The Cat and the Canary – Kino Lorber (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1927
Director: Paul Leni
Writers: Robert F. Hill, Alfred A. Cohn, Walter Anthony, Edward J. Montagne
Cast: Laura La Plante, Creighton Hale, Forrest Stanley, Tully Marshall, Gertrude Astor, Flora Finch, Arthur Edmund Carewe, Martha Mattox, George Siegmann, Lucien Littlefield

Release Date: October 28th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 84 Minutes 25 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 With English Intertitles, DTS-HD Stereo With English Intertitles
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $44.95

"A decaying mansion and a stormy night provide the archetypal setting for mystery and chaos when a pack of greedy relatives gather for the reading of a twenty-year-old will. But before the West fortune can be handed down, the family must endure a night in the cavernous manor, unnerved by the news that an escaped lunatic is at large." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (4K UHD), 3.75/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information given about the transfer, “Brand new UHD/SDR master by Photoplay – A 4K restoration from original nitrate prints."

The Cat and the Canary comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 57.6 GB

Feature: 55.7 GB

Kino Lorber’s release uses a different source than what Eureka Video used for their 2024 Blu-ray release. Besides using alternate takes, Kino Lorber’s release uses one color tint for the duration, while Eureka Video’s Blu-ray used two, one for day and the other for night. Kino Lorber’s release has more source-related debris and opens with a 4 1/2-minute overture.

The Cat and the Canary comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30 GB

Feature: 24.5 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 with English intertitles and a DTS-HD stereo with English intertitles. Both audio tracks sound clear and balanced.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with film historian David Del Valle and silent film expert Randy Haberkamp and an audio commentary with film historian Anthony Slide.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a short film directed by Paul Leni titled Rebus-Film No. 1 (15 minutes 25 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, DTS-HD stereo with English intertitles), an audio commentary with David Del Valle and Randy Haberkamp and an audio commentary with Anthony Slide.

Other extras on the Blu-ray disc include trailers for Supernatural, The Cat and the Canary (1939 version), The Mad Doctor, The Undying Monster, The Lodger (1944 version), The Spider Woman Strikes Back, and Queen of Spades.

Other extras include reversible cover art and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Directed by Paul Leni, whose other notable films include Waxworks (Das Wachsfigurenkabinett), The Last Warning, and The Man Who Laughs.

The heirs of an eccentric millionaire gather on the 20th anniversary of his death for the reading of his will.

The Cat and the Canary was the first of four films Paul Lani directed in Hollywood before his untimely death at the age of 44. The Cat and the Canary was the first film adaptation of John Williard’s play of the same name. There have been numerous film adaptations since Paul Leni's film.

The Cat and the Canary is an early example of what is now known as an old dark house film. These types of films involve some sort of gathering at an old, neglected house. And though these films rely on things that go bump in the night, humor also plays a role. The Cat and the Canary has the core elements that one would expect from an Old Dark House film: an escaped lunatic, secret corridors, and a monster with a hairy arm.

The Cat and the Canary’s greatest asset is not the story that unfolds but the way the visuals tell that story. German expressionist cinema played a significant role for German filmmakers who made the transition to Hollywood cinema. That said, it is easy to see how German expressionist cinema influenced the look of The Cat and the Canary.

Though there were some inventive camera techniques employed in the early days of cinema, more often than not, it was stationary shots that cut from character to character. The Cat and the Canary’s camera is more active than in most silent films; there are shots that glide down corridors and shots of the camera zooming in on characters. The striking use of superimposing and juxtapositioning people and objects is another area where the visuals stand out.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where The Cat and the Canary does not excel. The well-executed narrative does an excellent job building tension towards a phenomenal finale. The production design is exquisite, and the eye for detail is astonishing. Ultimately, The Cat and the Canary is an extraordinary film and cinematic achievement that is one of silent cinema’s high-water marks.

Kino Lorber brings The Cat and the Canary 4K UHD via an alternate, shorter version that’s only recommended for completists who already own Eureka Video’s Blu-ray.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer