The Uninvited / The Unseen Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Uninvited / The Unseen Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 23, 2024

Lewis Allen's "The Uninvited" (1944) and "The Unseen" (1945) arrive on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentaries by film noir expert Alan K. Rode; new program with critic Imogen Sara Smith; vintage radio adaptations; trailers; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

THE UNINVITED

While vacationing on the Cornwall seacoast, Roderick Fitzgerald (Ray Milland, The Lost Weekend, Dial M for Murder 3D) and his sister Pamela (Ruth Hussey, Philadelphia Story, I, Jane Doe) fall in love with a very beautiful but lonely old house. They meet the owner, Commander Beech (Donald Crisp, How Green Was My Valley, Ramrod), who offers to sell it to them at a price that seems too good to be true. Convinced that they are getting the deal of the century, the siblings quickly agree that they finally have a good excuse to leave London.

But immediately after they move in, Roderick and Pamela discover that they are not alone. Late at night they can hear a woman crying, while during the day they can smell an unusually strong mimosa perfume. Roderick meets Commander Beech to discuss the history of the house, but quickly realizes that it is tied to family secrets, which the old man is reluctant to share with him.

While looking for logical answers that explain the disturbances, Roderick befriends Commander Beach’s 20-year-old granddaughter, Stella Meredith (Gail Russell, Angel and the Badman, The Lawless). When the old man realizes that the two have become close, he immediately forbids her to set foot in the house. But Stella declares that she is old enough and responsible enough to make her own decisions, and enthusiastically accepts Roderick’s invitation to have dinner with him and Pamela. When she eventually enters the house, it becomes clear that the hosts are not the only ones who are happy to see her.

What makes Lewis Allen’s The Uninvited a fascinating film to behold is its mature attitude towards the supernatural elements of its narrative. It is structured as a conventional thriller, but it has the atmosphere of a classic Gothic picture. The result is a calm but at the same time quite spooky film that can easily appeal to a pretty diverse group of viewers.

Lensed by the great cinematographer Charles Lang (Frank Borzage’s A Farewell to Arms, Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s The Ghost and Mrs. Muir), the film frequently impresses with tremendous panoramic vistas. Shadow and light are also treated with a degree of seriousness that seems a lot more appropriate for a lush noir film. The second half, in particular, has some wonderfully shot sequences that give the film its identity.

Unfortunately, the acting is a mixed bag. Milland is handsome in front of the camera, but it is difficult to tell if he actually cares about his character. The majority of the time, it feels like he is simply reciting memorized lines. Hussey is a good follower, but occasionally she looks confused by her own decisions (see the sequence where the siblings realize that they are not alone in the house). For a while, Russell looks appropriately naive, but during the second half of the film her abrupt mood swings are simply unbelievable. Crisp is the only actor whose emotions look real, but his character is easily forgettable.

Still, the unique atmosphere and the lack of conventional finale place The Uninvited above other similarly themed films from the same era. See it very late at night, and you are guaranteed to have a terrific time with it.

*In 1945, a year after it was completed, The Uninvited earned an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography.

THE UNSEEN

In New Bristol, twenty-two-year-old orphan Elizabeth Howard (Gail Russell) is hired by wealthy widower David Fielding (Joel McCrea) to look after his two children. Shortly after, Elizabeth learns about a stalker on the loose and, while attempting to separate facts from fiction, begins suspecting that David could be the elusive man the police have been tracking down. Elizabeth also discovers that David’s son, Barnaby, is helping someone secretly come in and out of the house and is being rewarded for his work with a weekly payment. When the stalker strikes again, Elizabeth bravely confronts David and makes and unleashes an avalanche of events that lead to a most unusual discovery.

Also directed by Allen, The Unseen was greenlighted to be a sequel to The Uninvited. However, while thematically and stylistically it is quite similar to its predecessor, it is not a conventional sequel. It works with original material from a novel by Ethel Lina White, further polished by the great Raymond Chandler and Hagar Wilde, whose tone is looser and overall quality more inconsistent. Nevertheless, The Unseen and The Uninvited make a fine pair and were unquestionably meant to deliver the same thrills and chills.

The Uninvited / The Unseen Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

DISC ONE - THE UNINVITED

In the United States, The Uninvited entered the Criterion Collection with this release in 2013, which introduced a very nice 2K restoration of the film. This release brings the same 2K restoration to Australian shores. I liked the 2K restoration more than a decade ago, and I still do. The Uninvited boasts a healthy, stable, and attractive organic appearance that is free of noticeable age-related imperfections. The grayscale looks good, too. The other night, while revisiting the film, I decided to upscale the 2K restoration to 4K and thought that it looked marvelous. Can the film look even better? I doubt it because the current presentation is optimized very well, so it most likely will remain the definitive presentation of the film on the home video market. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

DISC TWO - THE UNSEEN

This release is sourced from an exclusive new 2K master struck from the original camera negative, which was commissioned by Imprint Films. On my system, the entire film looked very good. Delineation, clarity, and depth are always very pleasing. As the screencaptures we have posted demonstrate, the grayscale is convincing as well. There are no traces of problematic digital adjustments. However, the surface of the visuals reveal various tiny flecks, blemishes, and some scratches. Even some large marks are present. They are not distracting, but additional cosmetic work could have been done to remove them and have the entire film appear spotless as well. My score is 4.00/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Uninvited / The Unseen Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Uninvited and The Unseen are presented with English LPCM 2.0 (Mono) tracks. Both films can be viewed with optional English SDH subtitles as well.

The LPCM 2.0 track on the The Uninvited is a little healthier. Clarity and stability are very good. Obviously, the original soundtrack has certain limitations that affect its ability to produce memorable dynamic contrasts. The upper register is healthy, but if you turn up the volume enough, you will hear some extremely mild thinning/hiss. This is an inherited limitation as well.

The LPCM 2.0 track on The Unseen has identical inherited limitations. However, its upper register reveals slightly more of the thinning/hiss. None of these limitations are distracting, but if you turn up the volume enough, here they are easier to recognize.

The Uninvited / The Unseen Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

DISC ONE - THE UNINVITED

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by film noir expert and Film Noir Foundation board member Alan K. Rode.

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage theatrical trailer for The Uninvited. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Original Radio Adaptations Starring Ray Milland -
  
  1. Screen Guild Theater: August 28, 1944. Audio only. In English, not subtitled. (30 min).
  2. Screen Director's Playhouse: November 18, 1949. In English, not subtitled. (30 min).

• Gail Russell: The Flame That Burned Twice as Bright - in this new program, critic Imogen Sara Smith discusses the life and career of actress Gail Russell. In English, not subtitled. (30 min).

• The Uninvited and the Female Gothic - this new video essay was created by critic Kat Ellinger. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

DISC TWO - THE UNSEEN

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by film noir expert and Film Noir Foundation board member Alan K. Rode.

• "Gothic Noir: The Unseen Touch of Henry James - this exclusive new video essay was created by critics Imogen Sara Smith and Max Evry.

The Uninvited / The Unseen Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lewis Allen's The Uninvited and The Unseen mix up Gothic and noir atmosphere quite well, so it is probably best to see them in the wee hours of the night. The Uninvited was restored in 2K more than a decade ago, but it has not been available to purchase in Australia. The Unseen has been exclusively remastered in 2K for this release. Also, both films are presented on individual discs with exclusive new bonus features. RECOMMENDED.