"Actor: Lester Matthews"

• Three Edgar Allan Poe Adaptations Starring Bela Lugosi (Masters of Cinema) 2-Disc Blu-ray | Blu Ray | (12/04/2021) from £17.49   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Special Features This trio of classic 1930s horror filmsMurders in the Rue Morgue, The Black Cat, and The Ravenis also distinguished by a trio of factors regarding their production. Most notably, each film is based on a work by master of the macabre Edgar Allan Poe. Part of the legendary wave of horror films made by Universal Pictures in the 30s, all three feature dynamic performances from Dracula's Bela Lugosi, with two of them also enlivened by the appearance of Frankenstein's Boris Karloff. And finally, all three benefit from being rare examples of Pre-Code studio horror, their sometimes startling depictions of sadism and shock a result of being crafted during that brief period in Hollywood before the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code's rigid guidelines for moral content. Director Robert Florey, who gave the Marx Brothers their cinema start with The Cocoanuts in 1929, worked with Metropolis cinematographer Karl Freund to give a German Expressionism look to Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), with Lugosi as a mad scientist running a twisted carnival sideshow in 19th-century Paris, and murdering women to find a mate for his talking ape main attraction. Lugosi and Karloff teamed forces for the first time in The Black Cat, a nightmarish psychodrama that became Universal's biggest hit of 1934, with Detour director Edgar G. Ulmer bringing a feverish flair to the tale of a satanic, necrophiliac architect (Karloff) locked in battle with an old friend (Lugosi) in search of his family. Prolific B-movie director Lew Landers made 1935's The Raven so grotesque that all American horror films were banned in the U.K. for two years in its wake. Specifically referencing Poe within its story, Lugosi is a plastic surgeon obsessed with the writer, who tortures fleeing murderer Karloff through monstrous medical means. Significant and still unsettling early works of American studio horror filmmaking, these three Pre-Code chillers demonstrate the enduring power of Poe's work, and the equally continuous appeal of classic Universal horror's two most iconic stars.

• The Raven | DVD | (27/05/2013) from £10.98   |  Saving you £1.00 (11.12%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi star in this macabre horror classic inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Dr. Richard Vollin (Lugosi) is a brilliant but unstable surgeon with a morbid obsession for instruments of torture. He saves the life of Jean Thatcher (Irene Ware) a beautiful young socialite injured in an automobile accident and becomes increasingly attracted to her. But the girl is frightened by his advances and complains to her father Judge Thatcher (Samuel S. Hinds) who tells Vollin to leave the girl alone. When escaped killer Edmund Bateman (Karloff) approaches the surgeon for a new face Vollin agrees only after convincing Bateman to assist him in his sinister plan of revenge. The doctor ultimately becomes the victim of his own wicked schemes when Bateman realizes Vollin has no intention of remaking his disfigured countenance in this elaborately produced shocker.

• Murders In The Rue Morgue / The Black Cat / The Raven :Three Edgar Allan Poe Adaptations Starring Bela Lugosi (Masters of Cinema) Ltd Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray | Blu Ray | (20/07/2020) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  This trio of classic 1930s horror filmsMurders in the Rue Morgue, The Black Cat, and The Ravenis also distinguished by a trio of factors regarding their production. Most notably, each film is based on a work by master of the macabre Edgar Allan Poe. Part of the legendary wave of horror films made by Universal Pictures in the 30s, all three feature dynamic performances from Dracula's Bela Lugosi, with two of them also enlivened by the appearance of Frankenstein's Boris Karloff. And finally, all three benefit from being rare examples of Pre-Code studio horror, their sometimes startling depictions of sadism and shock a result of being crafted during that brief period in Hollywood before the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code's rigid guidelines for moral content. Director Robert Florey, who gave the Marx Brothers their cinema start with The Cocoanuts in 1929, worked with Metropolis cinematographer Karl Freund to give a German Expressionism look to Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), with Lugosi as a mad scientist running a twisted carnival sideshow in 19th-century Paris, and murdering women to find a mate for his talking ape main attraction. Lugosi and Karloff teamed forces for the first time in The Black Cat, a nightmarish psychodrama that became Universal's biggest hit of 1934, with Detour director Edgar G. Ulmer bringing a feverish flair to the tale of a satanic, necrophiliac architect (Karloff) locked in battle with an old friend (Lugosi) in search of his family. Prolific B-movie director Lew Landers made 1935's The Raven so grotesque that all American horror films were banned in the U.K. for two years in its wake. Specifically referencing Poe within its story, Lugosi is a plastic surgeon obsessed with the writer, who tortures fleeing murderer Karloff through monstrous medical means. Significant and still unsettling early works of American studio horror filmmaking, these three Pre-Code chillers demonstrate the enduring power of Poe's work, and the equally continuous appeal of classic Universal horror's two most iconic stars. Special Features: High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations for all three films, with The Raven presented from a 2K scan of the original film elements Uncompressed LPCM monaural audio tracks Optional English SDH subtitles Murders in the Rue Morgue Audio commentary by Gregory William Mank The Black Cat Audio commentary by Gregory William Mank The Black Cat Audio commentary by Amy Simmons The Raven Audio commentary by Gary D. Rhodes The Raven Audio commentary by Samm Deighan Cats In Horror a video essay by writer and film historian Lee Gambin American Gothic a video essay by critic Kat Ellinger The Black Cat episode of radio series Mystery In The Air, starring Peter Lorre The Tell-Tale Heart episode of radio series Inner Sanctum Mysteries, starring Boris Karloff Bela Lugosi reads The Tell-Tale Heart Vintage footage New Interview With Critic And Author Kim Newman PLUS: A 48-PAGE collector's booklet featuring new writing by film critic and writer Jon Towlson; a new essay by film critic and writer Alexandra Heller-Nicholas; and rare archival imagery and ephemera

