Back in 2021 Severin, anticipating the 100th anniversary of Christopher Lee’s birth the following year, issued a 9 disc box set to commemorate the fact. They decided to concentrate on Lee’s 1960s European output which was primarily Italian although there are a few German movies and a Polish TV series to choose from. Doing movies in Europe was no problem for Lee as he spoke several languages and could communicate with and understand the various directors he worked for. Usually he dubbed his own voice in whatever language was needed. This set focuses on some of his lesser known titles although it does contain the former TV staples CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD (1964) and CRYPT OF THE VAMPIRE (1963) both shown in uncut versions from quality sources.
THE TORTURE CHAMBER OF DR SADISM (1967), is shown in the original German version (THE SNAKE PIT & THE PENDULUM) although it is advertised on the box and on the disc under its American release title which has nothing to do with the film. The restored Agfa color print enhances the surreal quality of what is essentially a Gothic fairy tale that borrows Poe’s pendulum device for one sequence. It comes with both a German and English dubbed soundtrack. The other German offering is 1962’s SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE. Although directed by Terence Fisher and featuring Hammer regular Thorley Walters as Watson, the rest of the cast is German and everybody is dubbed including Lee and Walters. It also has English and German soundtracks.
The rarities include CHALLENGE THE DEVIL (1961) an Italian film originally made as CATHARSIS which is a much more apt title. The movie was meant to be an existential statement involving six young delinquents who invade an abandoned castle only to find that they were expected and that they must locate a missing woman and bury her while a mysterious figure (Lee), who may or may not be the Devil, tries to prevent them. Unreleased as intended, the film was taken over by the producer and got a wraparound story involving a monk who turns out to be one of the delinquents whose experience in the castle converted him. Throw in some gangsters, a little espionage, and bad nightclub music numbers and you can understand why the one time director attempted suicide.
The real surprise here, and for me it was a pleasant one, is a 24 episode 1971 Polish made series hosted by Lee called THEATRE MACABRE. It was given that title because of him and as an attempt to sell it outside of Europe. It is actually a collection of classic short stories, mostly Russian, that have been adapted into 30 minute episodes. Only 10 of the 24 stories could be described as macabre. Some episodes that qualify are THE CANTERVILLE GHOST, THE FATALIST, THE SONG OF TRIUMPHANT LOVE, THE RESURRECTION OF OFFLAND and, of course, THE TELL-TALE HEART. While the production budget was modest, the exteriors and costumes are lavish and the adaptations are, for the most part, quite good. They all have English dubbing and subtitles.
Included are two bonus discs. RELICS FROM THE CRYPT contains interviews with Lee, Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, and Roger Corman as well as several horror movie historians. There are also outakes and trailers from various movies along with two music videos, one of which gives you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear and see Christopher Lee singing “O Sole Mio”. There is also a CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD soundtrack CD. Rounding out the box set is a 100 page booklet by British film critic and historian Jonathan Rigby. It provides a thumbnail sketch of Lee’s life and career enhanced with numerous photos and posters of the different versions of the many movies that he appeared in over the course of his 70 year career. Expensive, yes, but this set is indispensable to fans.
The Capsule Critic 