Crypt of the Living Dead Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		4.0

Crypt of the Living Dead Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 2, 2015

1973’s “Crypt of the Living Dead” (billed as “Hannah, Queen of the Vampires”) isn’t about coloring outside the lines when it comes to horror entertainment. It’s a formulaic exercise in terror, focusing on bad ideas masterminded by curious characters, and the production isn’t big on editing the picture into a sharply paced event. It’s glacial, padded up the wazoo, but with lowered expectations, “Crypt of the Living Dead” isn’t necessarily a waste of time. In fact, during select scenes, it works, managing to find enough atmosphere and weirdo interactions to keep the spirit of the effort awake, even when the rest of the film wants to lie down for a nap.

“Crypt of the Living Dead” is a vampire movie, with a stranger (played by Andrew Prine) entering a strange land (in this case, Turkey), endeavoring to learn more about the bizarre fate of his father, only to encounter a 700-year-old undead queen (Teresa Gimpera) who shouldn’t be disturbed. Of course, foolishness ensues, unleashing the hell beast on knowing locals, though the production isn’t tightly wound enough to truly go crazy with the premise. The feature is more about exploration and identification, with the lead character gradually understanding his mistake. Performances are fine for this type of low-budget endeavor, but “Crypt of the Living Dead” is more secure with stalking sequences, allowing creepiness to seep into the effort.

Crypt of the Living Dead Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encode image (1.84:1 aspect ratio) presentation brings the obscurity of "Crypt of the Living Dead" to HD with a surprisingly robust viewing experience. A few scratches and some speckling remain, but most of the movie is satisfactorily clean, with encouraging sharpness that brings out superb detail on facial particulars, coastal locations, and costuming. Distances are preserved. Colors are hearty, with excellent primaries that identify horror decoration and bloodshed, and greenery is maintained, along with blue waters. Grain is ideally managed, supplying a richly filmic appearance. Delineation is as strong as period cinematography allows.

Crypt of the Living Dead Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix handles itself adequately enough, though hiss is present throughout the listening event. Still, dialogue exchanges are strong, handling surges in dramatics without carrying into distortion. Music is acceptable but never remarkable, although it delivers when it counts. Atmospherics are stronger, providing a sense of location and general horror mood.

Crypt of the Living Dead Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Alt Title (:15, HD) permits fans a chance to see the "Crypt of the Living Dead" title on screen.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:54, HD), which gives away the entire movie, is included.

Crypt of the Living Dead Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While it periodically drags, "Crypt of the Living Dead" ends with a bang, wisely deciding to escalate odd antics as a way to say goodbye to viewers. The extra effort counts, delivering a conclusion that satisfies and offers a modest sucker punch. Overall, "Crypt of the Living Dead" isn't built for endurance, but settling into the coastal nightmare isn't difficult, just make sure you're well-rested before viewing.