Just in time for Halloween, Warner Archives issues this collection of 6 horror mysteries from Warner Brothers Studios vaults. The set consists of 3 discs, each one with 2 movies, housed in a keep case. Titles included are:

Disc 1 - Find the Blackmailer and The Smiling Ghost
Disc 2 - Sh! The Octopus and The Hidden Hand
Disc 3 - Mystery House and The Patient in Room 18

From comic mysteries to serious whodunnits, these films have one or two spooky scene, although racist humor in The Smiling Ghost and The Hidden Hand is particularly jarring (both films feature under-appreciated Willie Best). Future noir femme fatale, Ann Sheridan, stars in two movies playing nurses, Mystery House and The Patient in Room 18. The progressive transfers are decent, taken from theatrical prints. 4 of the films feature window-boxed credits, but films themselves are not window-boxed. There are scratches and marks on all prints, with The Patient in Room 18 suffering the most, with almost every scene having some scratches.

The mono soundtrack is decent enough, but there are no trailers provided for these quickies or, per usual, subtitles. The chapters are 10 minutes apart for each film. This collection is a great bargain for any fan of 'B' pictures with 6 films for a listed price of $24.95 (even less during sales and promotions), so despite the less than stellar transfers for some films, the set is highly recommended.

  - Gregory Meshman