Curse
Of Frankenstein 4K
(1958/Hammer/Warner Archive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 3-Disc Set)/Weapons
4K
(2025/Warner 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: B+ Sound: B-/B+ Extras: B+/C+ Films:
B/C+
PLEASE
NOTE:
The
Curse Of Frankenstein 4K
Blu-ray is now only available from Warner Bros. through their Warner
Archive series and can be ordered from the link below.
Terence
Fisher's The
Curse Of Frankenstein 4K
(1958) is the first-ever full-color Frankenstein film, with a great
screenplay by James Sangster and remains one of the all-time key
adaptions of the Mary Shelley classic. You can read more about it
when we covered the Blu-ray-only Warner Archive release at this link:
https://fulvuedrive-in.com/review/15824/Curse+Of+Frankenstein+(1958/Hammer/Warner+Archi
Luckily
arriving just before Michael Powell's Peeping
Tom
and Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho,
Hammer Studios had struck gold by beginning a relaunch of all the
classic horror monsters Universal Studios built their own house on,
just as the Creature
From The Black Lagoon
trilogy was ending Universal's classical period. The combination of
Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing instantly became one of the
greatest in cinema history and almost six decades later and counting,
this remains one of the best versions of the book ever filmed.
The
serious attempts have not always worked (the Coppola/Branagh version
particularly disappointing) and skipping the comedies and knockoffs,
only two 1973 releases have been as effective to this viewer: Paul
Morrissey's Flesh
For Frankenstein
(a 3D, X-rated film that takes the Psycho/Peeping
Tom
freedom and makes its points about the Hammer Films) and the Dan
Curtis-produced TV version the same year. So many others have been
sequels, prequels, take-offs, extrapolations and the like, though
we'll see how the Del Toro version compares.
But
the other ace in the hole for this film is simply how richly and
authentically British it is, like the book, feeling and playing for
real from frame one and never hitting a false note. The supporting
cast (with many actors you might not know of) is solid, the costumes,
production design and use of color meld remarkably and that makes the
film at least a minor classic and a genre classic. Consider it a
must-see, especially so well restored and presented as it is here.
Extras
repeat the Blu-rays extras on both discs with a then-new feature
commentary by Screenwriter/Film Historian Steve Haberman and
Filmmaker/Film Historian Constantine Nasr
The
Resurrection Men: Hammer, Frankenstein and the Rebirth of the Horror
Film
Hideous
Progeny: The Curse of Frankenstein and the English Gothic Tradition
Torrents
of Light: The Art of Jack Asher
Diabolus
in Musica: James Bernard and the Sound of Hammer Horror
and
an Original Theatrical Trailer (in HD).
Then
the 4K adds even more
extras including a NEW Commentary with author and critic Kim Newman,
horror anthologist and writer Stephen Jones and Barry Forshaw, author
of British
Gothic Cinema.
A
NEW Commentary with Heidi Honeycutt, writer, filmmaker and film
programmer, and cult movie expert Toby Roan.
Archival
audio commentary with Hammer experts Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby.
NEW
Beside
the Seaside:
Actor Madeline Smith visits Peter Cushing's beloved hometown of
Whitstable in the company of Hammer expert Wayne Kinsey, to learn
more about the man behind the actor.
NEW
A
Gothic History of Frankenstein:
Scriptwriter and novelist Stephen Volk discusses Shelley's original
novel, its adaptation to cinema and the legacy of Hammer's
genre-defining 1957 film.
UK
Censor Card
NEW
Reviving
The
Curse of Frankenstein:
A look behind-the-scenes at how the new 4K restoration of The
Curse of Frankenstein
was made.
Alternative
Eyeball Scene
NEW
Recreating
the Creature:
Phil Leakey's Creature make-up is the stuff of legend and an
inspiration to generations of budding make-up artists. Academy
Award-winner Dave Elsey, from make-up/FX wizards Igor Studios,
creates his version of this iconic make-up on actor James Swanton
alongside comments from Phil himself courtesy of a previously unheard
audio interview and a newly-recorded interview with Phil's son Peter.
NEW
A
Fitting Vocation/Topped
and Tailed:
A two-part program that looks at Molly Arbuthnot's contribution to
Hammer's gothics, which is often overlooked but cannot be
underestimated. Professor Melanie Bell and the BFI's Jo Botting
discuss Molly and her work alongside contributions from actor Melvyn
Hayes, who was costumed by Molly at Bray for his role as young
Victor.
