The Comedy of Terrors is one of those classic movies that used to be in my VHS collection, a movie that I have always enjoyed watching and laughing at over the years.
Starring the amazing Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and a rather hammed up Basil Rathbone, The Comedy of Terrors tells the story of a Waldo Trumball (Vincent Price) as an inebriated, down on his luck, undertaker who has struck on an interesting way to boost business – by hastening the deaths of those whom he buries. When landlord Mr. Black (Basil Rathbone) threatens to put him out on the street for falling behind with the rent, Trumbull, together with his reluctant and bumbling assistant Felix Gillie (Lorre), hatches an ill-advised plan to “kill two birds with one stone”, so to speak…
This rather macabre comedy, is a true delight to watch, Price, Lorre and Rathbone work brilliantly together in not only the serious parts that they take but also the comedic sides as well, such as Mr. Black (Basil Rathbone) reading himself Macbeth as a bedtime story in one of the most hammed up ways possible, leaping from his bed and grasping a sword to act out the Shakespearian master-piece.
Price, Lorre and the rather spooky Boris Karloff are brilliant throughout the film and Karloff as Price’s father in law, giving his words of wisdom around the dinner table, while being stopped from taking his “medicine” by his daughter are one of the moments that stick in your mind, Karloff was originally cast as Mr Black, the undertakers’ landlord and latest victim, who suffers from catalepsy and, apparently dead, keeps reviving to terrorise the pair; Rathbone was to play Hinchley, Trumbull’s senile father-in-law. Before shooting started, it became clear that the role of Hinchley was better suited to Karloff’s frail physical condition than the more active role of Black, and he and Rathbone switched parts.
The Comedy of Terrors Comes To Blu-Ray & DVD
It is great to finally see this classic movie coming to Blu-Ray, the release features some great features alongside the movie that has been transferred from the original film elements from MGM, bringing it to the small screen with crisp, vibrant, colours that make The Comedy of Terrors look fresh as the day it was made. Other features for the release are:
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of the feature, transferred from original film elements by MGM
· Original Mono 2.0 audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
· Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
· Audio Commentary with Price historian David Del Valle
· Extensive archive interview with Vincent Price
· Whispering in Distant Chambers: The Nightfall of Jacques Tourneur – a specially commissioned video essay by David Cairns, which charts the career of director Tourneur
· Richard Matheson Storyteller – an archive featurette on The Comedy of Terrors writer
· Original Theatrical Trailer
· Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper
· Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Chris Fujiwara, author of Jacques Tourneur: The Cinema of Nightfall, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.
The Comedy of Terrors Cast & Crew
Cast
VINCENT PRICE as Waldo Trumbull
PETER LORRE as Felix Gillie
BORIS KARLOFF as Amos Hinchley
JOYCE JAMESON as Amaryllis Trumbull
BASIL RATHBONE as Mr. Black
BEVERLY HILLS as Mrs. Phipps
JOE E. BROWN as Cemetery Keeper and RHUBARB THE CAT as Cleopatra
Crew
Directed by JACQUES TOURNEUR
Produced by JAMES H. NICHOLSON & SAMUEL Z. ARKOFF
Written by RICHARD MATHESON
Director of Photography FLOYD CROSBY
Editor ANTHONY CARRAS
Music by LES BAXTER
The movie is in a glorious 2.35:1 aspect ratio, so nothing is lost from the film, although the sound is in 2.0 and these days we are all spoilt with the 5.1 or 7.1 sound, it is still crisp and the music doesn’t overplay the voices during scenes of the movie.
The Comedy of Terrors is released by Arrow Films as part of the roster of Vincent Price movies and will be out on the 16th February, if you love the classic movies, then this is certainly one you should add to your collection on Blu-ray, it’s comical, dark and so much fun to watch a stellar cast in a movie that will have you laughing from start to finish.
A Comical, Dark and Twisted, Classic
Movie title: The Comedy of Terrors
Movie description: Dishonest undertaker Waldo Trumbull and his sidekick Felix Gillie are creating their own customers when they cannot find willing ones.
Date published: February 9, 2015
Director(s): Jacques Tourneur
Actor(s): Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Summary
if you love the classic movies, then this is certainly one you should add to your collection on Blu-ray, it’s comical, dark and so much fun to watch a stellar cast in a movie that will have you laughing from start to finish.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
