Vampire Circus - 50th Anniversary Limited Edition [Blu-ray]

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Synapse's Blu-ray release eclipses any version put out before. The transfer comes courtesy of a solid AVC encode that brings the film's original 1.66:1 image to darkly lustrous life. Earlier editions had been cropped top and bottom, or reformatted into full-frame versions. The print here has no obtrusive edge enhancement, no overt noise reduction and retains its grain. Compression defects are kept at bay, but I did spot a modicum of aliasing during the odd moment of fast action. Nor is there much in the way of wear and tear, the picture stable – okay it does some very slight shimmying during one stretch that I noticed – and clean. writing or the occasional bout of overacting, Vampire Circus works as a straightforward but off-kilter spook movie that's got just the right Chances are if you mention the phrase "classic Hammer horror" to the casual film fan, and perhaps especially to the genre aficionado, the Flesh & Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror (HD; 2:26:34) is an absolutely first rate history of the studio, with a ton of insightful

Gallery of Grotesqueries: A Brief History of Circus Horrors (1080p, 15:07): A fascinating and all-too-short retrospective onSynapse render Vampire Circus without any bogus surround mix, opting to present the film with its original lossless mono mix, coming via the two front speakers, in DTS-HD MA. The resulting audio experience is hardly going to set your system alight with activity, but it is one that sounds faithful and dynamic and clearly offers the best sound that we can expect from the transfer. To me this is pure and simple lazy money making exercise to take money from the fans with zero effort made with the disc and it's presentation. Revisiting The House of Hammer: Britain's Legendary Horror Magazine (HD; 9:47) continues the Ballyhoo tradition with an things in life and indulge in little low-budget treats that maybe don't have the clout of a big studio or a wide theatrical release to help sell their wares.

Synapse Films has done a great job on the restoration of this film. It just looks and sounds fantastic on Blu-ray and they have included some great extras on the disc as well, including a documentary on the making of Vampire Circus, a retrospective on the House of Hammer magazine, and more. The extra featurettes are directed by Daniel Griffith for his company Ballyhoo. The main docu The Bloodiest Show on Earth (33 min.) features facts and opinions from authorities Ted Newsom, Tim Lucas and Philip Nutman; Joe Dante offers a couple of observations as well. The show's production story is by and large more interesting than the attempts to liken it to European film classics with superficial similarities. The docu includes a few words about acting and characterization from David Prowse: "Finding the right walk is the key to character." Prowse plays a mute strongman in the film and is best known as Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise. somehow managed to circumvent the quarantine that's cutting off the town -- is actually a front for a troupe of deadly vampires who have arrived to It is has been simply awesome to revisit Hammer's most avant-garde, fantastical and disturbing vampire film, and I'm certain that old admirers and new fans will enjoy discovering it on Blu-ray, where that over-the-top visual sensibility can be showcased at its best for the home video market. visual pizazz or thematic import -- but where it comes up short in purpose it rises to the occasion with a premise that should satisfy moviegoers in

Sound

The Bloodiest Show on Earth - documentary featuring interviews from renowned director Joe Dante and actor Dave Prowse The Bloodiest Show on Earth: Making Vampire Circus (1080p, 32:39): A new documentary that looks at the history of Vampire Circus -- Synapse Films' first Blu-ray release -- sports a good but occasionally underwhelming 1080p, 1.66:1-framed transfer that Hammer" populated these outlets and seemed like the Holy Grails of sleazy, small-budget thrills, chills, and nude bodies for the cult fan's viewing

plague, curses, and vampire lore when the traveling Circus of Nights arrives in town. Little do the good people know that the circus -- which hasRecords the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. I was there when the Prowse interview was shot, though I had no idea it would be edited into this particular featurette. Ted Newsom arranged and conducted the interview, but when it became clear the 6'6" actor would never comfortably fit into Ted's compact, I drove Mr. Prowse to the interview in my car instead. Which is how I can boast to having given Darth Vader a ride in my Volvo. heard of this one -- are gloriously and lovingly presented for the masses, this time courtesy of new-to-Blu-ray distributor Synapse films, a