TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN (us dvd)
Hammer Films

First released: 1959

The film is presented in mixed aspect ratios
NTSC Colour & B&W
90 mins approx
Dolby Digital Mono
Available on DVD

For the first time on DVD, you'll see the half-hour pilot for a TV series, Tales of Frankenstein, produced by Hammer films in 1959, directed by Curt (Donovan's Brain) Siodmak, plus hysterical appearances by Lon Chaney and Glenn Strange with Abbott and Costello, and excerpts from Chaney's ill-fated broadcast of Frankenstein on the early live TV anthology Tales of Tomorrow. As extra added-value attractions, this DVD also includes an audio interview with Boris Karloff, a filmed interview with Karloff, and interviews with Hammer producer Michael Carreras and "an audio interview with Glenn Strange. A DVD-ROM supplement reproduces the complete text to Mary Shelley's novel, to boot.

REVIEW

Released at the same time as All Day's Hammer film trailer collection The Horror of Hammer, this collection centres around the dvd premier of Hammer's tv pilot Tales of Frankenstein, and contextualises it within the Universal horror cycle and Hammer's own rise to success. Its a comprehensive collection of trailers, and interviews which is bound to be of interest to many out there, if only for the Hammer pilot.

Tales is a bizarre hybrid of Hammer horror and the Universal cycle. Anton Diffring does admirably as the Baron, and the film does feel more like a Universal picture (helped by the use of some stock footage from early Universal horror pictures). For Hammer's first flirtation with television it demonstrates quickly the excellence with which Hammer was associated, and where it went wrong in the US. In these days of a Hammer revival, there is perhaps lessons to be learnt in the production.
Placing it as a Hammer picture is however much more difficult.

transfer
The transfer suffers similar problems to the companion disc, with an authoring pause every so often. Picture quality varies owing to the archive features, but is remarkable considering the scope of the collection. Sound fares much better and is clear throughout.
The Tales of Frankenstein half-hour pilot is well reproduced. Whilst suffering from scratching, the image is relatively sharp and clear, and for something so seldom seen is a welcome addition to any collection. As the commentators put it "A weird bastard offspring of Universal and Hammer".

Design
The packaging is faultless. Bill Chancellor's illustrative paintings are beautiful as always. The inner layout on the actual dvd is a lot cleaner and pleasant than the Horror of Hammer.

extras
There are a selection of alternate trailers to some of the features represented elsewhere on the disk. Of more interest are the lengthy radio interviews with Glen Strange (somewhat rambling, but very rare do we get a chance to hear things like this - 62mins), and a wonderful 38 minute interview with Boris Karloff - in which Karloff gives his thoughts on Frankenstein, his career, Bela Lugosi and more. I could listen to Karloff all day though ;)

Commentaries ~ The Tales of Frankenstein episode features a commentary by Ted Newsom, Gary H Smith, and Stuart Galbraith IV, best known for contributions to Little Shoppe of Horrors and the Flesh and Blood documentary.
They do an admirable job, and contextualise and enthuse about the film and its history in a way most commentators would have missed. There is something in their piece for everyone, and the make a most interesting presentation. And its most unusual to have the American's commenting on a UK originated company.

SUMMARY
An enjoyable package -eclectic, but universal in its appeal for horror fans. By making the connection between Universal horrors and Hammer pictures, the disc takes a huge leap, and will take the most hardened fan down paths of discovery he may not have expected to take.
Given more money and assistance I have little doubt that All Day could rival the best of the major independants for dvd excellence. A super package at a reasonable price.

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DISC:

Price: $24.98
Release date: 3/7/01
Feature length: 90 mins
Colour and B&W
Audio: Mono
Year of 1st release: 1959
Rating: NR
Mixed ratios
Region code: 1
Catalogue no: ADE0905DVD
Distributor: All Day Entertainment Inc