The Devil-Doll Blu-ray - Lionel Barrymore

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "The Devil Doll" or "The Witch of Timbuctoo")

Directed by Tod Browning
USA 1936

Master of the macabre Tod Browning (Freaks) created this spine-tingler about madness, murder and revenge. Lionel Barrymore stars as an escaped convict who uses a mad scientist’s shrinking serum to create tiny people. Maureen O’Sullivan co-stars as Barrymore’s innocent daughter and Frank Lawton as her devoted suitor. Rafaela Ottiano adds a note of horror as the scientist’s maniacal widow. Full of menacing moments ‘certain to return in nightmares”, this is truly an unforgettable horror classic!

***

Wrongfully convicted of a robbery and murder, Paul Lavond breaks out of prison with a genius scientist who has devised a way to shrink humans. When the scientist dies during the escape, Lavond heads for his lab, using the shrinking technology to get even with those who framed him and vindicate himself in both the public eye and the eyes of his daughter, Lorraine. When an accident leaves a crazed assistant dead, however, Lavond must again make an escape.

Posters

Theatrical Release: July 10th, 1936

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Review: Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Warner Archive - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:18:43.593
Video	1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 28,271,862,306 bytes Feature: 22,927,233,024 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.67 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 1766 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1766 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Warner Archive 1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 28,271,862,306 bytes Feature: 22,927,233,024 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.67 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio Commentary - Dr. Steve Haberman and Constantine Nasr • Vintage Cartoon: Milk and Money (8:09) • Vintage Cartoon: The Phantom Ship (7:36) • Theatrical Trailer (1:54) Blu-ray Release Date: October 24th, 2023 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 21

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Warner Archive Blu-ray (November 2023): Warner Archive have transferred Tod Browning's The Devil-Doll to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "new 4K scan of preservation elements". It was originally on DVD in Warner's 2006 Hollywood's Legends of Horror Collection, reviewed HERE. We've compared a couple of captures below. It is a marked improvement with superior contrast, richer black levels, more information in the frame (all four edges), fine grain and occasional depth. Highly pleasing.

NOTE: We have added 52 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Warner Archive use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. The Devil-Doll sounds pleasing with consideration to its early production roots. The score by Franz Waxman (Bride of Frankenstein, Fury, Untamed, Rebecca, Dark Passage, Rear Window, Sunset Boulevard etc.) is quite lilting, almost romantic which adds another layer contrasting some of the darker themes of the story. Warner Archive offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray offers a delightful new commentary by Dr. Steve Haberman and Constantine Nasr. They laud the film and Tod Browning, comparing him to Howard Hawks, welcoming the new transfers to disc and a reexamination of the director's work. They describe differences from the source novel (Abraham Merritt's 1932 novel Burn Witch Burn!), how Browning 'moved around' the censors, the special effects used in the film, cinema's first female mad scientist - Malita (Rafaela Ottiano), Lionel Barrymore, what was re-shot, the production code, and so much more. I enjoyed it very much. There are two 1936 black-and-white Looney Tunes cartoons and a theatrical trailer.

Tod Browning's The Devil-Doll is a fabulous early sci-fi, horror, genre film. It has Browning's usual themes of revenge (on corrupt bankers) and deformities. The screenplay was co-written by Erich von Stroheim. The Devil-Doll prefaces The Incredible Shrinking Man and Dr. Cyclops. With Criterion's Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers Blu-ray boxset recently released this is a must-own as a patiently awaited re-evaluation of the director's work. One of Browning's best films with mad scientists, overpopulation concerns, a prison escape, framing by evil, greedy, banksters and... shrinking humans as slaves! The Warner Archive Blu-ray has a super a/v transfer, a new informative commentary, cartoon extras - all of a highly enjoyable genre film. Strongly recommended!