Media Review: The Vincent Price Collection 2 on Blu-ray (Scream Factory)

Happy Halloween, everyone! This past Friday's review was Halloween-themed, yes, but I figured you guys deserved an extra treat. So cuddle up with a hot beverage of your choice, maybe some pumpkin-based treats, and let's take a look at a collection of movies featuring the master of horror, Vincent Price!

For those of you who read last Halloween's entry, you'll remember that I had been planning on purchasing Scream Factory's first collection of Vincent Price horror movies on Blu-ray, "The Vincent Price Collection." However, I had not gotten around to it by the time that I learned that it had gone out of print. I frantically searched for a way to get my hands on a copy that hadn't been too jacked up in price, and managed to "luck out," finding a copy for MSRP ($79.99...when Amazon had usually sold it for $50. Ouch.)

I contacted Scream Factory (technically Shout Factory, Scream Factory is their horror imprint) to ask what the chances were of the second set going out of print in the near future. I was told, essentially, that the rights would not expire for "a while," which of course could mean anything and everything. So I decided to take no chances, and pick it up when I had the chance. Well, this past Christmas I received some Amazon gift cards, and stumbled across a copy on Amazon offered for $45, so I bit. (Once bitten, twice shy, after all.)

The set normally retails for around $55, which I would say is a fair price, especially considering that there are seven films in this set, as opposed to the first set's six. There aren't as many special features as last time (Dr. Phibes Rises Again is particularly barren), but the three Corman/AIP Poe films included with the set have those lovely Price introductions/conclusions, so I'm happy. (For those curious, Roger Corman made 8 Edgar Allen Poe-themed movies for American International Pictures, and cast Price in 7 of them. The odd one out, The Premature Burial, is obviously not included in this set.)

I should begin by stating that the packaging is very similar to the first collection. Paper slipcover, check. 32-page mini book, check, Case artwork looking like the portrait gallery from Disney's Haunted Mansion, check. I do like that the portraits are very American midcentury; it ties in nicely to "House on Haunted Hill."

The movies themselves present well, for the most part. I did notice some some flecks and lines--"The House on Haunted Hill" was the worst offender--but nothing to render these unwatchable. The color is fantastic! The best example would be "The Tomb of Ligaea," which makes heavy, symbolic, contrasting use of blue and red, and these just pop beautifully against the dark, dreary castle and its dusty furnishings.

There is a very good amount of special features included on this set. The three Poe films, as mentioned, have the PBS intros and outros, and almost every movie has at least one commentary. The odd film out is "Dr Phibes Rises Again," which is particularly bare-bones. My guess is that not enough material could be scraped up and put together.

I do feel that this collection offers an excellent mix of genres. There's supernatural horror ("The Comedy of Terrors," "Dr. Phibes Rises Again," "The Tomb of Ligeia"), comedy ("The Raven"), mystery ("House on Haunted Hill"), and science fiction ("The Last Man on Earth," "The Return of the Fly"). It's an excellent representation of Price's career. All in all, this is a really solid set, and given the price tag, is a good value. It's a good way to get a new fan into Price's body of work, as well.

Miss Scarlett suggests: I highly recommend picking it up for those fans of Vincent Price who don't own it already, or for anyone interested in 1950s/1960s horror films.