Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Chamber of Horrors Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 29, 2021

1966’s “Chamber of Horrors” was originally intended to be the start of a television series, with the pilot exploring the detective skills of two men who run a Baltimore house of wax, remaining close to the ways of evil. When the show was deemed too dark for network T.V., a theatrical release was cooked up, necessitating the addition of a William Castle-style gimmick to help encourage curious customers to purchase a ticket. With the “Horror Horn” and the “Fear Flasher,” audiences were offered a chance to avoid promised on-screen violence, provided with warnings to get around the ghastly events making up the “Four Supreme Fright Points.” As with many of these superbly marketed B-movies, there isn’t really anything upsetting about “Chamber of Horrors,” but what’s refreshing about the endeavor is how well it’s put together. While it’s obviously intended for television, the film creates an engrossing tale of murder, revenge, and sleuthing with unusual participants, offering procedural elements and macabre ideas to secure interest in the ways of wax museum employees and the killer creep they’re hunting down.

Jason (Patrick O’Neal) is a Baltimore man with a lethal fetish, obsessed with killing women in wedding gowns, using his charisma and wealth to sustain a dangerous lifestyle. The police, including Sgt. Albertson (Wayne Rogers), are unable to capture the elusive monster, inspiring the department to turn to house of wax proprietors Blount (Wilfrid Hyde-White) and Draco (Cesare Danova), for help. Students of criminology and fans of murder scenes, Blount and Draco set out to find Jason before he kills again. However, while an arrest is made, the maniac simply cuts off his own hand to escape custody, reentering the underworld with a hook and an appetite for revenge, bringing in prostitute Marie (Laura Devon) for assistance. Cooking up a plan to shock authorities, Jason sets out to create his masterwork of bodily harm, putting Blount and Draco back into action as they strive to stop Jason’s renewed commitment to murder.

“Chamber of Horrors” begins with instructions concerning the feature’s warning system, with narrator William Conrad running through the specifics of the “Fear Flasher” and “Horror Horn.” These separate alarms have the same function, and they don’t matter much over the course of the movie, with the first “Supreme Fright Point” concerning Jason’s escape from custody, picking up an ax to deal with his handcuffs. The “Fear Flasher” and “Horror Horn” are triggered prematurely, which may be an intentional move, as the character finally gets around to chopping off his own hand later in the scene, doing so while underwater. Such an impossible feat is possible in “Chamber of Horrors,” leaving the gimmicks simply gimmicks, as the picture isn’t all that violent, with the endeavor’s lone depiction of a climatic bloody death allowed to pass without any alerts. The Castle-ization of the effort is merely for marketing might.

The rest of “Chamber of Horrors” is more of a detective story with unusual investigators, finding Blount the head sculptor of the wax museum, while Draco is the face, with his handsome ways ensuring a healthy number of female visitors to the establishment. They’re joined by Pepe (Tun Tun), a little person whose size comes in handy with entering forbidden places or surprising dangerous people. They run a business dedicated to the display of awful events, replicating murder scenes for profitable shock value, but they also possess an understanding of criminal psychology, making them useful to the police, who remain one step behind Jason during this reign of terror. “Chamber of Horrors” finds inspiration in the hunt, which has the partners visiting various connections around Baltimore, looking to understand Jason’s motivations, including his love of dead women.

While the men of the house of wax attempt to close in on Jason, “Chamber of Horrors” switches gears after the lively first act. After losing his hand and escaping, Jason lives, returning for a new beginning to start a final chapter with new blood, coming in the form of Marie, a working girl motivated by money but won over by the villain’s charms. Jason is prepared for war, wearing a hook on his arm that also comes with various attachments, including a knife, and he begins targeting those who wronged him, including the judge who initially put him behind bars. Revenge becomes the focus of “Chamber of Horrors,” which does slow the feature down some, as acts of aggression are replaced by questioning, with Blount and Draco working their leads. Draco eventually finds his way to Marie, adding some romantic entanglements to the film, as there’s always time for love in these endeavors, even when there’s a psycho with a hook for a hand on the loose.

Chamber of Horrors Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation, "Chamber of Horrors" explores interesting textures during the story, dealing with human elements and wax figures, which retain a smoother, polished appearance. Skin particulars on the cast come through satisfactorily, with glamour and age open for inspection. Interior decoration is also appreciable, including the wax museum, which is filled with ornate displays. Period costuming is fibrous, surveying elaborate dresses and stiff, heavy suits. Colors are distinct, securing crisp primaries throughout, with directorial style choices offering bright reds. Clothing carries more varied hues. Skintones are natural. Grain is heavier and film-like. Source is in good condition.

Chamber of Horrors Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix delivers clear dialogue exchanges, helped along by distinct line deliveries by many of the performers. Scoring is a bit more aggressive, but instrumentation is appreciable, and volume never overwhelms the actors. The specific "Horror Horn" noise (which is awful) also handles with intended shrillness.

Chamber of Horrors Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Dr. Steve Haberman.

• Radio Spots (1:01) offer two ads for the movie.

• T.V. Spots (1:43, SD) provide three commercials for "Chamber of Horrors."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (3:04, HD) is included, introducing audiences to a member of the Society for the Protection of the Easily Scared.

Chamber of Horrors Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Jason's ultimate plan for his return to crime is intriguing, going extreme to make his presence understood. It sets up a compelling mystery to follow, broken up by occasional physical altercations, which offer the feature some jolts of action in a largely talky endeavor. What holds the production together is the cast, finding the actors really digging into their roles. Especially O'Neal, who seems to love playing a refined lunatic, making sure the character's illness pops off the screen. Equally entertaining is Hyde-White, who brings humor to "Chamber of Horrors" and thespian confidence, sharing agreeable chemistry with Danova. This professional and dramatic partnership was originally intended to carry on for multiple seasons of television, and the premise certainly supports such crime show escapism, as the ending attempts to open the door for weekly endangerment featuring the house of wax crew. It's a shame the show didn't happen, as "Chamber of Horrors" is an effective launch for a series, offering an askew depiction of heroism and criminal profiling. The "Horror Horn" and "Fear Flasher" are here to attract attention, but the movie ends up working just fine without the gimmicks.