The Bat Whispers Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

The Bat Whispers Blu-ray Movie Review

"No cheap crook is going to make a monkey out of me and get away with it!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 19, 2025

The Bat Whispers, a little-known 1930 pre-Code whodunnit from director Roland West, arrives on Blu-ray with three notably different cuts: a 1.32:1 US edit, a 1.32:1 UK edit with alternate takes and countless minute differences, and a 1.85:1 US widescreen cut, each of which offers different video quality. VCI has also included a high-definition presentation of the film's 1959 remake, The Bat starring Vincent Price; a special feature made available via public domain that feels far more worthwhile than an "extra."

"He slams doors and there's no one there to slam them. He opens windows and I can't see nothing. He rolls things down the stairs and there's no one there to make them roll. That ain't all. He whispers to me from behind the wall..."

Based on Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood's 1920 stage play "The Bat" (itself an adaptation of Rinehart's 1908 mystery novel "The Circular Staircase"), The Bat Whispers is actually West's second stab at the story, having directed an earlier film in 1926 simply titled The Bat. Talk about hyper-fixation. The film begins with an ominous tale of a criminal dubbed "The Bat" who continually manages to elude police before announcing his retirement. (The story was one of many inspirations for Bob Kane's Batman.) In the nearby countryside, news of a bank robbery in Oakdale has put Mrs. Van Gordner's maid, Lizzie, on edge. The chief suspect in the bank robbery, a cashier, has disappeared. Van Gordner's niece, Dale, arrives followed by the gardener she's hired. Dr. Venrees soon follows. Before you can say "cue the inevitable," mysterious shadows and noises around the house begin, and a rock thrown through a window warns everyone to vacate the premises. Savvy detective Anderson shows up and begins questioning everyone in the house, which apparently is home to a hidden room that might just contain the loot stolen from the bank. As murder invades the house, everyone scrambles to figure out who The Bat's next victim might be... or which among them may be The Bat himself.

The Bat Whispers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

A quick glimpse at the first and second screen captures in this review showcase just how different the various cuts can be from one another. The results are decidedly mixed too, and you'll find yourself wishing you could take a dash from one transfer, add it to the next, then blend in a bit from the third transfer for the ultimate picture. Alas, no such luxury is afforded us. For my personal taste, I prefer the 1.85:1 widescreen cut (restored from 2.00:1 "Magnifilm" 65mm prints) which features darker, more vibrant contrast leveling and more haunting black levels. In both cases, it actually increases the suspense of the film and makes the Bat that much more of a frightening presence, whether seen or unseen. The 1.32:1 US and UK cuts are much brighter, with lesser detailing at times. In some shots, though, the improved delineation reveals much more of the production design, itself notable for being a character in its own right. The biggest difference between the US and UK cuts comes in the form of vertical lines that plague the British version. They're faint on the whole and somewhat infrequent, which helps, but I did note several more glaring instances. Each transfer has also undergone some de-graining or filtering, although it doesn't effect edge definition and texture clarity like some might worry.

Screen capture guide:

• Images 10 through 15 - US 1.32:1 version
• Images 16 through 21 - UK 1.32:1 version
• Images 22 through 29 - US 1.85:1 version
• Images 35 through 40 - US vs UK comparisons

The Bat Whispers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

All three cuts of the film feature comparable uncompressed LPCM 2.0 mono tracks. Dialogue is fairly clean and intelligible, and the mixes are a favorable approximation of the original sound design and filmmaker intentions. Sound effects are canned and tinny (as should be expected from the era) and music is well-supported and relatively dynamic. There is some air hiss present but it never amounts to anything too troublesome.

The Bat Whispers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• US vs UK Version Comparisons (Disc 1, HD, 11 minutes) - A helpful split-screen montage of comparison shots/scenes between the 1.32:1 US and British versions of the film. It doesn't show all of the differences, just those that stood out to the producers and restoration team.

• US 1.32:1 vs Widescreen Version Comparisons (Disc 2, HD, 10 minutes) - Another comparison reel.

• The Bat (1959) with Vincent Price (Disc 2, HD, 80 minutes) - Written and directed by Crane Wilbur, The Bat (1959), starring some guy, hmmm, named... lemme check... Vincent Price(!) is included on the set's second disc, in its entirety.

• The Bat (1926) vs The Bat Whispers (Disc 2, HD, 8 minutes) - Shot comparisons between the 1926 original and the 1930 remake. The Bat, though, is not included on this release.

• The Bat (1926) Before & After Restoration (Disc 2, HD, 2 minutes) - Restoration featurette for The Bat.

• Photo Gallery (Disc 1, HD, 5 minutes)

The Bat Whispers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Almost lost to time, The Bat Whispers has been resurrected by VCI, a small label that catches a lot of flack despite producing some solid remastering and restorations. It's pointless to defend anyone from the Big Bad Bully that is the internet, but it would do said internet well to remember not every label has the budget, freedom, time and personnel to deliver miracle after miracle. The fact that we have a copy of The Bat Whispers, much less three different cuts (plus a second film, its 1959 remake starring Vincent Price, in its entirety) shows VCI is doing its damnedest to do right by the movies it acquires. Speak with dollars. The more they have, the more they can do. They can't do anything with your insults. Even then, the insults are way out of line, as VCI's work is quite good. The Blu-ray release of The Bat Whispers features, yes, problematic video presentations but the overall quality outshines the issues. Add to that solid uncompressed audio and a decent selection of extras and you have a 2-disc, 2-film release worthy of consideration.