City Of The Dead (VCI Special Edition)
Picture: B Sound:
B Extras: B+ Film: B+
The City Of The Dead (1960) is a gem of a Horror film that doesn't seem to get the
recognition that it so rightfully deserves.
This is a film that really should be mentioned along side other well
respected 60's Horror classics such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960)
and George Romero’s original Night Of The Living Dead (1968).
The subject is
Witchcraft. Does is exist, and if so, where can it be found? College student Nan Barlow, played to
perfection by Venetia Stevenson, is challenged to find out the truth.
When she does, it is not quite what she
expected! Although some things may seem obvious to those of us watching,
we can see where the characters are so enveloped in their situation that they
are blind to the unfolding events. This
is not a true Mystery film, yet maintains the suspense the Horror genre excels
at.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 picture is filmed in stunning black and
white, and director John Moxey does a fantastic job of exploiting the eerie
shadows that play very well to this medium.
Horror is about mood, a stirring feeling in the pit of your stomach, a
certain uneasiness, and it delivers on all accounts. This is what real monochrome is supposed to look like. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is nicely
transferred, and though the sound recording shows its age, this is
impressive. Sometimes, though, the music
score does not seem to quite fit, but that is my only sound complaint.
Christopher Lee's presence, although not in one of his more menacing
performances, makes the viewer know that there is something just not right
here. To make things even better, the
extras include an interview with this horror king, as well as one with Venetia Stevenson,
and a third with John Moxey.
VCI did a terrific job of putting this disc together. The print is clean and the film is restored with 2 vital minutes,
unavailable in the American Horror Hotel version. The extras include running commentaries by both
Lee and Moxey, photo galleries, bios, on-camera interviews, and other materials
that enhance this restored film further.
This is truly a special edition.
For fans of true horror, I would rate this a must!
- Michael M.
Burkett
