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The Classic Ghosts - 70's Gothic Television  [2 X Blu-ray]
 

The Haunting of Rosalind (1973)    The Screaming Skull (1973)


The Deadly Visitor (1973)    The House and the Brain (1973)


And the Bones Came Together (1973)

 

 

Virtually unseen since their late-night airings on ABC television in 1973, The Classic Ghosts is a series of five feature-length teleplays, shot live on videotape (in the style of daytime dramas) and meticulously restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive. Not only do these gothic thrillers showcase an array of celebrated actors, but are notable for having been produced by a primarily female creative team, including producer Jacqueline Babbin (Sybil) and directors Lela Swift (Dark Shadows) and Gloria Monty (Sorority Kill). This two-disc edition includes all five productions: The Haunting of Rosalind, The Screaming Skull, The Deadly Visitor, The House and the Brain, and And the Bones Came Together.  

Posters

Theatrical Release: February 14th, 1973 - July 3rd, 1973

Reviews                                 More Reviews                           DVD Reviews

 

Review: Kino Cult #18 - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

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Bonus Captures:

Distribution Kino Cult - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:06:53.342 (X 5)        
Video

1.33:1 1080i Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc One: 42,189,227,506 bytes

Sample teleplay: 17,741,506,560 bytes

Video Bitrate: 31.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1557 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1557 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)

Subtitles English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Kino Cult

 

1.33:1 1080i Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc One: 42,189,227,506 bytes

Sample teleplay: 17,741,506,560 bytes

Video Bitrate: 31.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• The Rematerialization of Classic Ghosts (20:18) has interviews with Mark Quigley (John H. Mitchell Television Curator, UCLA Film & Television Archive), Maya Montañez Smukler (Head of the UCLA Film & Television Archive Research and Study Center), and Amanda Reyes (Made for TV Mayhem)
• Demonstration of 2" video technology, featuring David Crosthwait (DC Video) (7:47)


Blu-ray Release Date: October 29th, 2024

Standard Blu-ray Case inside slipcase

Chapters 9

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Cult Blu-ray (October 2024): For their 18th in the series, Kino Cult have transferred five feature-length teleplays (also called 'original films') that had late-night airings on ABC television back in 1973 under "The Wide World of Mystery" or "The Classic Ghosts" to Blu-ray. The two disc package is appropriately named "70's Gothic Television". It is cited as "Meticulously restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive". "It is what it is" in terms of the quality - obviously tape-sourced is weaker than 35mm film and the accurate 1080i (it would have been broadcast 'interlaced') shows artifacts, warping, stretching and associated anomalies like multiple lines down the left side of the frame or vertical blemishes coming and going. There is more flagrant damage (see samples below) but they were few and far between lasting on a few frames. So, I found it fully watchable and the meager quality also gave a feeling of performance realism - almost like a theatrical play. I found it easy to immerse myself in this after a fashion.

The first seven Kino Cult titles are Lorna the Exorcist, Alien Outlaw, The Dark Power, Sinner - the Secret Diary of a Nymphomania, Underworld aka Transmutations, Drifter and a Bettie Page Double Feature. We have also reviewed the sub-label's Frogs, Empire of the Ants, The Food Of The Gods and Kingdom of the Spiders. I love the idea of this and hope it continues.

NOTE: We have added 134 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino Cult use a DTS-HD Master (16-bit) in the original English language. The audio quality is small notch above the tape-sourced video. So, it also has weaknesses and while dialogue was scattered and hollow - it was easily discernable. There are a few effects like lightening etc. and I couldn't get any info on the less-remarkable scores but there was some electronic cues and fitting stock music supporting the supernatural elements. Kino Cult offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Kino Cult Blu-ray offers a 20-minute video piece entitled "The Rematerialization of The Classic Ghosts" which has interview segments with Mark Quigley (John H. Mitchell Television Curator, UCLA Film & Television Archive), Maya Montañez Smukler (Head of the UCLA Film & Television Archive Research and Study Center), and Amanda Reyes (Made for TV Mayhem.) It describes how difficult the restoration was, what survived and the recovery process. They talk about the Gothic genre, the female-centric ethos and much more. David Crosthwait (DC Video) gives us an 8-minute demonstration of 2 inch video technology, the machines and the weaknesses with demonstrations. 

Most likely with budget and time constraints (the entire five films were made in only six weeks) these were shot on videotape - also poaching from ABC’s own daytime TV roster using directors Henry Kaplan (All My Children) Gloria Montemuro - credited "Monty" (General Hospital) and Lela Swift (the Gothic Soap 'Dark Shadows'.) Swift was also known as "the Ida Lupino of television". Not only does this have a "lost history" element but these are frequently helmed by women. Examples beyond the two ladies above; producer Jacqueline Babbin, associate producer Dorothy J. Globus, assistant director Angela Osborne, costume designer Mary McKinley etc. These hour-long TV films recall previous digital editions of vintage broadcast content like Criterion's The Golden Age of Television package, BBC's The Stone Tape, and especially BFI's Ghost Stories for Christmas Volumes One and Two - which we loved! From this package I thoroughly enjoyed (in order) The Screaming Skull with David McCallum (The Great Escape), Vincent Gardenia (Death Wish) and Carrie Nye (The Seduction of Joe Tynan) - The Haunting of Rosalind with, not-enough Susan Sarandon (who's had a phenomenal career,) and Pamela Payton-Wright (Resurrection) were excellent - The House and the Brain as I've always had a crush on Gretchen Corbett (lawyer / girlfriend Beth Davenport on The Rockford Files, The Savage Bees, Jaws of Satan) - and The Deadly Visitor where they actually catch an invisible ghost and tie it up! But, honestly, I was not very keen on And the Bones Came Together (Laurence Luckinbill - The Boys in the Band.) So, despite imperfect a/v quality these are probably the absolute best you are going to see these forgotten "supernatural ghost stories" with the time periods supporting 'Gothic'. The Kino Cult double Blu-ray with over 5-hours of exceedingly rare content is absolutely recommended! At the writing of this review is 50% OFF Pre-order, HERE.

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

The Haunting of Rosalind (1973)

 

 


 

 


 

 


The Screaming Skull (1973)
 

 


 

 


 

 


The Deadly Visitor (1973)

 

 


 

 


 

 


The House and the Brain (1973)
 

 


 

 


 

 


And the Bones Came Together (1973)

 

 


 

 


 

 


Damage Sequence Examples
 
(CLICK to ENLARGE)
 

  


 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

The Haunting of Rosalind (1973)

 

The Screaming Skull (1973)

 

The Deadly Visitor (1973)

 

The House and the Brain (1973)

And the Bones Came Together (1973)

 

 
Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Kino Cult - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 


 

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