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Dan Curtis' Late-Night Mysteries [2 X Blu-ray]


Shadow of Fear (1974)      The Invasion of Carol Enders (1974)

 

Come Die With Me(1974)      Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest (1974)

 

 

Perhaps no figure exerted a greater influence on 1970s television horror than Dan Curtis. Having created the daytime drama Dark Shadows (1966-71), and while developing The Night Stalker into a weekly series, he produced stand-alone thrillers for ABC Television’s Wide World of Mystery. Originally shot on videotape, the four films in this collection have been carefully adapted to HD for this Blu-ray release. Shadow of Fear stars Claude Akins (Tentacles, Skyjacked) as a disgraced police officer hired to investigate crimes surrounding a psychologically troubled housewife (Anjanette Comer - The Underneath.) In The Invasion of Carol Enders, the spirit of a car crash victim is reincarnated into the body of another patient (Meredith Baxter, Family Ties.) Come Die With Me follows the cat-and-mouse relationship between a cavalier playboy (George Maharis) and the housekeeper who tries to blackmail him (Eileen Brennan, The Last Picture Show.) A wholesome family experiences a Kafkaesque miscarriage of justice when they are accused of drug trafficking in Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest.

***

Dan Curtis, the prolific producer behind gothic horror classics like Dark Shadows, ventured into suspenseful anthology television with four notable 1970s TV movies aired as part of ABC's Wide World of Mystery series: "Shadow of Fear" (1974), starring Claude Akins as a fallen detective probing mysterious crimes tormenting a mentally fragile housewife played by Anjanette Comer, with a young Tom Selleck in a supporting role; "The Invasion of Carol Enders" (1973), a chilling possession story where Meredith Baxter's comatose character becomes inhabited by the vengeful spirit of a car accident victim seeking to expose her own murder; "Come Die With Me" (1974), a dark thriller featuring George Maharis as a reckless heir who kills his brother over a denied loan, only to be blackmailed and manipulated by Eileen Brennan's obsessive housekeeper in a twisted game of control and desire; and "Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest" (1974), a cautionary tale of corruption and injustice in which a suburban family faces ruin after corrupt police plant heroin in their home during a botched raid, refusing to admit their error to protect their careers.

Posters

Broadcast Date: January 28th, 1974 - August 20th, 1974

 

Review: Kino Cult #36 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

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BONUS CAPTURES:

Distribution Kino Cult #36 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime Shadow of Fear: 1:05:59.388
The Invasion of Carol Enders: 1:07:03.352
Come Die With Me: 1:06:42.598
Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest: 1:06:16.439
Video

1.33:1 1080Pi Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 41,570,225,905 bytes

Shadow of Fear: 18,347,968,512 bytes
The Invasion of Carol Enders:
20,196,864,000 bytes

Video Bitrate: 33.38 / 36.34 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

1.33:1 1080Pi Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 40,563,413,943 bytes

Come Die With Me: 18,882,306,048 bytes
Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest: 19,602,825,216 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.02 / 35.63 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Vide

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Shadow of Fear Blu-ray:

Bitrate The Invasion of Carol Enders: Blu-ray:

Bitrate Come Die With Me Blu-ray:

Bitrate Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1558 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1558 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentaries:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -31dB

Subtitles English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Kino

 

Edition Details:

• Introductions to All Four Films by Jeff Thompson, Author of House of Dan Curtis: The Television Mysteries of the Dark Shadows Auteur - Shadow of Fear (6:49) / The Invasion of Carol Enders (4:56) / Come Die With Me (3:39) / Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest (4:21)
• Shadow of Fear Commentary by Amanda Reyes, Author of Are You in the House Alone? A TV Movie Compendium 1964-1999
• The Invasion of Carol Enders Commentary by Television Historian Scott Skelton
• Come Die With Me Commentary by Author/Podcaster Dan Budnik and Film Historian Robert Kelly
• Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest Commentary by Film Historians Amanda Reyes and Heidi Honeycutt


Blu-ray Release Date:
September 30th, 2025
Standard Blu-ray Case inside slipcase

Chapters 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Kino Cult Blu-ray (September 2025): For their 36th in the series, Kino Cult have transferred four Dan Curtis' TV Movie features - Shadow of Fear, The Invasion of Carol Enders, Come Die With Me, and Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest - that had late-night airings on ABC television in the early 70's - under "The Wide World of Mystery" - to Blu-ray. The two disc package is appropriately named "Dan Curtis' Late-Night Mysteries". "It is what it is" in terms of the quality - obviously tape-sourced is weaker than 35mm film and the accurate 1080i (it would have been broadcast 'interlaced') shows artifacts, warping, stretching and associated anomalies. The image is quite flat, obviously grain-less with drab colors. So, I found it fully watchable and the meager quality also gave a feeling of performance realism - almost like a theatrical play. The videotape transferred productions lends a raw, immediate feel, though it dates them compared to film. There are noticeable improvements and consistencies over VHS or broadcast versions, with enhanced clarity and reduced noise. I found it easy to immerse myself in this after a fashion. The image quality is superior to the five feature-length teleplays in Kino Cult's The Classic Ghosts - 70's Gothic Television Blu-ray, reviewed HERE.