• The Wolf Man/Werewolf Of London | DVD | (11/10/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Werewolf Of London: The first Hollywood film to explore a werewolf on the silver screen a creature rooted in folklore worldwide. Directed by American Stuart Walker and starring Henry Hull Warner Oland and Valerie Hobson. Werewolf of London chronicles the life of botanist Dr Wilfred Glendon who sets off on an expedition to the Himalayas to find the marifisa lupina lumina a rare orchid that only blooms by moonlight. When he finds the unique plant he is attacked and injured b

• Man Hunt | DVD | (31/01/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Director Fritz Lang's political thriller follows a British hunter's attempts to outrun Nazi agents after he targets Adolf Hitler. While on holiday in Bavaria willdlife hunter Alan Thorndike (Walter Pidgeon) stumbles upon the Fuhrer's country retreat eventually spotting Hitler in the gardens. After lining up the leader in the crosshairs of his empty rifle Thorndike is arrested by members of Hitler's Gestapo bodyguard who try to beat a confession out of him. After eventually escaping and navigating a tortuous route back to Britain Thorndike is forced to seek help from local seamstress Jerry Stokes (Joan Bennett) when he discovers German agents are hunting him down.

• The Werewolf Of London | DVD | (02/03/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  While in Tibet Dr. Wilfred Glendon is attacked in the dark. On his return to London he finds himself changing at night into a werewolf and terrorising the city!

• On Secret Service | Blu Ray | (15/04/2019) from £11.33   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  1930s screen siren Greta Nissen stars as an Italian noblewoman living a dangerous double life as a spy in Arthur Woods' thrilling remake of the celebrated German thriller Spione am Werk. Co-starring noted German actor Karl Ludwig Diehl and American matinée idol Don Alvarado, this rarely-seen drama is presented here as a brand-new High Definition transfer from the original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio. Vienna, 1912. When an Austrian staff officer is implicated by association with a known Italian spy he goes on the run. Three years later - as the Great War gets into full swing - he returns and begs the Austrian Secret Service to allow him to clear his name from suspicion. Special Features: Image gallery PDF material

• On Secret Service | DVD | (15/04/2019) from £12.75   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  1930s screen siren Greta Nissen stars as an Italian noblewoman living a dangerous double life as a spy in Arthur Woods' thrilling remake of the celebrated German thriller Spione am Werk. Co-starring noted German actor Karl Ludwig Diehl and American matinée idol Don Alvarado, this rarely-seen drama is presented here as a brand-new transfer from the original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio. Vienna, 1912. When an Austrian staff officer is implicated by association with a known Italian spy he goes on the run. Three years later - as the Great War gets into full swing - he returns and begs the Austrian Secret Service to allow him to clear his name from suspicion. Special Features: Image gallery PDF material

• Paradine Case | DVD | (06/02/2006) from £14.25   |  Saving you £-8.26 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  After being accused of poisoning her blind older husband the lovely Mrs. Paradine hires lawyer Anthony Keane (Gregory Peck) to represent her. Though Keane himself is married to a striking and devoted woman he finds himself strangely drawn to his glamorous defendant. However his deepening feelings convince him that she is innocent even though the evidence and his usual sense of logic and reason suggest otherwise...

• Gipsy Blood (aka Carmen) | DVD | (22/07/2013) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  In 1931, Sir Malcolm Sargent - then a rising young conductor - acted as musical director for this first filmed musical version of Prosper Merimee's classic story of passion and fatal jealousy. Gipsy Blood (aka Carmen) is presented here in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements. With a score based on Bizet's opera, Gipsy Blood features celebrated American soprano Marguerite Namara as the capricious gypsy girl from the cigarette factory; her co-performers include Thomas Burke as ...

• The Raven | DVD | (29/10/2007) from £7.96   |  Saving you £8.03 (100.88%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Bela Lugosi is the brilliant but deranged surgeon who becomes obssessed with a beautiful dancer after saving her life. He must have her but first must deal with her fiance and father and plans to take care of them in his chamber of Edgar Allen Poe-inspired torture devices. To do the dirty work he enlists the aid of a wanted criminal (Karloff) whom he disfigures with the promise of restoring his features when the job is done.