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

ADDITION: Vinegar Syndrome Labs Blu-ray (April 2023): Vinegar Syndrome Labs have transferred Erle C. Kenton's The Cat Creeps to Blu-ray. It is cited as being "Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm dupe negative". It looks very strong with plenty of grain textures, some inherent softness and a few surface scratches and speckles. There are rich, deep, black levels and I was impressed with the HD presentation. 

Vinegar Syndrome Labs is another VS sub-label - as they state "... we are hoping to expand and defy expectations with the diversity of films we restore and release. As the name implies, VSL will serve as a kind of testing area for releasing genres and eras of film that one might not immediately expect to come from VS. The ultimate objective of VSL will be to see if these types of films will find an audience, and if so, pursue and release more of them…and even if not, still serve as a means of restoring more of the weird, rare, and unusual movies you might not expect from Vinegar Syndrome." Personally, I hope they do more of this particular genre.

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

On their Blu-ray, Vinegar Syndrome Labs use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. The Cat Creeps has a few screams but no gunfire and no visibility of the actual murders. Dialogue is clean and clear. The score was by Paul Sawtell (The Jungle Captive, Jungle Woman, Lost City of the Jungle, 5 Steps to Danger, A Game of Death, Inferno, Silver City, The Fly, Denver and Rio Grande, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea etc.) adding some excited drama via the lossless transfer supporting the film well. Vinegar Syndrome Labs offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Vinegar Syndrome Labs Blu-ray offers a new commentary by Kevin Lyons (The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television) and Jonathan Rigby (author English Gothic: A Century Of Horror Cinema). They relate how The Cat Creeps was the last of the Universal horrors of the era, that two of the cast; Arthur Loft and William B. Davidson (The Most Dangerous Game) didn't survive long after the film was released (both passing in 1947), how The Cat Creeps was a 13 day shoot and was shown in a double-bill with She-Wolf of London, the prevalence of wise-cracking reporters in films of this time, that Douglass Dumbrille (Tom McGalvey in The Cat Creeps) was also in The Catman of Paris - made the same year, information on director Erle C. Kenton (Tarantula), the passion for old dark houses in film, chiaroscuro lighting, quotes from Tom Weaver and Michael Brunas' Universal Horrors: The Studio's Classic Films, 1931-1946 and echoes Cat People throughout The Cat Creeps and much more. It's excellent and they cover a ton of topics in the hour-long film. We also get “Feline Frights” which is 17-minutes of Kim Newman discussing cats and classic horror with many references explaining how it was not a remake of the 1930 film of the same name and talking about Paul Leni's silent The Cat and the Canary's significance (not the 1939 Bob Hope version.) He even shows some clips. The package has reversible sleeve artwork.

Erle C. Kenton's The Cat Creeps is certainly a 'B' picture but for those who can't get enough of the Universal-style vintage horrors - this has appeal although it is more an economical crime-drama infused with supernatural implications. Both supplements mention "Scooby Doo" mysteries where the villain is 'unmasked' in the conclusion - and there are similarities in The Cat Creeps. The systematic murders in a secluded location may also evoke Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (10 Little Indians.) There are plenty of desirable mystery/horror tropes in rapid succession and some humor. I liked The Cat Creeps and I think it would make a great start to a vintage double feature night. Vinegar Syndrome Labs are impressing me with their Blu-rays and for the right crowd this is delightful fodder.

Gary Tooze