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Joan Crawford, William Castle and more from Indicator in December

11 October 2018

As the winter nights draw close, Indicator has announced a selection of dark and disturbing film entertainment.

On 10 December, Indicator presents William Castle at Columbia, Volume Two, the second of our Limited Edition Blu-ray box sets dedicated to one of American cinema’s most iconic filmmakers. This second instalment features four weird and wonderful films from the master showman’s illustrious career with Columbia Pictures: the delirious Zotz! (1962); the chilling 13 Frightened Girls (1963); Castle’s one and only collaboration with Hammer Films, The Old Dark House (1963), starring a host of great British actors including Robert Morley, Joyce Grenfell and the late Fenella Fielding; and the gruesome Straight-Jacket (1964), written by Psycho author Robert Bloch, and starring Hollywood legend Joan Crawford.

Also on 10 December, Indicator presents Joan Crawford in another of her outrageous 1960s horror roles – as the ruthless circus owner in Jim O’Connolly’s dark and twisted Berserk (1967). Starring alongside the indomitable Ms Crawford in this lurid murder mystery is a host of renowned British actors, including Judy Geeson, Michael Gough and Diana Dors.

All of December’s films are presented on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK and are complemented by a wealth of essential extra features and comprehensive booklets containing new essays and archival reprints. Mastered from the finest available materials, these essential releases feature expertly encoded presentations, collectable Limited Edition packaging, and English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

In other news, Indicator is preparing standard Blu-ray reissues of two of its popular titles which are selling out in their Limited Edition iterations. Due to unprecedented demand for our Night of the Demon Limited Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray Box Set, we are releasing a standard 2-disc edition on 19 November. This version will not include the special packaging, double-sided poster or 80-page book, but it will carry over all alternative feature presentations and the incredible array of new and archival special features. A standard edition of Don Siegel’s Charley Varrick will also be available on 19 November.

 

William Castle at Columbia, Volume Two cover art

William Castle at Columbia, Volume Two | Limited Edition Blu-ray | £42.99

Renowned for his imaginative and eccentric marketing ploys, William Castle became synonymous with delivering lurid horror films backed-up by his trademark publicity gimmicks (‘Illusion-O’; ‘Percepto’; the ‘Punishment Poll’; ‘Fright Breaks’, etc.). William Castle at Columbia, Volume Two features four more weird and wonderful films from the outrageous showman’s illustrious career with Columbia Pictures, all presented on Blu-ray for the very first time in the UK. Containing a wealth of new and archival extras this stunning Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set from Indicator is strictly limited to 6,000 units.

Indicator Limited Edition Blu-ray box set features:

  • High Definition remasters of all four films
  • Original mono audio
  • Alternative presentations of The Old Dark House – the black and white 1963 US theatrical presentation (87 mins); the cut-down A-certificate 1966 UK presentation (77 mins); and the complete uncut colour presentation (87 mins)
  • Zotz! audio commentary by Diabolique Magazine’s editor-in-chief Kat Ellinger 
  • 13 Frightened Girls audio commentary by Daughters of Darkness’ Samm Deighan 
  • The Old Dark House audio commentary by celebrated horror and fantasy authors Kim Newman and Stephen Jones
  • Strait-Jacket audio commentary film historians Lee Gambin and Emma Westwood
  • Stephen Laws Introduces ‘Zotz!’ (2018): an appreciation by the acclaimed horror author 
  • Kim Newman on Ray Russell (2018): an appreciation of novelist and writer of Zotz! by the critic and author of Nightmare Movies
  • 13 Frightened Girls: William Castle’s original 'The Candy Web' opening / closing 'Danger Card' messages
  • 13 Frightened Girls: four alternativee opening sequences created for international release versions 
  • Jonathan Rigby on ‘The Old Dark House’ and ‘Strait-Jacket’ (2018): new appreciations by the author of American Gothic: Six Decades of Classic Horror Cinema
  • ‘The Old Dark House’ in Eastmancolor (2018): Paul Frith, Senior Research Associate, School of Art, Media and American Studies at UEA discusses the film's cinematography 
  • Joan Had Me Fired! (2018): an interview with actor Anne Helm 
  • On the Road with Joan Crawford (2018): an interview with publicist Richard Kahn
  • Battle-Axe: The Making of 'Strait-Jacket'(2007, 15 mins) 
  • Joan Crawford Wardrobe Tests (1964, 4 mins)
  • Joan Crawford - Axe Test (1964, 1 min)
  • How to Plan a Movie Murder (1964, 5 mins): star Joan Crawford, director William Castle and author Robert Bloch discuss making Strait-Jacket in this vintage piece 
  • Super 8 version of Strait-Jacket
  • Isolated music & effects track on all four films 
  • Original theatrical trailers 
  • Strait-Jacket trailer commentary with David DeCoteau 
  • 13 Frightened Girls original UK trailer introduction
  • Alternative 13 Frightened Girls 'The Candy Web' trailer
  • Promotional and on-set photography, poster art and archive materials
  • New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
  • Limited Edition box set exclusive booklets for each film with new essays by Joe Jordan, Racheal Nisbet, James Oliver and John Oliver, archival interview materials, contemporary reviews and film credits 
  • World and UK premieres on Blu-ray 
  • Limited Edition box set of 6,000 numbered units 
  • All extras subject to change

 

Berserk Blu-ray cover art

Berserk | Limited Edition Blu-ray | £15.99

After the huge success of Robert Aldrich’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), Hollywood legend Joan Crawford found herself taking the lead in a series of lurid and sensational horror pictures in her later years – and Berserk was one of the best and most successful.

