The Monster That Challenged the World Blu-ray

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

Directed by Arnold Laven
USA 1957

The Monster That Challenged the World is the misleadingly title for one of the more well-regarded second-echelon horror films of the 1950s. An underwater earthquake in the Sargasso sea yields up the eggs of a long-extinct sea monster. Once hatched, the monster's offspring (which resemble huge snails) sustain themselves by sucking the life forces of various unlucky human land dwellers. Even worse, these horrendous creatures procreate at an incredible rate, laying 3000 eggs per sitting. Eventually, the monsters are neutralized by Modern Science, save for one stray snail that very nearly lunches on a little girl.

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Theatrical Release: June 4th, 1957

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Comparison:

Run - Region 0 - NTSC vs. MGM (Midnight Movies) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

1) Run - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT

2) MGM (Midnight Movies) - Region 1 - NTSC MIDDLE

3) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	Run - Region 0 - NTSC	MGM (Midnight Movies) - Region 1 - NTSC	Kino Lorber Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:24:03	1:24:38	1:24:32.067
Video	1.33:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.86 mb/s NTSC 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.33:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.23 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Disc Size: 18,371,707,912 bytes Feature Size: 17,952,792,576 bytes Total Bitrate: 24.93 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 - AVC
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Run
Bitrate: MGM
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0)	English (Dolby Digital 2.0)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1563 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1563 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 256 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps
Subtitles	Japanese, None	French, Spanish, None	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Run Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • None DVD Release Date: December 28th, 2008 Black Keep Case Chapters:8	Release Information: Studio: MGM Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • The Terror From Beyond Space • Original trailer DVD Release Date: February 15th, 2005 Keep Case Chapters: 12	Release Information: Studio: Kino Lorber 1.85:1 Disc Size: 18,371,707,912 bytes Feature Size: 17,952,792,576 bytes Total Bitrate: 24.93 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 - AVC Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tom Weaver • Trailer (1:35) Blu-ray Release Date: August 11th, 2015 Standard Blu-ray case Chapters: 8

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray July 15': The Kino Lorber 1080P - as well as being in 1.85:1 widescreen - is also significantly brighter shedding more detail on the creature and most of the underwater scenes. It's a gigantic improvement over the DVDs.

Kino go with a DTS-HD Master track in 2.0 channel mono at 1563 Kbps. Effects (create sounds) carry weight. No stranger to sci-fi creature-feature scores is Heinz Roemheld (The Land Unknown, The Mole People, 1933's The Invisible Man) and his work in The Monster That Challenged the World sounds tense and impacting via the lossless transfer. There are no subtitles offered and the disc is region 'A'-locked.

I am appreciative of the inclusion of an educational commentary by Film Historian Tom Weaver. There is also a trailer.

Great job Kino-Lorber! This is one of the better efforts in the 50's genre and we finally have a proper digital transfer package with a commentary! This would make a super Blu-ray double-feature, in your home theatre, with a title like Tarantula or It! The Terror From Beyond Space (the latter found on the on the opposite side of Midnight Movies DVD disc.) Certainly recommended!

***

ON THE DVD: Confirming our suspicions that the interlaced Japanese 'RUN' DVD is of inferior quality we have compared it to the MGM (Midnight Movies) edition. Both are single-layered but the US DVD has significantly superior contrast and detail. The captures really speak for themselves. It looks like the Japanese DVD is horizontally stretched a bit as well.

I don't have evidence that this as shown widescreen but I suspect it is quite possible in some theatrical locations. Both of these DVD are 1.33 and the MGM gives the unfortunate claim that the image has been modified to 'fit your television screen'.

Audio is also somewhat cleaner on the US edition. The RUN DVD has optional Japanese subtitles and both films on the MGM have the choice of French or Spanish.

The Midnight Movies package contains, on the opposite side of the disc, It! The Terror From Beyond Space. A similar quality late 50's sci-fi about the first manned expedition to Mars which is invaded by an unknown life form which stows away investigating rescue ship.

The Monster That Challenged the World comfortably fits into one of my favorite genres. We've covered and compared a few of the very reasonable Midnight Movie editions and will continue when we have the opportunity. I think these can offer great value.