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

ADDITION: Eureka Classics Blu-ray (April  2023): Eureka Classics are releasing four vintage horrors on Blu-ray as part of their "Creeping Horror' boxset with Murders in the Zoo (1933), Night Monster (1942), Horror Island (1941) and House of Horrors (1946). There are two films per dual-layered Blu-ray.

Firstly, Murder at the Zoo was released on Region 'A' Blu-ray by Shout! Factory in their Universal Horror Collection Volume 2 - reviewed HERE. Night Monster and House of Horrors were released on Region 'A' Blu-ray by Shout! Factory in their in Universal Horror Collection: Volume 4 - reviewed HERE. Horror Island was released on Region 'A' Blu-ray by Shout! Factory in their Universal Horror Collection Volume 3 - reviewed HERE. We have made comparison captures below for all four films.

As anticipated the max'ed out bitrate transfers are very comparable to the Shout! Factory 1080P renderings. Two of the film may show a shade more in the frame and if forced to choose - would endorse the UK boxset for marginally superior video. There are pleasing textures and as the films get 'younger' sharpness improves. Contrast is nicely layered and I had no issues with the slight vertical surface scratches.

NOTE: We have added 100 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Eureka Classics use a linear PCM dual-mono tracks (24-bit) in the original English language for all four films. These are also very comparable to the US Blu-ray editions with a slightly superior higher end but less bass response. It is negligible. The scores are dramatic and wonderful by John Leipold (Christmas in July, The Devil is a Woman, The Flying Deuces, Duck Soup) and Rudolph G. Kopp (The Woman Accused, 1934's Cleopatra, 1934's The Sign of the Cross, 1950's Noir Mystery Street) on Murder in the Zoo. There is stock music credited to the likes of Hans J. Salter (Man in the Shadow, Man Without a Star, The Killer that Stalked New York, The Strange Door, Cover Up, Man Without a Star, Scarlet Street, The Land Unknown, The War Lord, The Mole People, The Strange Case of Doctor Rx), Frank Skinner (The Appaloosa, Madame X, Magnificent Obsession, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, All That Heaven Allows, Thunder Bay), and others in Night Monster and Horror Island and with the influential Dimitri Tiomkin's (The Men, A Bullet Is Waiting , Night Passage, High Noon, Angel Face, Strangers on a Train, The Men, Dial M For Murder, Spawn of the North, Jungle Queen, The Thing From Another World etc. etc.) in House of Horrors. Sounds is indicative of the era with Murders at the Zoo sounding authentically more hollow and scattered. Eureka Classics offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Eureka Classics Blu-ray offers new commentaries for all four films. We are treated to the pairings of authors Stephen Jones (The Art of Horror Movies: An Illustrated History) and Kim Newman (Classic Monsters Unleashed) doing commentary tracks on Night Monster and House of Horrors. On the Pre-code Murders in the Zoo and 1941's Horror Island we get Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby (Studies in Terror: Landmarks of Horror Cinema.) Without fully indulging in all four my samplings it indicates they are at their usual high level of expertise. Giving other film references of the eras, discussing the careers of the cast and generally exporting lesser known tidbits of interest. There are additionally 'Stills Galleries' for all four films and trailers for Horror Island, Night Monster and House of Horrors. The package has a limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing by Craig Ian Mann and Jon Towlson. It is all house in an attractive LE Slipcase. 

Eureka Classics "Creeping Horror' Blu-ray boxset of vintage horrors has the very appealing Pre-code Murders in the Zoo and we can never get enough Rondo Hatton - here in House of Horrors as 'The Creeper' with Virginia Grey, regal Alan Napier and sexy Joan Shawlee. I continue to warm to Horror Island and its sassy banter and see brief Bela and plenty of fireside shadows in Night Monster. The films looks great and we get new delightful commentaries and the LE booklet. You can throw these short-ish vintage-era horrors on any late night for an economical double feature with desolate mansions, pathological jealousies, psychotic revenge and mysterious phantoms. Absolutely recommended!

Gary Tooze