NOTE: We have added 118 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel tracks (24-bit) in the original English language. They seem to faithfully reproduce the original TV sound without elaborate remixing or enhancements. The mix prioritizes clear dialogue amid Robert Cobert's (Dan Curtis' Trilogy of Terror, Bram Stoker's Dracula and the TV series of Kolchak The Night Stalker, plus The Norliss Tapes, Scalpel, Burnt Offerings etc..) atmospheric scores, with subtle electronic cues and orchestral swells that build tension, though it exhibits some era-specific weaknesses like scattered or hollow-sounding elements; overall, it's discernible and free of major distortion, providing a notch above vintage tape quality but lacking the spatial depth of stereo setups. Kino Cult offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-rays.

The supplements on this Kino Cult double Blu-ray release shed plenty of light, including introductions to all four films by Jeff Thompson, author of House of Dan Curtis: The Television Mysteries of the Dark Shadows Auteur - running about 20 minutes in total they provide contextual insights into Curtis's gothic style and production history. Each film also features an audio commentary: Shadow of Fear by Amanda Reyes, author of Are You in the House Alone? A TV Movie Compendium 1964-1999; The Invasion of Carol Enders by television historian Scott Skelton (Rod Serling's Night Gallery: An After-Hours Tour); Come Die With Me by author / podcaster Dan Budnik (From Beverly Hills To Hooterville: Exploring TV's Henningverse 1962-1971) and film historian Robert Kelly; and Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest by film historians Amanda Reyes and Heidi Honeycutt (I Spit On Your Celluloid: The History of Women Directing Horror Movies,) delving into themes, anecdotes, and cultural impact, making the package a valuable resource for horror and TV scholars.

Dan Curtis expanded his influence into 1970s television horror and suspense through a series of made-for-TV movies, many of which aired as part of ABC's Wide World of Mystery (1973-1976). This late-night anthology program was a eclectic mix of original productions, repurposed pilots, and feature films, often broadcast in the 11:30 PM slot to capitalize on the era's appetite for thrillers and mysteries.  One of the most re-watchable 'con' films - and it has an adventurous psychological edginess. Curtis's contributions to the series emphasized atmospheric tension, psychological depth, and supernatural or criminal intrigue, drawing from his expertise in blending horror with melodrama. Four of his lesser-known but recently rediscovered entries from 1974 - Shadow of Fear, The Invasion of Carol Enders, Come Die With Me, and Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest -exemplify this style. Originally shot on videotape, these films reflect the constraints of 1970s TV production: studio-bound sets, soapy dialogue, and a focus on character-driven suspense rather than high-budget effects. The four TV Movies explore themes of paranoia, possession, moral corruption, identity loss, female agency in the face of violence, and the afterlife's intrusion into the living world, and institutional injustice, often critiquing societal norms through intimate, domestic horrors. The films delve into 1970s anxieties about urban decay, marital distrust, and the fragility of the upper class. There are giallo-inspired elements - murderous impulses, erotic undertones, engaging twists and plot reversals. In summary, Kino Cult's Dan Curtis' Late-Night Mysteries double Blu-ray is another worthy archival project that brings four obscure 1970s TV thrillers back from near-lost status that honor the originals' videotape roots while improving upon older formats, complemented by insightful extras / commentaries that enhance appreciation for Curtis's work. There is also interest in seeing the likes of Claude Akins (Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo,) Tom Selleck (An Innocent Man, Runaway, Daughters of Satan, Jesse Stone,) Anjanette Comer (The Appaloosa,) Meredith Baxter (All the President's Men,) George Maharis (The Victim, The Satan Bug, Night Gallery,) Eileen Brennan (Murder by Death,) Jim Hutton (Hellfighters, The Green Berets, Hallelujah Trail,) and Mariette Hartley (Counting For Thunder, Genesis II, The Incredible Hulk TV Series, Columbo, Ride the High Country, Marnie.) This is the definitive edition for these rarities, recommended for fans of gothic suspense and vintage television, offering hours of content at a compelling value. 

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 

Blu-ray 2


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Shadow of Fear

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


The Invasion of Carol Enders
 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


Come Die With Me
 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest
 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

  


 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

Shadow of Fear

 

The Invasion of Carol Enders

Come Die With Me

Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest

 

 
Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

 

BONUS CAPTURES:

Distribution Kino Cult #36 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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