6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 2.5 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Wilbur Gray, a horror writer, has stumbled upon a terrible secret, that cats are supernatural creatures who really call the shots. In a desperate attempt to get others to believe him, Wilbur spews three tales of feline horror.
Starring: Peter Cushing, Ray Milland, Joan Greenwood, Roland Culver, Susan PenhaligonHorror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Whether or not you're a so called "cat person" or a "dog person" may play into your reaction to The Uncanny at least a little bit, and perhaps not for totally expected reasons. This kinda sorta portmanteau is built around the linking conceit of a would be author named Wilbur Gray (Peter Cushing), who is pitching his latest tome to publisher Frank Richards (Ray Milland). Gray has previously written about UFOs and the pyramids, which may indicate that his proposed book is going to have some kind of supernatural or maybe even extraterrestrial aspect, and indeed that turns out to be the case, though it rather unexpectedly is focused on Gray's conclusion that cats are some kind of superior alien beings out for world domination, or something like that. Now that might appeal to cat fanciers while also confirming some of their suspicions about their pets, but the interesting thing is that each of the three stories that are depicted as being tales told by Gray to Richards show felines as unrepentant murderers. That might seems to suggest that it would be those goofy dog lovers who would flock to this film, as if to confirm that some bright cinematic mind had finally figured out just how dastardly cats really are. Of course, this is all said in jest, though The Uncanny may not actually end up appealing to either cat or dog lovers since it never quite achieves any significant scares, and in fact it may seem unintentionally funny more often than not.
The Uncanny is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. The back cover of the keepcase insert states that this was "scanned from an inter-negative recently discovered in a London vault". Considering the rather amazing upgrade Severin just gave to The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism after a pretty problematic and lackluster previous release on Blu-ray, I wouldn't necessarily think that a better element won't ultimately be found, but sadly the one utilized here is in less than optimal condition. There's often a somewhat "dupey" look, with kind of splotchy, yellow tinged, grain, and intermittent lack of clarity that can mask fine detail levels, especially in some of the darker scenes. Densities are somewhat variable, and some of the material in the first vignette in particular can look a little wan. Interestingly, though, the interstitial inserts featuring Cushing and Milland often have rather nice suffusion and above average detail levels.
The Uncanny features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track that offers good support for the film's rather well wrought score by Wilfred Josephs, one that can supplant a sudden harpsichord sting for more traditional startle effects courtesy of LFE. The obviously dubbed cat howls and mews are a mixed lot and will probably provoke some laughter after a while. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Though there isn't any mention of it on the main menu, there are optional English subtitles available via the appropriate button on your remote.
Considering the talent involved, The Uncanny arguably should have been a lot better. It's certainly not bad in any substantial degree, but it's ultimately just kind of silly and most importantly simply doesn't provide many scares. Technical merits include some improvable video and decent audio, and the interview with Susan Penhaligon is very enjoyable, for those who are considering a purchase.
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