Now The Bat has fell into the public domain, so it has received many releases over the years, but The Film Detective have now released a special edition Blu-ray of this classic tale of thrills and terror. But what makes this Blu-ray something you might want add to your collection? We will let you know going forward here.
The films follows mystery writer Cornelia Van Gorder (Agnes Moorehead, Bewitched) and her maid, Lizzie (Lenita Lane) are staying at a country house called "The Oaks". Cornelia calls Dr. Malcolm Wells (Vincent Price, Last Man on Earth) to to help her maid, who has been bitten by a bat. Bank president and the house owner John Fleming (Harvey Stephens), has recently embezzled one million dollars in securities, and has hidden the money in the house, but before he could retrieve it he was killed. Now police Lt. Andy Anderson (Gavin Gordon) goes to Cornelia's house to investigate additional murders committed by the Bat.
Now while is is labeled a horror film, it does have more of a mystery film noir feel to it. Now that is not a bad thing at all. It is one of the better mystery film noirs of the 50s. One thing that stands out about this film is the fact that the main characters are female. This was years ahead of it's time.
Agnes Moorehead is tremendous in this film as is Vincent Price, but he shines in everything he is in. Also look for Darla Hood (Our Gang aka The Little Rascals) in her final on screen role. Crane Wilbur weaves an entertaining and thrilling mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Finally the director of photography Joseph F. Biroc does a excellent job with the cinematography.
The Bat is presented in 1080p in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Audio is included in English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
This transfer looks amazing. I have seen this films streaming and on DVDs that I own and I must say this film looks really nice in HD on Blu-ray. The picture is crisp and clean and the audio is clear with no pops or hiss. Bust Film Detective added some really cool bonus features to this release as well. Take a look at what is included.
* Audio Commentary with Jason A. Ney
* The Case for Crane Wilbur: A Featurette chronicling the amazing films of Crane Wilbur
* Classic Radio Episodes featuring Vincent Price:
* Suspense: The Strange Death of Charles Umberstein – November 23, 1943
* Suspense: Fugue in C Minor – June 1, 1944
* Suspense: Hunting Trip – September 12, 1946
* Escape: Present Tense – January 31, 1950
* Escape: Three Skeleton Key – March 17, 1950
* Escape: Blood Bath – June 30, 1950
* Theatre of Romance: Angel Street – October 9, 1945
* Hollywood Star Time: The Lodger – May 19, 1946
* The CBS Radio Workshop: Speaking of Cinderella – April 6, 1956
* A Booklet featuring an essay entitled "The Case of the Forgotten Author: The Litrary Conundrum of Mary Roberts Rhinehart" by Jason A. Ney
To see The Bat looking so good on Blu-ray is amazing, but these bonus features are the best! I really enjoyed the featurette on Crane Wilbur, such a well produced video feature. But probably my favorite is the 9 radio programs. As a radio DJ for most of my adult life, I have a real love for radio and especially these old radio shows. Simply Awesome bonus feature!
So if you love film noirs, mysteries and Vince Price The Bat on this special edition Blu-ray is defiantly on you are going to want to add to your collection. Head over to Amazon and order your copy today.
Out of 4 Film Reels (4 Being the Best) Film Detective Special Edition Blu-ray of The Bat receives...
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