Crawford stars as a ruthless circus owner who exploits a series of gruesome murders for her own ends... until the killer targets her. Directed by Jim O’Connolly (Valley of GwangiTower of Evil) and co-starring Diana Dors (Yield to the NightDeep End), Michael Gough (Horror HospitalBatman) and Judy Geeson (10 Rillington PlaceInseminoid), Berserk is a deranged slice of Great British Grand(Dame) Guignol – a bloody exploitation classic!

Indicator Limited Edition Blu-ray features:

  • High Definition remaster
  • Original mono audio
  • The BFI interview with Joan Crawford (1956)
  • Audio commentary with film historians Lee Gambin and Eloise Ross
  • Pamela Hutchinson on Joan Crawford (2018) 
  • Jonathan Rigby on 'Berserk' (2018): a new appreciation by the author of American Gothic: Six Decades of Classic Horror Cinema
  • Didier Chatelain on Herman Cohen (2018): an interview with producer Cohen's assistant and business partner
  • Tom Baker's Beyond Belief! VHS Introduction (1997)
  • Tom Baker's Beyond Belief! Outtakes (1997)
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
  • New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
  • Limited Edition exclusive booklet containing a new essay by Josephine Botting, archival interviews, historic articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses and full film credits
  • UK premiere on Blu-ray
  • Limited Edition of 3,000 copies
  • All extras subject to change

 

Night of the Demon Blu-ray cover art

Night of the Demon | Blu-ray | £17.99

Based on M R James’ classic tale of terror, Casting the Runes, and adapted for the screen by regular Hitchcock collaborator Charles Bennett, Jacques Tourneur’s (Cat PeopleI Walked with a ZombieOut of the PastNight of the Demon is considered to be one of the seminal horror films of Twentieth-Century cinema. Released on Blu-ray for the very first time in the UK, the film is presented here in four different versions, and is accompanied by an incredible array of new and archival special features.

DISC ONE:

Night of the Demon – the original full-length pre-release version (96 mins)

Curse of the Demon – the US reissue version (96 mins) 

2K BFI restoration presentations at 1.75:1

High Definition remaster presentations at 1.66:1 

Original mono audio 

Audio commentary with film historian Tony Earnshaw, author of Beating the Devil: The Making of ‘Night of the Demon’ 

DISC TWO:

  • Night of the Demon – the original UK theatrical cut (82 mins) 
  • Curse of the Demon – the original US theatrical cut (82 mins) 
  • High Definition remasters at 1.66:1 
  • Original mono audio 
  • Speak of the Devil: The Making of ‘Night of the Demon’ (2007, 20 mins): a documentary featuring actor Peggy Cummins and production designer Ken Adam 
  • Cloven in Two (2018, 23 mins): a video essay exploring the different versions 
  • Hal E Chester at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (1996, 51 mins): a rare archival video interview with the producer 
  • Dana Andrews on ‘Night of the Demon’ (1972, 10 mins): a rare audio interview with the actor conducted by film historian and preservationist Scott MacQueen 
  • The Devil’s in the Detail (2018, 36 mins): Christopher Frayling discusses the film and Ken Adam 
  • Horrors Unseen (2018, 27 mins): an interview with Chris Fujiwara, author of Jacques Tourneur: The Cinema of Nightfall 
  • Sinister Signs (2018, 21 mins): an analysis by Kim Newman, author of Nightmare Movies 
  • Under the Spell (2018, 19 mins): a personal appreciation by horror writer Ramsey Campbell 
  • The Devil Gets His Due (2018, 23 mins): Scott MacQueen details the film’s release history 
  • The Truth of Alchemy (2018, 22 mins): a discussion of M R James by author Roger Clarke 
  • The Devil in Music (2018, 11 mins): David Huckvale on composer Clifton Parker 
  • A Note of Fear (2018, 10 mins): Scott MacQueen discusses aspects of the film’s score 
  • Casting the Runes (1984, 53 mins): an audio recording of Michael Hordern reading M R James’ original story 
  • Escape: ‘Casting the Runes’ (1947, 30 mins): a radio adaptation of the story 
  • Super 8 version (7 mins): original cut-down home cinema presentation 
  • Isolated music & effects track 
  • Original theatrical trailer 
  • Image gallery: promotional and production material 
  • New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing

 

Charley Varrick Blu-ray cover

Charley Varrick | Blu-ray | £12.99

harley Varrick (Walter Matthau) is a former stunt-pilot who makes his living robbing small banks in the American Southwest. His latest heist sees him unwittingly steal from the local mafia, setting a psychotic hit-man on his trail and unleashing a maelstrom of violence and destruction.

Directed by the great Don Siegel (Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Dirty Harry), Charley Varrick is one of the best thrillers of the 70s: action-packed, memorably lurid and gleefully unsentimental.

Indicator Blu-ray features:

  • High Definition remaster
  • Original mono audio
  • Last of the Independents: Don Siegel and the Making of ‘Charley Varrick’ (2015, 75 mins): feature-length documentary containing interviews with actors Andy Robinson and Jacqueline Scott, stunt driver Craig R. Baxley and Siegel’s son, Kristoffer Tabori
  • The John Player Lecture with Don Siegel(1973, 75 mins): archival audio recording of an interview conducted at London’s National Film Theatre
  • The Guardian Lecture with Walter Matthau(1988, 89 mins): archival audio recording of an interview conducted by Tony Sloman at London's National Film Theatre
  • Super 8 version (18 mins): original 'Universal Eight' cut-down home cinema presentation 
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Josh Olson and Howard Rodman trailer commentary (2013, 6 mins): a short critical appreciation
  • Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
  • New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing