Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.0

The Frozen Ghost Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman March 11, 2021

Note: This film is available as part of Inner Sanctum Mysteries: The Complete Film Series.

There may be two schools of thought with regard to those who make horror films, with one group opting for graphic, on screen representations of whatever traumas characters experience, and with another group thinking that it’s best not to show every jot and tittle of various nefarious behaviors, in the belief that the audience’s imagination can make things even scarier than any overt offerings can. In that regard, it’s interesting to think about some of the old radio shows that frequently featured mystery, thriller or horror elements, since it probably goes without saying that a broadcast without a video element necessarily requires the active participation of a listener’s imagination in order to make everything “click”. There were any number of “spooky” radio programs back in the day, including such well remembered efforts as Suspense (which kind of amazingly managed to last until 1962), though Inner Sanctum owed its genesis to another medium that requires an active imagination — namely, reading. Simon and Schuster launched an imprint called Inner Sanctum in 1930 which did traffic in mystery and thriller novels, but which kind of humorously also offered other genres, including romance.

In 1941, the radio edition premiered in January and became a staple of the American broadcast landscape, with a licensing deal with Simon and Schuster that required regular advertising of whatever the latest Inner Sanctum book was. A little bit over two years later, Universal did another licensing deal with Simon and Schuster to use the Inner Sanctum title, though as the commentary on Calling Dr. Death gets into, Universal was kind of aggressively circumscribed by both the publishing house and the radio version in that the film company could not use the radio sound effect of a creaking door (which memorably opened and closed each episode), and was also prohibited from actually adapting any of the Simon and Schuster books (which may seem like a kind of odd requirement). Universal ended up making six titles under their Inner Sanctum imprint, with all of them offering Lon Chaney, Jr. a chance to do something other than grow hair (The Wolf Man), get wrapped in ragged bandages (The Mummy's Tomb) or attempt to maraud around in Boris Karloff's oversized boots (The Ghost of Frankenstein). With regard to the two "schools" of horror mentioned above, for reasons probably related as much to the production era as to any deliberate stylistic choice, things can be somewhat discursive in terms of on screen horror.

The Frozen Ghost revisits at least some aspects of the first Inner Sanctum movie, Calling Dr. Death, by offering Chaney as a kind of hypnotist with "mentalist" powers, in this case a performer named Alex Gregor, who works in tandem with a kind of clairvoyant assistant (and fiancée) named Maura Daniel (Evelyn Ankers). When the two are heckled during a show, the well meaning Alex attempts to engage the (obviously drunk) audience member, though tragedy ensues, leaving Alex deeply shaken. He breaks things off with Maura, and like any good shaken mentalist, he goes to work in a handily nearby wax museum.

A whole concatenation of bizarre relationships and hidden motivations accrue in the shadowy environs of the museum, where a disgraced plastic surgeon named Rudi Polden (Martin Kosleck) works as a sculptor (because that's what disgraced plastic surgeons do, obviously) and who is apparently up to some kind of no good. When the museum's owner, Valerie Monet (Tala Birell), disappears and is assumed to have been murdered, Alex is of course the prime suspect, dueling with erudite policeman Brant (Douglass Dumbrille). As with several of the other Inner Sanctum entries, The Frozen Ghost has a virtual parade of subplots and competing levels of villainy, with another supposed "surprise" that some viewers may see coming long before it's actually revealed.

The Frozen Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Frozen Ghost is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka! Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.36:1. The fact that there's a "RealArt" credit on the Inner Sanctum masthead, a masthead which looks considerably more damaged and aged than in some of the other transfers in this set, leads me to believe this was probably sourced from a re-release print, as there is definitely a more "dupey" look here, with a noticeably grittier grain field than in some of the other films included. Contrast is also a little wonky looking at times, leading to a lack of shadow detail in some of the darker material, including a few of the shrouded wax museum sequences in particular. That said, detail levels are still rather strong throughout, at least when lighting conditions allow. My score is 3.25.

The Frozen Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Frozen Ghost features an LPCM 2.0 Mono track. Dialogue is rendered without any problems throughout the presentation, and the film's score also sounds fine. As with some of the other films in the set, occasional effects can sound slightly artificial, with just the hint of a phased quality. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Frozen Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Eureka! has packaged this set on two discs, with both film specific and more generalist supplements on each disc. Here is a list of all the contents, including supplements, on both discs.

Disc One

• Films

  Calling Dr. Death

  Audio Commentary by C. Courtney Joyner and Regina Le Borg can be accessed under Calling Dr. Death on the Main Menu.

  
  

  Trailer (HD; 1:07) can be accessed under Calling Dr. Death on the Main Menu.

Weird Woman

Audio Commentary by Justin Humphreys and Del Howison can be accessed under Weird Woman on the Main Menu.




Trailer (HD; 1:22) can be accessed under Weird Woman on the Main Menu.

Dead Man's Eyes

Trailer (HD; 1:05) can be accessed under Dead Man's Eyes on the Main Menu.

• Kim Newman on the Inner Sanctum Mysteries (HD; 26:56) is another enjoyable interview with the typically affable and informative Newman.


• This is The Inner Sanctum (HD; 31:47) is another interesting overview of the series, which time spent on each film.


• Radio Episodes

  The Amazing Death of Mrs. Putnam (25:15)

  
  

  The Black Seagull (28:46)

  
  

  The Skull That Walked (29:42)

Disc Two

• Films

  The Frozen Ghost

  Trailer (HD; 1:11) can be accessed under The Frozen Ghost on the Main Menu.

Strange Confession

Audio Commentary by Peter Atkins and C. Courtney Joyner can be accessed under Strange Confession on the Main Menu.

Pillow of Death

• The Creaking Door: Inside the Inner Sanctum (HD; 17:37) focuses on the radio broadcast.


• Martin Kosleck Interview (HD; 11:00) begins with Kosleck insisting there are no small parts, or at least none that he ever took.


• Radio Episodes

  Skeleton Bay (29:44)

  
  

  The Man Who Couldn't Die (29:22)

  
  

  Death of a Doll (25:08)

The Frozen Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Frozen Ghost is one of the more gonzo Inner Sanctum films, but that may in fact make it even more enjoyable for a certain demographic. Ankers and Kosleck (in particular) give this film some color, and the almost random assortment of plot points makes this a weird if enjoyable roller coaster ride. Video encounters some obstacles, but audio is fine, for those who are considering a purchase.