINT, Mr Mayers would say that, as the actual assessment on the lost masters and stock, was not known until April that year. What is interesting though, when several home cinema distributors, including Final Cut requested the master of 'Brides' in 2013, they were told officially 'it was no longer available', and unofficially that it was lost / destroyed back in the fire of 2008. So, from the point after of Universal's 2005 DVD of 'Brides' a 'new and Improved' release of 'Brides' has never appeared, and sadly never will do. How, ironic that the fact that, Baron's fate in 'Brides' begins with a FIRE in a windmill, and sets off his undoing, would also effect the fate of such an amazing British horror film, in the future....
THE SOFTENING, for me personally did effect the standard of the clarity through-out the film. As for compression, it is there and can be seen on BOTH the 1.85:1 and 1.66:1 ratios which are part of the package. BOTH ratios are to be found on the one blu ray disc and along with the 'best we have' master, it is these two factors, in my opinion, that has really compromised this release.
THE AUDIO:
LISTENING to the audio on the SCREAM blu ray release, it seems to have less guts than the Universal dvd's and the Final Cut releases. I tried listening with headphones and without. It was telling that, with headphones, the viewing experience is nearly always enhanced. Not this time though. I expected the audio to have that aged quality, but a mild hiss was a surprise. The score sounds pretty much like you would expect, and thankfully hides some of the slight imperfections in quieter scenes. It's pretty obvious that the 1.66:1 version has a weak and flat Dolby audio sound. A plus is this release does have the optional English (SDH) subtitles. The Blu-ray disc is Region 'A'-locked.
THE EXTRAS:
I LOVE EXTRAS and this release is packed with them. Having said I LOVE them as addition added value, but I am these days getting a little bored with 'Talking Heads'. Not ALL talking heads though! 😀 We are now coming to almost the bottom of the barrel as far as vintage resources of 'interviews, meetings with cast members etc.' Sadly, many have left us and are no longer around to share their stories. So,note the 'Making of Brides of Dracula' which is included in the extra menu. This documentary was filmed and produced by Donald Fearney and Jim Groom, for inclusion on the Final Cut 'Brides' blu ray extras. It's a very interesting doc, and includes interviews with cast and crew members, who appeared in 'Brides' with much to share and tell. Personally, would rather if the budget can hold it, a vintage televised interview with one of the cast, from the time the released or anyone with a connection to the film than just another opinion, from someone who likes the film, but never met a single soul who appeared or worked in it. Richard Klemensen is worth his weight in gold, as an authority who not only was fortunate to have met and known many of the cast and crews of films like 'Brides', but he also has a wealth of antidotes that were shared with him, from those who are no longer around. Of the extras it is Fearney's documentary and Klemensen's contribution that are the worthwhile deposites, to put in your Peter Cushing and Hammer Collection bank, in this release.
- Audio Commentary with Constantine Nasr and Steve Haberman
- The Men Who Made Hammer: Terence Fisher (HD – 58:21)
- The Men Who Made Hammer: Jack Asher (HD – 16:24)
- The Eternal and the Damned: Malcolm Williamson and The Brides of Dracula (HD – 15:22)
- The Brides of Dracula – 1.66:1 Version (HD – 85:34)
- The Making of The Brides of Dracula (HD – 31:10)
- The Haunted History of Oakley Court (HD – 15:13)
- Theatrical Trailers (SD – 2 in all – 4:06)
- Image Gallery (HD – 101 in all – 7:26)
- Radio Spot (HD – 1:03)
SO IN CLOSING :
SCREAM HAS A VERY SOUND REPUTATION. Over the years they have released and packaged some excellent features. This one is disappointing. Yes, the release IS packed with extras, TWO versions of the main feature AND some. This maybe a case of trying to please everyone and ending up with a real mixed bag. I hope this case of cramming everything on one disc, was an experiment. That it will be assessed and seen as not a popular or best solution to proving their costumers and faithful followers, with more of the standard of excellence, we have all come to expect from one of the best US distributors.
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