The Climax Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Climax Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 10, 2020

A doctor employed by the Vienna Royal Theater, Hohner (Boris Karloff) is in possession of a horrible secret. Some time ago, the man of medicine murdered his prima donna fiancée in a rage, trying to bottle his emotions ever since. A decade later, Angela (Susanna Foster) is the new singer on the scene, prepared to dominate audiences with her extraordinary vocal gifts. However, Angela sounds just like Hohner’s dead lover, putting him in a troubling position as old obsessions return to view, keeping him close to the new hire and her protective fiancé, Franz (Turhan Bay).

Interested in extending the production values of their 1943 release, “The Phantom of the Opera,” Universal returns to the sets and costumes of the movie, repurposing much of it for 1944’s “The Climax,” while the story itself is “Phantom”-like, examining efforts of control from an unhinged man fixated on a beauty with a golden throat. While the tale is on the limp side, it’s hard to deny the power of the gorgeous sets, which creates an ornate playground for the characters to scheme within, and costuming is remarkable at times, bringing visual power to musical numbers. “The Climax” also has the benefit of being a Technicolor picture, turning the feature into eye candy, which is almost enough to preserve the viewing experience, which doesn’t do well when focused on sheer dramatics.

The Climax Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Breaking out of the B&W world of Universal Horror is "The Climax," a Technicolor production. The AVC encoded image (1.37:1 aspect ratio) presentation boasts a bright and appealing visual event, with color being the obvious draw, enjoying appealing reproduction, bringing out strong reds and blues, while the opening number is bathed in vivid pink. Skintones are comfortable and costuming also carries potent hues. Detail is welcoming, embracing the bigness of the production, showcasing dimension with cavernous sets. Clothing is also defined. Delineation is communicative. Source is in strong shape, with mild speckling and scratches.

The Climax Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix deals with a more musical mood for "The Climax," which features a significant amount of singing. Voices are distinct and instrumentation is defined during the listening event, while scoring cues are also supportive, delivering some power to support suspense. Dialogue exchanges are clean, managing very different thespian styles collected here, and surges of emotion are balanced well. Sound effects handle with appropriate emphasis.

The Climax Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historians Kim Newman and Stephen Jones.

• Image Gallery (4:26) collects film stills, publicity shots, poster art, and lobby cards.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:08, HD) is included.

The Climax Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Climax" is dull, but it doesn't fall apart, keeping up the pace with a talented cast, including Foster, returning for duty after her time on "Phantom," offering powerful vocals and stage poise. Karloff is also wonderful as a tightly wound threat. There really should be more for the ensemble to do here, but they lounge with style, helping "The Climax" to at least look amazing, even if the movie isn't.