The Vincent Price Collection III
Scream Factory
February 16, 2016
Reviewed by Brian M. Sammons
This is a new five movie boxset, so you will notice no director or cast credits here. If you need that, IMDb is your friend. As for this four-disc Blu-ray boxset from the horror lovers over at Scream Factory, it’s a little slice of awesome. Yes, I’m giving away the ending of this review right at the start, because you have five classics from one of the most masterful masters of horror – the one and only Vincent Price, looking better than ever before. Oh, and the extras. Can’t forget the extras. But if you have some time to kill and want to know more about this collection, then by all means, please keep reading.
The five movies collected here run the gambit from silly to scary, from the historic to sci-fi, not to mention some out and out classics. First there is Master of the World from 1961, based on two stories by Jules Verne and written for the screen by the always awesome Richard Matheson. In this, a 19th century mad scientist type (three guesses who Mr. Price plays in this movie) wants peace on earth, and he’s willing to bomb people from his Nautilus-like airship. So yeah, it’s not a horror movie, but it’s the kind of ’60s sci-fi adventure that I’ve always dug, and as always, Vincent Price gives it his all as the misunderstood villain.
The next move here is from one year later (1962) and it’s a period piece called The Tower of London. It’s another Roger Corman/Vincent Price collaboration, so those are always worth checking out. This none-too-historically accurate account of the dark deeds of King Richard III of England combines elements derived more from the works of Shakespeare than reality. This one is more of a drama with horrific elements than a straight up fright flick, but with Price as the wicked king, you know you’re in for a good time.
The third film here is finally a full-blown horror movie, and that is 1963’s Diary of a Madman. Here Vincent Price is a magistrate (that’s judge to us Americans) who goes to visit a convicted murderer in prison just before he’s executed. The prisoner pleads that he’s innocent and that he was possessed by an evil spirit when he committed his crimes, but that doesn’t save him from his fate. After the sentence is carried out, Price’s magistrate begins to notice, and do, strange things and starts to question his own sanity. If he just a little off or has that evil spirit found a new person to terrorize and perhaps even drive to murder?
An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe from 1970 is pretty much a one-man stage play with Vincent Price as that one man. It’s basically him narrating four Edgar Allen Poe stories: “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Sphinx,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “The Pit and the Pendulum” on stage. It’s not really a movie, but if you are a Poe fan, then it’s a whole lot of fun.
Last there is Cry of the Banshee, also from 1970, which comes in two versions: theatrical and the director’s cut. Vincent Price plays a wicked British Lord and head of a wicked British family of sinners and miscreants who just so happen to be witch hunters. Price and family wipe out a coven of witches, all except for the leader who summons up an evil spirit (here called a banshee, even if it’s not too banshee-like) to punish the witch hunters. Hilarity and spookiness ensues.
On to the impressive list of extras for this new set, here broken down by film. For Master of the World, there is an audio commentary with actor David Frankham; a feature length interview with the late, great storyteller, Richard Matheson; a trailer and 2 photo galleries. Tower of London has two interviews with Roger Corman; two episodes of Science Fiction Theater, “One Thousand Eyes” and “Operation Flypaper” and a photo gallery. An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe has an audio commentary with film historian Steve Haberman, an interview with writer/director Kenneth Johnson and a photo gallery. Diary of a Madman also has an audio commentary with Steve Haberman, a photo gallery and a trailer. Cry of the Banshee has Steve Haberman doing triple duty with another commentary, an interview with director Gordon Hessler, trailer, TV spot, radio spot and a photo gallery. There is also a collector’s booklet tossed into the mix for good measure.
If you are a fan of Vincent Price, and you really should be, then this is a must have boxset. If you have the previous two collections, well then you probably fall into the previously mentioned group and so yeah, this is a must have. If you are new to Mr. Price’s amazing legacy, then this is a fine place to start your Horror 101 education. So for all those reasons, and many others, get this boxset. It’s highly recommended.
