The Oblong Box – BFI (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1969
Director: Gordon Hessler
Writers: Lawrence Huntington, Christopher Wicking, Michael Reeves
Cast: Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Rupert Davies, Uta Levka, Sally Geeson, Alister Williamson, Peter Arne, Hilary Heath

Release Date: October 21st, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 96 Minutes 9 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK)

"In shadow-shrouded Victorian England, Sir Julian Markham (Price) is a landowner hiding a terrible family secret, while Dr Neuhartt (Lee) is a surgeon carrying out dreadful experiments upon stolen cadavers. When their disparate destinies entwine – and a mysterious murderer in a red mask begins a mission of vengeance – a series of brazen, bloody atrocities ensue." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Oblong Box has been supplied to the BFI by MGM and is presented in High Definition".

The Oblong Box comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.8 GB

Feature: 28.7 GB

This Blu-ray release uses the same master as all previous Blu-ray releases. Colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is very good. That said, some minor source debris remains and instances where grain is not well resolved.

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds clear and balanced, and range-wise, things are satisfactory.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an extensive image gallery (stills/lobby cards/posters/advertisements), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 54 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with filmmaker Roger Corman titled Roger Corman on Edgar Allan Poe (9 minutes 48 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Victoria Price, Vincent Price’s daughter titled The Immortal Mr Price (16 minutes 53 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), three Edgar Allan Poe short film adaptations; a silent short film titled The Bells (14 minutes 33 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, LPCM stereo with English intertitles, no subtitles), a silent short film titled Prelude (6 minutes 53 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, LPCM stereo with English intertitles, no subtitles), and a short film titled The Pit (26 minutes 59 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with film historian Steve Haberman, and a 26-page booklet (first pressing only) with an essay titled Unlocking The Oblong Box written by Peter Fuller, an essay titled Boxed-In and Bowing-Out: Michael Reeves Quits The Oblong Box written by Benjamin Halligan, cast & crew information for The Oblong Box, The Bells, Prelude and The Pit, a text piece titled The Pit written by James Bell, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Directed by Gordon Hessler, whose other notable films are Scream and Scream Again, Cry of the Banshee, Murders in the Rue Morgue, and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. The Oblong Box is one of two films in which Gordon Hessler replaced Michael Reeves; the other film is Scream and Scream Again. The Oblong Box was adapted from the Edgar Allan Poe short story of the same name.

A man disfigured in a voodoo ritual is locked in the room by his guilt-ridden brother.

Though Vincent Price is widely known for his contribution to horror cinema, no other actor is more connected to the works of Edgar Allan Poe than he is. With The Oblong Box, he appeared in his final feature film adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe; the following year he would narrate a TV special titled An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe. His collaborations with Roger Corman are the best, while The Oblong Box falls somewhere in the middle. That said, the quality of these Edgar Allan Poe adaptations would greatly vary.

Things start off strong with a voodoo ritual that lays the foundation for the events that follow. Though there are a few tense moments before the big reveal in the finale, the narrative ultimately suffers from predictability. That said, despite this shortcoming, things move along quickly enough that there are no major lulls.

As good as the entire cast is, the main attraction is Vincent Price in the role of Sir Julian Markham. He delivers another superlative performance that elevates the material and everyone around him. That said, it's a shame they didn’t go with the original idea of making the brothers twins and having Vincent Price portray both of them. The cast features another horror icon, Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man), who portrays a doctor who employs grave robbers. Even with his limited screen time, he manages to steal a few scenes.

From a production standpoint, The Oblong Box is a film that does not waste any of its resources. Though the visuals are not overly stylish, Gordon Hessler’s solid direction lets the performances take center stage. That said, the scene where the doctor opens the coffin with the buried-alive brother is the most visually arresting moment. Ultimately, The Oblong Box is a well-made Edgar Allan Poe film that greatly benefits from Vincent Price’s performance.

BFI gives The Oblong Box an audio/video presentation that's on par with this film’s other home media release and an assortment of insightful extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer