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

ADDITION: Scorpion Releasing Blu-ray (April 2021): Scorpion Releasing have transferred the 1955, Corman-produced, sci-fi horror The Beast with a Million Eyes to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New 2019 HD master". Aside from some light scratches, speckles and occasional marks, the image quality is quite pleasing in 1080P showing textured grain and layered contrast. There are anomalies such as infrequent missing frames and jump-cut with stock-footage (the rocket) having plenty of damage. It is on a single-layered disc with the 78-minute film produces a high bitrate.

As Tim Lucas tells us in the commentary when this was shown theatrically it was advertised with the 'miracle process of widescreen and Terror-Scope'. It essentially followed the lead of other films at that time shot in SuperScope (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) - a false widescreen process that allowed filmmakers to shoot in ordinary full-aperture with their shots framed from 2.0:1 then in post-production the full-aperture negative was cropped to the tighter 2.0:1 ratio and transferred to an anamorphic print. When show on television showed the full-frame. This appears to be what we have here with a 1.37:1 aspect ratio on the Scorpion Releasing Blu-ray. 

NOTE: We have added 60 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Scorpion Releasing use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Audio effects do exist with a high-pitched noise emanating from the alien craft but they are modest - exported with surprising depth via the lossless. As Tim Lucas describes in the commentary, the score is credited to John Bickford - but no such person existed. They decided to use Russian music as the Soviet Union had no signed the international copyright agreement at that time. So, we get unusual, and at times awkward, use of Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony no. 10 in E minor: II. Allegro, Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird: Dance of the Firebird and Richard Wagner's Siegfried, among other classical pieces. It sounds very clear and strong via the lossless transfer.  Scorpion Releasing offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Scorpion Releasing Blu-ray offers a new commentary by film historian Tim Lucas. He talks about the deeper meaning of The Beast with a Million Eyes; not as much about aliens but alienation from one's own existence. He discusses the lead Paul Birch often uncredited in his career - notably as one of the three men from Byron Haskin's 1953 The War of the Worlds who address the spaceship to their immediate demise. He discusses how the title was derived, the often clever usage of the music to relate to circumstances in the film, the role of Dick Sargent as Deputy Larry Brewster, Lorna Thayer remembered as the waitress in Bob Rafelson's Five Easy Pieces ("You want me to hold the chicken?" - "I want you to hold it between your knees lady"), Corman and others. He talks about the lesser-discussed themes in The Beast with a Million Eyes like 'the death of The American Dream', midlife crisis, unity of family, post-war traumatic stress, reckless paranoia and much more. It's at his usual fabulous, insightful, level. There is also a beat-up trailer for the film and a few others including Invisible Invaders, Donavan's Brain and The Magnetic Monster, among others. 

The Beast with a Million Eyes fits absolutely perfectly in our listing of 1950s + 60s science-fiction / fantasy / creature-feature Blu-ray entries. It's a prime example of inventive filmmaking under the restrictions of a limited budget. It conveys suspense and 'science-fiction unknowns' with modest but effective filmmaking. While the story is simple, it blends-in family relationship and other personal conflict themes. Special effects are at the very low end but I miss these pragmatic productions that engender a huge nostalgic appreciation. As an aside it's what I appreciate about this genre that is rarely made today - I am thinking of Dark Was the Night as a modern favorite in this vein that holds an homage to these sci-fi horror gems from the past. I thoroughly enjoyed the Scorpion Releasing Blu-ray of The Beast with a Million Eyes complete with the essential Tim Lucas commentary. It will be sit proudly on my shelf with similar from the era and revisited when the mood strikes. To those who embrace these flawed but lovable films - this is certainly recommended.

Gary Tooze