6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Horror | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Lesley Selander's "The Vampire's Ghost" (1945) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of independent distributors Olive Films. There are no bonus features on the disc. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
I won fair and square, fool!
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Lesley Selander's The Vampire's Ghost arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films.
This film has been fully remastered and it instantly shows. Aside from a few tiny white flecks that pop up, the presentation is on par with what would expect from a Criterion release. Close-ups typically boast very nice depth and delineation, and even when light is restricted to help the desired atmosphere clarity remains very pleasing. In fact, there is plenty of footage where the balance between the nuanced grays and blacks is very impressive. There are no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening adjustments. There are a few spots where native density fluctuations can be observed, but the transfer is completely free of the type of awkward anomalies that digital enhancements produce. Image stability is very good. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I thought that the lossless track was excellent. While these types of early films typically have sound designs with some pretty obvious native limitations, here there is plenty of dynamic movement and some quite surprising dynamic nuances. Also, the audio must have been remixed, or at least some work must have been done to ensure that it is clean and stable, because overall balance is great.
Unfortunately, there are no bonus features on this release.
I was very pleasantly surprised with The Vampire's Ghost and have to say that it is probably the best horror film that I have seen to come out of the Republic Pictures vaults. It is rather short, but it quickly builds up an excellent atmosphere, which is what I like the most about these types of early films, and the overall quality of the production is great. The film also looks terrific on Blu-ray, so I really enjoyed viewing it. An outstanding addition to Olive Films' catalog. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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