Horror Classics DVD

Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride
The final installment in Hammer Studios' Dracula series is also the least interesting of the lot. A fairly direct follow-up to Dracula A.D. 1972, this sequel finds the Count (Christopher Lee) developing a potent strain of bubonic plague which he and his devil-worshipping disciples plan to release from 1970's London to wipe out nearly all life on earth. His efforts are challenged once again by the dedicated Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing), leading to a rather uninvolving climax. Despite the always-welcome presence of Lee and Cushing, this installment plays too flagrantly with the time-honored Hammer Gothic formula, giving Dracula actual dialogue and surrounding the leads with a dull, amateurish supporting cast -- with the possible exception of Joanna Lumley (later of BBC-TV's Absolutely Fabulous). This also marked Lee's final performance as the Count and signaled the beginning of the end for Hammer's horror heyday. Also known as Satanic Rites of Dracula and Dracula is Dead and Well and Living in London. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Horror Express
This horror science-fiction hriller, a cult favorite, takes place in 1907. Professor Caxton (Christopher Lee), a fossil-hunter has discovered some sort of pre-human creature frozen in ancient Manchurian ice. He is traveling to London with his find on the Trans-Siberian Railway and is horrified to discover that his frozen man is missing, and corpses and zombies are appearing all over the train. It turns out that the frozen specimen is an alien with some unusual powers. The combined forces of Professor Caxton, his rival Dr. Wells (Peter Cushing), and a Cossack captain (Telly Savalas) are needed to save the world from this monstrous being. Skillfully told, with a good dose of humor, this film also features the train which appeared a year before in Nicholas and Alexandra . ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Jack the Ripper
One of the better efforts from prolific cult director Jesus Franco, this Swiss-German horror film stars Klaus Kinski, in his final film for Franco, as the notorious Jack the Ripper. A respected doctor by day, Kinski bloodily dismembers London prostitutes by night, until the local Inspector's girlfriend (Josephine Chaplin) goes undercover to catch him. Full of graphic gore and nudity, the film is likely to appeal to horror buffs more than Kinski's usual fanbase, but his is a mesmerizing and quite effective performance. Herbert Fuchs and Lina Romay are among the Franco regulars in the cast, with Fuchs turning in an amusing cameo as a would-be extortionist. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Cast Christopher Lee as Count Dracula Peter Cushing as Prof. Lorrimer Van Helsing Michael Coles as Insp. Murray William Franklyn as Torrence Freddie Jones as Prof. Keeley Joanna Lumley as Jessica Richard Vernon as Col. Matthews Patrick Barr as Lord Carradine Richard Mathews as Poiier Lockwood West as Freeborne Maurice O'Connell as Hanson Valerie VanOst as Jane

Crew Jesús Franco - Director Peter Baumgariner - Cinematographer Erwin C. Dietrich - Producer Jesús Franco - Director Peter Baumgariner - Cinematographer Erwin C. Dietrich - Producer Jesús Franco - Director Peter Baumgariner - Cinematographer Erwin C. Dietrich - Producer

Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride
(not reviewed)
 

Horror Express
Eugenio Martín's Horror Express is a goofily enjoyable 1970s horror film, of the sort many horror fans first encountered on television on rainy Saturday afternoons during misspent youths. The film features Hammer horror vets Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing--both in fine form--and a cunning extraterrestrial ape monster who robs its victims of all their knowledge, turning them into white-eyed bloodthirsty slaves to its will. Telly Savalas stirs things up effectively in a small but pivotal role as a thuggish Cossack commander. The film's plot has a dizzyingly complex science fiction underpinning that makes little sense and still manages to be very amusing. The real concern of the story is more of a mechanical passengers-being-picked-off-one-by-one motif. But it's executed with wit and energy, with the lines between good and evil refreshingly hazy, with cheesy gore effects, and with just enough allegorical food for thought to keep science fiction fans and Russian history buffs on their toes. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
 

Jack the Ripper
(not reviewed)
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: DD2: Dolby Digital Stereo Additional Features: Interactive menus Remastered Chapter stops Standard full frame This disc is compatible with all DVD players worldwide DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: All Content Length: 262 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. Chapter 1 [21:44] 2. Chapter 2 [28:01] 3. Chapter 3 [18:18] 4. Chapter 4 [18:47] 1. Chapter 1 [11:52] 2. Chapter 2 [20:55] 3. Chapter 3 [17:28] 4. Chapter 4 [7:44] 1. Chapter 1 [11:52] 2. Chapter 2 [20:55] 3. Chapter 3 [25:11] 4. Chapter 4 [29:09]