Catacombs Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Catacombs Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 26, 2025

Gordon Hessler's "Catacombs" a.k.a. "The Woman Who Wouldn't Die" (1965) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with actress Jane Merrow; new program with composer Carlo Martelli; new program with continuity supervisor Renee Glynneand and sound editor Colin Miller; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The miserable man

It is incredible to see that Gordon Hesler made his directorial debut with The Woman Who Wouldn’t Die a.k.a. Catacombs in the early 1960s and in the 1980s shot Pray for Death and Rage of Honor. It is quite the evolution. Between these films, Hesler did a lot of diverse TV material, too. For example, he contributed to The Blue Knight, Hawaii Five-O, and even Wonder Woman. A cynic may rather successfully argue that Hesler kept busy because different producers kept asking him to churn out content, which technically is true, but there is a more significant detail to consider. It takes a lot of stamina to spend decades shooting diverse content and continue pleasing various producers with different expectations. Hesler shot a lot of B-films, many of which are not considered to be special, but it is what he was paid to do, so he kept delivering them.

A significant part of the great stamina was undoubtedly an equally impressive and lasting passion for genre films. All kinds of genre films -- horror films, thrillers, action films, etc. This impressive and lasting passion must have been the crucial quality that different producers recognized in Hesler’s work and the main reason they kept hiring him. Indeed, while it is not a substitute for quality, oftentimes it can make up for some or most of it, and if the balancing act materializes, it can help a B-film become surprisingly attractive.

Catacombs is a B-film that is surprisingly attractive precisely because it features this balancing act. It mixes contrasting material of the kind that would have easily intrigued a big French or Italian producer, who then would have tried to secure the services of an appropriately solid European director. It has good characters and swings in quite a few unexpected directions to produce plenty of thrills, most of which are incompatible. In other words, for a while Catacombs juggles several identities before it settles down with the one that makes the most sense for it.

The source of all excitement is a flawed murder plan that is supposed to free a middle-aged man stuck in a bad marriage. The miserable man is Raymond Garth (Gary Merrill), an American, who has married Ellen Garth (Georgina Cookson), a crippled British millionaire, and spent decades being her personal gigolo. While Raymond has been treated well for his services, he has had enough and is ready to stop acting his part and start a new chapter in his life without his wife. However, what Raymond wants costs a lot of money, and he does not have even a tiny fraction of it to walk away from Ellen.

Dick Corbett (Neil McCallum), a young troublemaker employed by Ellen, figures out a solution to Raymond’s problem. Dick explains how they can kill Ellen in her house and fake her accidental death in a car crash in Italy with a talented actress, who would then quietly return home. Shortly after Raymond’s beautiful niece, Alice (Jane Merrow), an aspiring artist, returns from Paris, Raymond kills Ellen, while Dick eliminates the naïve actress. However, as arrangements for Ellen’s will are made, Raymond begins falling in love with Alice, and then, much to everyone’s dismay, Ellen’s ghost appears seeking to avenge her murder.

Catacombs has two big, undeniable weaknesses. First, Merrill is not the heartthrob that a cynical and often abusive aging woman with millions of pounds in her bank account will be satisfied. For the same reason, his romance with Merrow is also unconvincing. Second, the limitations of the production are too obvious. A bigger budget would have ensured better sets and locations that would have made a substantial difference.

Catacombs Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Catacombs arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

The entire film looks wonderful in high-definition, which probably shouldn't be surprising because it was recently restored in 4K. On my system, all visuals appeared very healthy, boasting consistently excellent delineation, clarity and depth. Their density levels were great, too, so they look impressive even on a very large screen. I did not see any big fluctuations, though it must be acknowledged that virtually the entire film is shot in a controlled environment. The grayscale is excellent. Blacks and whites are lush and healthy, while the various ranges of grays are wonderfully balanced. Image stability is excellent. I did not see any distracting age-related imperfections. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Catacombs Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The Mono track is easy to describe as excellent. However, the film's soundtrack is just as easy to describe as average. Carlo Martelli's score and a mix of standard sounds and noises do not create any memorable dynamic contrasts. On the other hand, the film does not create any great opportunities for special surprises either. The dialog is always very clear, sharp, and easy to follow.

Catacombs Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Merrow & Merrill" - in this new program, actress Jane Merrow recalls how she was cast to play her character in Catacombs and warned by Michael Winner, with whom she had done The System a.k.a. The Girl-Getters, not to ruin her career with it. Merrow also discusses her interactions with Gordon Hessler, other cast members, the shooting process and reception of Catacombs, which she concedes was always meant to be a B-film. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• "The Glynne-Miller Story" - in this new program, continuity supervisor Renee Glynneand and sound editor Colin Miller explain how they were approached and offered to work on Catacombs and discuss their contributions as well as some developments in the British film industry at the time. In English, not subtitled. (8 min).

• "Martelli & Martell" - in this new program, composer Carlo Martelli explains how he was noticed and recommended to score Catacombs, and mentions some of the apparently challenging demands he had to consider while preparing the soundtrack for it. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Jonathan Rigby and Kevin Lyons. The commentators address Jay Bennett's novel that inspired Catacombs, the casting choices that were made for it, some of the film's trickery and stylistic overlapping that is attached to it, its atmosphere, etc.

• Stills Gallery -presented here is a gallery of vintage stills from Catacombs. Silent. (5 min).

Catacombs Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

An experienced film buff will quickly see through the trickery that is at the heart of Catacombs. However, this is not what makes it a B-film. The original material from Jay Bennett's novel is good, and a producer with deep pockets could have used it to deliver a pretty special film. Henri-Georges Clouzot's masterpiece Diabolique works with very similar material. I saw Catacombs in the wee hours of the night and enjoyed it quite a bit. I was astonished when I saw Gordon Hessler mendioned in its opening credits, because in the early 1980s he directed Pray for Death and Rage of Honor, both considered cult gems by loyal fans of Sho Kosugi. Imprint Films' release introduces a wonderful recent 4K makeover of Catacombs, completed on behalf of StudioCanal. RECOMMENDED.