DVD The Dunwich Horror

Certainly Lovecraft deserves much better in films than we have seen so far. Considered by many to be superior to Poe, Lovecraft is still waiting for someone to come along in films and do for him what Roger Corman and Vincent Price did for Poe. The main problem here is the script, which gives some rather talented actors nothing to do. Lovecraft's story of ancient horror and interdimensional monsters is reduced to standard black magic nonsense. "The Dunwich Horror" almost received an "X" rating, although the film's sexual content is laughable by contemporary standards. This DVD gives you the widescreen version of this 1969 film but nothing else.

Here are the positives

Sandra Dee is beautiful in a good girl kind of way.
Dena Stockwell is sinister cool and creepy and ultimately deranged.
Ed Bagley Sr. gives the film an added dimension of credibility.
Sam Jaffe as the wanabe warlock Dad is perfectly cast. Jaffe plays his character as if he were Mosses or John the Baptist
Even a young pretty Talia Shire is thrown in for good measure.
Not a bad cast by any standards!
There is a wonderfull, creepy haunted house backdrop.
Lots of fun supernatural mumbo jumbo delivered as if in normal every day conversation for these folks.
Extremely colorful photography, sets, location shots and special effects.
There is welcome humor.
Excellent production values that are far far superior to other horror films of its ilk.
Most of the effects are achieved by lighting and the use of intentional coloring in the sets and costumes from pure whites of the insane asylum to deep purples greens, blues, and reds in Wilber's home - quite possibly this film influenced the latter styles of Dario Argento and Sam Reme.
Very neat colored strobe-light special effects look great in very dark room.
Dynamite music score and wonderful cartoon opening credits gives the impression your about to see something important.
To top it all off MGM did a fantastic job on this one. The picture is absolutely perfect clean crisp clear, like it was made yesterday. The only complaint is that the sound is in Dolby mono although very good ' this film absolutely deserves a 5 channel surround sound. It would add immensely to the atmosphere and special effects

This film is fun creepy and atmospheric. But be warned if you are into blatant nudity , gore violence, blood, carnage and visible rubber monsters in your horror you will be disappointed. It has none of those elements.

Lets face it The H P Lovecraft book if copied verbatim would have come across as ridiculous on film - Wilber with suction cups and tentacles? And a giant egg shaped monster roaming the country and no beautiful babe needing to be saved? Ill take this instead.