The Black Sleep Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

The Black Sleep Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 22, 2016

The mad scientist routine is disrupted to a degree in 1956’s “The Black Sleep,” which looks to merge surgical horrors with heartfelt motivation. Not that the production is trying to offer an especially emotional experience to the horror-hungry audience, but the screenplay by John C. Higgins manages to soften outright ghoulishness while still indulging all the shadowy encounters and stalking scenes the genre is known for.

“The Black Sleep” is perhaps most notable for its all-star cast, with genre titans Basil Rathbone, Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, and John Carradine appearing, while Tor Johnson pops up in a brief role. Director Reginald Le Borg isn’t exactly masterminding a battle royal here, but the endeavor makes good use of its eclectic cast, with everyone committed to bringing out the eeriness of their specific roles. Rathbone is particularly effective, creating a human character out of a mad butcher, leaving the viewer with a surprisingly effective motivation for his bad ideas. That’s not to suggest “The Black Sleep” doesn’t provide gruesome sights and shock encounters with mangled characters, but it carries itself with a slightly mournful mood, which helps to digest all the filler exposition between monster rampages.

The Black Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation arrives with a recent scan, doing a laudable job pulling detail out of the low-budget movie, with production limitations easily spotted. Costuming remains fibrous and make-up work is open for study. Delineation is crisp and whites are secure. Grain is fine and filmic. Source is in stable shape, with a few larger gashes spotted during the viewing experience, while speckling remains consistent.

The Black Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers the spooky mood of "The Black Sleep" loudly, offering secure emphasis during dialogue exchanges, remaining within a comfortable range, never slipping into distortive extremes. Music is active and accessible, adding to intensity without steamrolling over dramatics. Sound effects are thick but passable. Overall volume dips some in the final five minutes of the movie, never returning to its original level. Hiss is detected.

The Black Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historians Tom Weaver and David Schecter.

• "Trailers From Hell" (2:02, SD) is hosted by Joe Dante, who briefly covers the feature's distribution history, casting, and macabre exhibition reputation.

• Animated Image Gallery (2:00) displays publicity photos and poster art.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:36, HD) is included.

The Black Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Black Sleep" isn't a true nail-biter, slipping into absurdity in its grand finale, which also pays off the casting as lunatics run wild, beefing up the body count. It's sluggish at times, but it's entertaining, generating intended discomfort while exploring more grounded reasoning for madness.