That antiquated phrase is the perfect description not only for its subject but for this new Blu-Ray set as well. After years and years of substandard prints especially in America, you can finally see Tod Slaughter in all his hand rubbing, lip smacking, fiendish cackling glory. For those of you who don’t know (mostly all of you outside the U.K.) Slaughter (1885-1956) was an unabashed and unapologetic purveyor of Victorian style stage melodrama. He “trod the boards” throughout the English provinces during the early days of the Twentieth Century and even briefly managed the legendary Elephant & Castle theater before World war I in which he served. He and the plays he appeared in were usually critically disparaged but the British public outside of London never seemed to tire of them.
In the late 1920s, to stem the ever growing influx of Hollywood movies into England, a law was passed saying that 20% of all films had to be British made. In order to meet this quota, the “Quota Quickie” was established. These were essentially British B movies that were quickly and cheaply made to help keep British artists and technicians employed. How they performed at the box office was of little concern. Tod Slaughter’s melodramas were tailor made for the QQ system and were shot between 1935 and 1940. They were basically film transfers of his existing productions and of the 8 films in this set, only one (SEXTON BLAKE AND THE HOODED TERROR – 1938) was set in contemporary times. Another one (CRIMES AT THE DARK HOUSE – 1940) was an adaptation of Wilkie Collins’ THE WOMAN IN WHITE.
The remaining six, while not intended to be as such, turn out to be a cinematic capturing of a type of material and a style of performance that had flourished during the Victorian Era giving us a glimpse back into that time. Hark back to storylines in which virtue is always rewarded and vice is always punished with the villain (always Slaughter) getting his well deserved just desserts. For those who have never seen him, think of Tod as a live action Snidely Whiplash (Dudley Doright’s mustache twirling nemesis in ROCKY & BULLWINKLE). The most famous film in the set is SWEENY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (1936) which became the basis of the Stephen Sondheim musical (1979) and the Tim Burton movie with Johnny Depp (2007).
The most highly regarded film in this set (originally and today) is THE FACE IN THE WINDOW (1939). Film critic Ken Hanke, whose 1987 article on Slaughter in FILMS IN REVIEW helped to draw attention to him in America, wrote “THE FACE IN THE WINDOW is effective as a self-mocking parody and as a bona fide horror film. Here at least we have the great British horror star in the great British horror film”. Too bad he didn’t live to see this set as he would have been one of the first to acquire it. The remaining three movies (THE CRIMES OF STEPHEN HAWKE (1936), IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO MEND (1937), and THE TICKET OF LEAVE MAN – 1938) round out the collection and are just as full of “strong meat” as Slaughter liked to say as any of the others
What makes THE CRIMINAL ACTS OF TOD SLAUGHTER so remarkable is not only the first class restorations from the original negatives but the additional bonus features which are numerous. The most noteworthy of them is the 118 page booklet which is loaded with pictures of the productions and a cumulative history of Slaughter and his impact on British cinema. In addition there are several short subjects including TOD SLAUGHTER AT HOME giving us the chance to see him away from the studio as well as refurbished radio versions of the best known plays restored from vintage 78s. Once again Powerhouse Films / Indicator, who in the past have given us restorations of classics like THE NIGHT OF THE DEMON and obscurities like THE DEVIL’s MEN, have done themselves proud.
The Capsule Critic 