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

ADDITION: Film Masters Blu-ray (April 2024): Film Masters have also transferred Bert I. Gordon's Tormented to Blu-ray. It uses a different print from the Anolis Blu-ray, that came out in 2022, and is more similar to the 2013 Warner DVD reviewed HERE. I still could not match could not match THIS frame that is on the DVD.

The 1080P is significantly darker than the German transfer ala the DVD, and is in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio (the Warner was 1.78:1). IMDb says it was shot in 1.37:1 but I would be surprised if it wasn't shown in widescreen theatrically. Either way the 1.85:1 ratio is probably the most accurate of the three and shows less information in the bottom and top of the frame. The HD Film Masters presentation doesn't have the damage -  light vertical scratches and speckles - of the Anolis transfer. I did find the excessive brightness of the German Blu-ray bothersome - the film seems to look better to me with the darker appearance, but the contrast seems a bit dull / faded on the new US release although it improves after the first 10-minutes. All in all it looked quite pleasing on my system with no gloss. Deeper black levels would have improved the appearance.   

NOTE: We have added 56 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Film Masters have a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (16-bit) in the original English language. Extravagant audio effects are sparse in Tormented. The dramatic score is by Albert Glasser (The Cyclops, Attack of the Puppet People, Abilene Town, The Spider, I Shot Jesse James, Behind Locked Doors) and is fairly intense at times with a jazzy edge. The lounge-y Tormented theme is written by Glasser and is sung by Margie Rayburn (representing Vi Mason.). Film Masters offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Film Masters Blu-ray include a number of new extras starting with an audio commentary by Gary D. Rhodes (author of The Birth of the American Horror Film) He is as enamored with Tormented as I am. He reads a quote; "Exploitation pictures needn't be horror pics there value is in fantasy and they can be made well enough to be a regular staple of the film industry" from a Variety article about Bert Gordon circa 1958. He talks about writer George Worthing Yates (Them!, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, It Came from Beneath the Sea, Conquest of Space), and mentions many of Gordon's other films like War of the Colossal Beast, The Cyclops, Earth vs the Spider, Attack of the Puppet People and he reads from his autobiography (The Amazing Colossal Worlds Of Mr. B.I.G.: An Autobiographical Journey By Bert I. Gordon.) Also covered are the career of Richard Carlson (It Came From Outer Space, The Maze, The Magnetic Monster, Creature from the Black Lagoon.) Gary talks about his good friend Joe Turkel who played Nick, the "beatnik ferryman", and who was in two other Gordon productions: The Boy and the Pirates and Village of the Giants. I remember him from Kubrick's The Shining as the 'ghost' bartender. There are some amusing anecdotes of Turkel and Kubrick's documented perfection. It's an exceptional commentary. Film Masters include the MST3K (Mystery Science Theater 3000) presentation of Tormented in 1080i. We also get 'Bigger Than Life: Bert I. Gordon in the 1950's and 1960's' - a 40-minute documentary featuring C. Courtney Joyner (co-author of The Savage B's: A Tribute to B-Horror) discussing the career and life of the American filmmaker and visual effects artist. 'Bert I. Gordon: The Amazing Colossal Filmmaker' is an 8-minute archival interview with writer / director/ producer Bert I. Gordon and there is a visual essay "The Spirit is Willing: Cinemagic and Social Discord in Bert I. Gordon's Tormented" by 'The Flying Maciste Brothers' (Howard S. Berger and Kevin Marr) running over 20-minutes talking about how the film is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's The Telltale Heart among other observant intricacies regarding the film. Film Masters include an part of a pilot episode of 'Untold Ghost Stories,' with Vincent Price described as "The following is an unreleased TV pilot originally masterminded by Bert I. Gordon, and the folks at Herts-Lion International. Vincent Price hosts and plays a poltergeist, while introducing the ghost story to follow, which turns out be an edited version of Gordon's "Tormented," Price comes back at the end to wrap things up and tell us about next week's episode." It runs just over 4-minutes. There are an older and restored (2024) trailer. The package has an inserted full color booklet with an essay by Tom Weaver (A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers.)

Tormented has Bert I. Gordon firmly implanted in his premium 'B' element - without an overabundance of schlock. There is an interesting subtext here with powerful guilt forming delusions and the kid sister representing Vi Mason (a distractingly curvaceous Juli Reding) with her schoolgirl crush on Tom. It is definitely more in the range of nostalgia value with the hokier aspects (holding the decapitated head) being very cool. I loved it - a great way to start a double feature night. With the island milieu - how about paired with The Flesh Eaters? I was very thankful that we now have a choice of Blu-ray options, although I lean heavily to the Film Masters edition that we strongly recommend for fans of the 50's horror-fantasy genre. Correct a/r 1080P, wonderful commentary, documentary, visual essay, archival interview, booklet, excellent package cover - an absolute keeper.

***

ADDITION: Anolis Blu-ray (January 2023): Anolis have transferred Bert I. Gordon's Tormented to Blu-ray. It is using a different print from the Warner Archive DVD, that came out in 2013, reviewed HERE. This is from an archival German print with an alternate title sequence:

The 1080P is significantly brighter, in the 1.62:1 aspect ratio (the Warner was 1.78:1). IMDb says it was shot in 1.37:1 but I would be surprised if it was not shown in widescreen theatrically. Either way both ratios are probably inaccurate and the Anolis Blu-ray shows more information in the bottom of the frame and a sliver more in the top. The HD presentation is filled with light vertical scratches and speckles with more of this than Warner's SD transfer. I do find the excessive brightness bothersome - the film seems to look better to me with the darker appearance, however it was refreshing to see the film in the higher resolution. I did notice brief sequences cut - just a few frames here and there. Example, a could not match THIS frame. 

Mark Taylor tells us in email: "FYI, the restoration work was performed five years ago by Andreas Hartung. Here is a link to a video showing samples of his restoration on TORMENTED. These images convinced me that his restoration and the Anolis release are the same." Thanks Mark! I think I agree.

NOTE: We have added 36 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Anolis offer DTS-HD Master dual-mono tracks (16-bit) in the original English language (slightly out-of-sync) and a German DUB (default.) Anolis offer optional German subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Anolis Blu-ray offers a commentary by Ingo Strecker and Mirko Rekittke in German. The 2013 DVD had nothing but this Blu-ray package includes a 6.5 minute interview with Susan Gordon - daughter to director / writer Bert I. Gordon and Flora M. Gordon who was credited with special visual effects on Tormented. Susan received second billing as the young sister, 'Sandy Hubbard', to Richard Carlson's fiancée, in Tormented. It was nice to hear from her. There are also American and German trailers, a 'Trailers From Hell' episode with Mick Garris as well as screens showing the German Media book, a Film Programme and lastly a gallery. The package includes a 28-page booklet with essays in German and plenty of photos and this has a handsome slipcase.  

Gary Tooze