The William Castle Film Collection

[HGervais]

Isn't it weird how in the past year or so Sony has rushed to the forefront of releasing catalouge titles while Warner has slowed to virtually a trickle? Anyway, details from DVD Times:

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have announced the Region 1 DVD release of The William Castle Film Collection on 20th October 2009 priced at $80.95 SRP. The master of ballyhoo who became a brand name in movie horror with his outrageous audience participation gimmicks will be remembered by Sony through this set which features eight of the legendary producer/director’s most notable films, including The Tingler (1959), 13 Ghosts (1960), Homicidal (1961), Mr. Sardonicus (1961), and Strait-Jacket (1964). Also included in the collection are Zotz! (1962), The Old Dark House (1963), and 13 Frightened Girls (1963), each making their DVD debuts. The extensive bonus materials include original theatrical openings, alternate sequences, vintage footage and original theatrical trailers, as well as two episodes of the television series, Ghost Story produced by William Castle.

Also included as a bonus feature, is Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story (2007), the acclaimed documentary on William Castle by director Jeffrey Schwarz that won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2007 AFI Film Festival. The film features archival interviews with John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), John Waters (Pink Flamingos), Budd Boetticher (The Tall T), Roger Corman (The Little Shop of Horrors) and legendary mime Marcel Marceau.

The full list of features on this five-disc set follows…
■Commentary with Producer/Director Jeffrey Schwarz and Terry Castle.
■Disc 1 featuring 13 Frightened Girls/13 Ghosts includes:
■Featurette: “The Magic of Illusion-O.”
■Original Theatrical Trailers.
■Original “British” trailer introduction for 13 Frightened Girls.
■Original “Candy Web” trailer for 13 Frightened Girls
■Original “Candy Web” theatrical opening message and closing message from William Castle for 13 Frightened Girls.
■Alternate openings (British, Swedish, French and German) for 13 Frightened Girls.
■Disc 2 featuring Homicidal/Strait-Jacket includes:
■Featurette: “Psychette: William Castle and Homicidal.”
■Featurette: “Homicidal Youngstown, Ohio Premiere.”
■Featurette: “Battleaxe: The Making of Strait-Jacket.”
■Vintage Featurette: “How to Plan a Movie Murder.”
■Original Theatrical Trailers.
■Joan Crawford Wardrobe Tests.
■Joan Crawford Axe Test.
■Strait-Jacket TV Spots.
■Disc 3 featuring Old Dark House/Sardonicus includes:
■Featurette: “Taking the Punishment Poll.”
■Featurette: “Ghost Story: Pilot (The New House).”
■Original Theatrical Trailer.
■Disc 4 featuring The Tingler/Zotz! includes:
■Featurette: “Scream For Your Lives: William Castle and The Tingler.”
■Featurette: “Ghost Story: Graveyard Shift.”
■Alternate Drive-In Sequence for The Tingler.
■Original “Scream” Sequence for The Tingler.
■Original Theatrical Trailers.
■Disc 5 features the documentary: Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story.

[SmokestackJones]

Hey Harold,

VERY nice. Kinda pricey, but very nice.

The question remains: couldn't Sony throw in a copy of House on Haunted Hill? It's PD. Would be nice to see it re-mastered, etc.

-SJ

[HGervais]

I don't know...8 movies at $10.00 each plus a feature length documentary & special features. If it were almost any other studio I would say it isn't that bad a value....since it's Sony...you may be right.

[Future Man]

Are any of these films genuinely scary or creepy or or is their appeal mainly nostalgic?

[molly1216]

there is nothing there to justify a double dip..i have all the castle films i want and some of those have bonus features.
yes there is a nostalgia aspect to the castle films
but have a sub collection of 'drive in' movie fare and several of these are cornerstones of the genre.
13 ghosts and the Tingler are priceless.

[mkiker2089]

Hey Harold,

VERY nice. Kinda pricey, but very nice.

The question remains: couldn't Sony throw in a copy of House on Haunted Hill? It's PD. Would be nice to see it re-mastered, etc.

-SJ

Public domain laws have become so muddy that a lot of the majors are shying away from them. Especially as part of sets that could prove to be large liabilities in court. Technically America no longer has public domain since implied copyrights are now retroactive. You can thank Disney for all this.

Romero once was advised that his remake of NOTLD could copyright the original since he could copyright the remake script. I wonder if that's true. Kind of like how Ted Turner tried to copyright It's a Wonderful Life since the b&w version was just like his colorized version.