ADDITION: Wicked-Vision Media (DE) - Region FREE - Blu-ray January 16':Just to throw a monkey-wrench into the proceedings, we've added the German Blu-ray - and it's a good one. The color scheme matches up with the Odeon and we presume its from the same source. It a shade darker than the UK - similar, but lesser, bitrate and it looks excellent in-motion. It is also cited as being a 'brand-new 4K scan from 35mm negative'. There is similar lossless audio (16-bit) for Elisabeth Lutyens' score with both original English and German DUB(s) and offers optional subtitles in both those languages. It goes beyond both other Blu-rays by being Region FREE - and, like the Odeon it has extensive extras. We should note that the case is actually black not standard blue like the Amazon photo.

NOTE: The Euro (Pinewood) editions miss out on the 'grim reaper' shot at the very end of the film. The Olive release contains it.

There are two audio commentaries; the one also found on the Oeeon with director Freddie Francis and (in English with optional German subtitles) as well as another with Dr. Rolf Giesen and Uwe Sommerlad (in German - no subtitles). There is also the same, almost hour long, "House of Cards": documentary by director Jake West. Wicked-Vision Media add a 6-minute introduction by Dr. Rolf Giesen (in German with optional English subtitles) as well as the 1.5 hour German 35mm theatrical version (looking fairly damaged), taking up 10 Gig with a 12 Mbps bitrate. It is only in German with no subs or DUBs. Then there are plenty of minor extras including the German and Italian title and end sequence, a German, Italian and Dutch VHS trailer, original English trailer and the 2015 recut trailer plus extensive image galleries (over 200 total - posters, press photos, lobby cards, etc.) There are some rare advertising, script, program and press kits graphics and an Amicus' filmography.

This certainly deserves some merit as it is such a stacked package and that it is region FREE. I think that it's great to have the option for those that prefer one look over another and want the specific supplements over one of the other Blu-rays. The choice is yours!   

There are some surprising differences between the two Blu-ray releases. There is a minor disparity in framing but the most notable differences are the colors, brightness and contrast. The Odeon, restored at Pinewood, can tend to look a bit yellow but this may be an accurate appearance for the film - I don't know. The title color disparity reminds me of the restoration of The Day the Earth Caught Fire - which also had a decidedly more burnt-yellow title card - even in the 'Censor's Certification' screen - (but we know that was an intentional filter effect). The more I look at both Dr. Terror's House of Horrors transfers - the more I lean to the Odeon. But I keep bouncing back and forth between the two. The brighter look and cooler skin tones seem more pleasing. The Olive release is actually more technically robust and may show advanced texture. But I'll go with the Odeon as the more correct in terms of replicating the original 'look' but, as with everything, it can come down to your personal preference. They both look very strong in-motion, but there again I might lean to the UK release.

Olive go 24-bit with a DTS-HD Master for the audio while Odeon use a 16-bit linear PCM.  Both sound clean and tight with notable depth in the effects (train noises) and screams.  Elisabeth Lutyens' (The Skull, The Terrornauts, Paranoiac, Never Take Sweets from a Stranger) score certainly benefits from the lossless sounding creepy and atmospheric. Odeon include optional English (SDH) subtitles, while Olive do not, and the Blu-ray discs are region coded 'B' + 'A' respectively.

The other huge difference are the supplements. Olive go their usual bare-bones route, but Odeon stack their limited edition steelcase - with a worthwhile commentary with director/cinematographer Freddie Francis and Jonathan Sothcott and almost two hours of featurettes in the form of a an excellent Making of Dr Terror documentary by Nucleus Films and an appreciation of the life and career of the late Sir Christopher Lee. There is a gallery of images, a trailer and the package contains liner notes - a 12 page appreciation booklet by horror writer, Johnny Mains.

I loved the film's segments - 'Werewolf', 'Creeping Vine' (reminiscent of The Day of the Triffids), 'Voodoo', 'Disembodied Hand' (With Christopher Lee), 'Vampire' (with Donald Sutherland) and the Epilogue. Amicus Productions can rank right up there with some of the most charismatic of Hammer Studios' efforts. This is a winner and worthy of the LE and steelcase that Odeon are releasing. Strongly recommended!

Gary W. Tooze