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List Price: $26.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 15131
Released: October 6, 2009 |
| Our Price: $19.16 |
| Used Price: $40.21 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 10/06/2009 Run time: 327 minutes
Description of Karloff & Lugosi Horror Classics (The Walking Dead / Frankenstein 1970 / You'll Find Out / Zombies on Broadway):
Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi are the magic names when it comes to a bygone era of horror, and quite a bit of that magic is still afoot in Karloff & Lugosi Horror Classics, a two-disc, four-film set that gathers some of their lower-profile appearances. Karloff reigns supreme on the first disc, delivering a soulful performance in 1936's The Walking Dead, one of his life-after-execution pictures. Here Edmund Gwenn is the professor applying his reanimation technique to the unjustly electrocuted Karloff; revenge killings ensue--or is it karma? Michael Curtiz's energetic direction reminds you that he rarely phoned it in. Karloff takes on the Frankenstein family name (not the Monster garb) in Frankenstein 1970 (1958), which allows him quite a long leash and more than a few doomy speeches. It gets off to a great start and has a promising "meta" setup (a movie crew is at the Frankenstein castle in order to get authentic atmosphere for their horror picture), but it falls off pretty badly.
The second disc boasts You'll Find Out, a 1940 curiosity that not only brings Karloff and Lugosi together, but throws in Peter Lorre for an extra treat. With all that, who cares if the movie is really a vehicle for the popular radio personality Kay Kyser (and his "Kollege of Musical Knowledge")? Kyser's zany style, complete with sidekicks such as the ineffable Ish Kabibble, actually translates fairly well to the screen, and the movie cheerfully follows the blueprint of a screwball-paced haunted-house comedy. Even disappointed horror mavens will warm to the sight of Karloff, Lugosi, and Lorre huddled together, plotting no good.
Zombies on Broadway is a 1945 B-picture that probably ought to be unwatchable, but in fact it's quite competent (director Gordon Douglas was a versatile pro) and often fun. The headliners are Wally Brown and Alan Carney, whose sub-Abbott and Costello repartee is generally painful, although one grave-digging joke pays off nicely. Lugosi has a meaty role as a Caribbean hoodoo doctor who creates zombies in his jungle laboratory (shades of his White Zombie character). The film was made at RKO, home to Val Lewton's legendary horror unit, and is actually something of a send-up of Lewton's I Walked with a Zombie--complete with two of IWWAZ's notable cast members, the looming revenant Darby Jones and honey-voiced calypso singer Sir Lancelot. For fans of the terror titans, a respectable set, even if the chills are scarce. --Robert Horton
Karloff & Lugosi Horror Classics (The Walking Dead / Frankenstein 1970 / You'll Find Out / Zombies on Broadway) Reviews:
Karloff & Lugosi 
2009-12-08 - There when I looked for it.
Quick, reliable shipment.
Purchased for a gift.
WHATS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT!? GREAT SET FOR FANS OF THESE TWO HORROR GIANTS!
2009-12-03 - I bought this set mainly because I love 'The Walking Dead' and all the classic monster movies. The set includes three other films from days gone by and I must say they are all at least fun! The 2 discs set includes a trailers for two films and commentary on two. It would have been nice if they would have included trailers and commentary on all the films, but it is a small grievance. The films look great and are presented in their original format, so I'm very happy to have them! If your a fan of the old horror classics than this is a no brainer. I will review each film and add to this review. Oh and by the way......where is Island Of Lost Souls!? I know it's a Universal film, but really it's a great film and deserves a proper DVD release!
1)The Walking Dead - 4 stars
2)Frankenstein 1970 - 3 1/2 stars
3)You'll Find Out -
4)Zombies On Broadway -
A Mixed Bag for Vintage Horror Buffs 
2009-11-24 - "Karloff & Lugosi Horror Classics" is a rather strange DVD collection. Boris and Bela only appear together (with Peter Lorre added for good measure) in the 1940 comedy "You'll Find Out" - a missed opportunity that showcases Kay Kyser and his Kollege of Musical Knowledge. The genuine classic in this two-disc set is Karloff's "The Walking Dead" (1936), an effective Warner Bros. gangster thriller directed by the great Michael Curtiz. "Frankenstein 1970" (a 1958 disaster from Allied Artists) receives the widescreen treatment, yet remains a dreadful Karloff vehicle. Decidedly better is "Zombies on Broadway" (1945) - a curious spoof of "I Walked With a Zombie" featuring Bela in memorable form as a mad scientist. Lugosi fans will be disappointed with these mediocre RKO efforts, but Karloff devotees finally get "The Walking Dead" (which includes an excellent commentary track by film historian Gregory Mank).
Subtitles info
2009-11-18 - For French buyers: it's not written on this site or on the box set, but THERE ARE French subtitles, of very good quality, available on these DVDs for all four films.
Enjoy 4 films of varying quality, every one of them worth watching (FRANKENSTEIN 1970 was a nice surprise), with crystal clear sound and picture, with the exception of THE WALKING DEAD which is a bit fuzzy around the edges, well it is also the older of the lot so it's very acceptable. No reviews of the films here, many users have done that and very well so! I enjoyed it all.
Karloff, Bela Lugois, and Peter Lorre! Need I say more?
2009-10-31 - I urge you to buy this collection for the movie "You'll find Out".
One dark and stormy night... there was this gorgous 40's horror-comedy.
WHO: A beautiful young heiress. A few classic "who-done-it" guests. Plus, swinging "Kay Kyser and his collage of musical knowledge."
WHERE: A huge spooky mansion cramed full of attractive young girl friends, stuffed tigers, african tribal masks, and looming tikis.
WHEN: A dark stormy night, and (of course) the only bridge leading to town, is blown up, or "...struck by lighting" as Boris explains. They are trapped.
THEN: introduce the Unholy Three: the greatest villains of the 40's era silver screen - Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Peter Lorre.
Lightning! Thunder! flickering Lights! Musical numbers! Spooky high camp fun.
Boris Karloff lurks from the shadows in his distinguished suave menacing best.
Lorre: ultra cool-creepy sleepy-eyed chain-smoking dangerously purrs and doubts the supernatural powers of Lugosi. So, what happens then?
WHAT? A Seance!
Bela: "Very well. For you I will do it. But, I must warn you... for those who scoff at their exsistance, the spirits consider no punishment too drastic!"
The seance is the show stopper scene of the film. Lugosi commands elaborate props, floating objects, the "fires of death", evil spirits! Wonderful!
A beautiful transfer. Some great sets, costumes, and 40's effects. I dare you to watch the seance scene and not smile: Lugosi goes into a trance while Kyser conducts his band with a glowing baton. Before "rock and roll" there was "big band" music. Kay Kyser was big on stage antics. He was the Kiss of the 40's. Karloff glares. Lorre smokes and plays detective. The art direction and "Kitch" factor are well off the scale on this one. Primo stuff for retro-film buffs.
The other big find in this collection is a rousing commentary for "Frankenstein 1970" by Bob Burns, Charlotte Austin, and Tom Weaver. What a delightful special feature! Lot's of behind the scenes stories, Hollywood memories, and even a discussion of the heart pounding "1952 Armed Forces Radio" Halloween "gag-that-almost-went-too-far" that was the core idea for this film. Very interesting stuff!
Well worth the money for these vintage treasures!
Buy it. Watch it. Love it.
