The latest Warner Archive Collection compilation is a timely grouping of classic horror movies. The Hollywood Legends of Horror Blu-ray set features six movies: Doctor X, The Return of Doctor X, Mark of the Vampire, The Mask of Fu Manchu, Mad Love, and The Devil-Doll. Featuring horror icons like Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Barrymore, and Lionel Atwill, plus Humphrey Bogart’s lone horror movie, this is a fun set that features six classic films at an affordable price.
“Classic tales of mad passions and madder deeds! Includes: Doctor X, The Return of Doctor X, Mark of the Vampire, The Mask of Fu Manchu, Mad Love, and The Devil-Doll,” says the official description.
The earliest released film in the Hollywood Legends of Horror Blu-ray set is 1932’s Doctor X. A particularly racy film, it was produced before the Motion Picture Production Code was enforced, and features plenty of murders, rape, and even cannibalism. Funnily enough, 1939’s The Return of Doctor X is actually unrelated to the original, but it does feature Humphrey Bogart playing a vampire, so it’s not without merit. The other Atwill movie is 1935’s Mark of the Vampire, which also features Lionel Barrymore and Bela Lugosi, and is (as you likely guessed from the title) a star-studded vampire movie with a pretty wild and divisive twist ending. Both Doctor X and Mark of the Vampire are stunning transfers and are the two best-looking movies in the collection.
The great Boris Karloff headlines 1932’s The Mask of Fu Manchu, which has some … let’s say “dated” depictions of Asians. It’s rather campy and ultimately a fun watch if you can get past its initial hurdles. Meanwhile, 1935’s Mad Love stars Peter Lorre as a doctor obsessed with an actress played by Frances Drake, and 1936’s The Devil-Doll revolves around a formula that is able to shrink humans and then is used for revenge by Lionel Barrymore’s character. They’re both enjoyable, with the latter having particularly effective special effects.
The bonus features on each disc are the same as those of their individual releases. From an alternate black-and-white version of Doctor X to commentary tracks on each of the films, there’s a lot of added value. There are also several classic cartoons included across the six discs, which are always fun bonuses even if they don’t have anything to do with the films themselves.
Hollywood Legends of Horror Blu-ray Review: Final Verdict
While most of these horror movies might have been a hard sell individually, they’re a blast to watch as a collection. Releasing right before Halloween, the Hollywood Legends of Horror Blu-ray set makes for a great addition to anyone celebrating spooky season. Doctor X, Mark of the Vampire, and Mad Love are particular highlights, while the dubiously named The Return of Doctor X is the sole disappointment.
Disclosure: ComingSoon received product from the distributor for our Hollywood Legends of Horror Blu-ray review.
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