NEW
Good
or Tuesday?:
Jimmy Sangster rose through the production ranks at Hammer to become
one of their key creatives and an influence on many who followed.
Writer/actor Mark Gatiss, writer/publisher Dick Klemensen, author
Stephen Laws, screenwriter/novelist Stephen Gallagher,
screenwriter/producer David Pirie and writer/publisher Wayne Kinsey
discuss the man and the impact of his work.
NEW
Painting
with Fine Brushes:
Little Shoppe of Horrors' Dick Klemensen introduces this previously
unheard audio interview with cinematographer Jack Asher, who gives a
personal insight into one of his best-known works.
NEW
A
Gothic History of Frankenstein:
Scriptwriter and novelist Stephen Volk discusses Shelley's original
novel, its adaptation to cinema and the legacy of Hammer's
genre-defining 1957 film.
NEW
Image Gallery
Frankenstein
Reborn:
Archival 2012 featurette that looks at the making of this iconic film
with actor Melvyn Hayes, Hammer experts Denis Meikle and Jonathan
Rigby and James Bernard's biographer David Huckvale. Also includes
archive footage of Michael Carreras and Jimmy Sangster.
Life
With Sir:
Archival 2012 featurette that gives a gentle and heartwarming
portrait of Peter Cushing by Joyce Broughton, his secretary and
friend.
And
an 8mm black and white digest version of the film from 1965 that
lasts only 10.5 minutes, but was what was for sale to consumers at
the time.
A
6-disc set also exists with many, many more extras, so superfans who
want to buy it should grab it whiel they can.
For
more 4K
Frankenstein, try our coverage of the original 1931 feature film
classic...
https://fulvuedrive-in.com/review/15993/Universal+Monsters:+Icons+of+Horror+Collection+4K
And
The
Bride Of Frankenstein...
https://fulvuedrive-in.com/review/16203/Universal+Monsters:+Icons+Of+Horror+4K+Collection
Many
horror films and thrilelrs have been released in 2025, too many for
some and I knew it would be a glut of mostly junk, but Zach Cregger's
Weapons
4K
managed to surprise everyone by being a huge hit, as a bunch of
children in a small town run out of their houses at the same time and
disappear, save one. Why? How?
The
script slowly explains and builds it all up by telling the tale in
sections for several of the characters and what eventually develops
slowly reveals the answers (or most of them) to the mystery. It is
mostly very good, though a bit is predictable and of course, some of
it we have seen before here and there.
The
reasons it hit include the success of Stranger
Things
dealing with children so well in the genre, a consistent pace for the
film when so many (for some dumb reason) cannot seem to keep things
going and (without revealing any spoilers) is the first major
Hollywood film since the later 1980s to deal with it supernatural
subject matter seriously and that is a long, long time.
The
one thing that hurt it for me was that some of the visual make-up
effects did not work as well as others, whether digitally enhanced or
not, too many of them went a bit overboard or played like a step
backwards from the realism the Tom Savini/Greg Nicotero Era had
brought us. We'll see if its hit status gives us any sequels, but
Weapons
4K is
worth a look in any case.
Extras
include Digital Movie Code, while the
disc adds three featurettes:
and
Now
for playback performance. The 2160p HEVC/H.265, Dolby Vision/HDR
(10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on Curse
Of Frankenstein 4K
comes in three aspect ratios over two 4K discs: 1.37 X 1, 1.66 X 1
(U.K. versions) and 1.85 X 1 U.S. version. Though the 35mm camera
negative survives, it is not in the best shape, so the three separate
strips to make Technicolor dye-transfer prints (et al) of the film
were used instead to recreate the film as it looked in its best,
original prints. The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Mono lossless
mixes on both discs are fairly good, but still show their age, so
these 4K versions add a new DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix
that does its best to boost the sound and though not perfect, is just
better enough to be the preferred choice, albeit a sometimes off one.
The
2160p HEVC/H.265, 2.35 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on Weapons
4K
looks as good as it can for an Ultra HD digital shoot, doing a decent
job on darkness and achieving a consistent look most films in the
genre lately have not. Some shots are impressive and the
lossless Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mixdown for older systems)
also has some fine sonic moments throughout, but also knows how to
use silence effectively. The combination is one of the best in the
genre of late.
To
order The
Curse Of Frankenstein 4K
Warner
Archive set, go to this link for it and many more great web-exclusive
releases at:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/ED270804-095F-449B-9B69-6CEE46A0B2BF?ingress=0&visitId=6171710b-08c8-4829-803d-d8b922581c55&tag=blurayforum-20
-
Nicholas Sheffo
