Newly Re-mastered in HD! Horror legends Vincent Price (The Oblong Box), Christopher Lee (The Crimson Cult), Peter Cushing (Madhouse), and John Carradine (The Sentinel) star as the screen’s greatest gruesome foursome! When a young novelist, Kenneth Magee (Desi Arnaz, Jr., Billy Two Hats) spends a night at Baldpate Manor to win a bet that he can turn a best-selling novel in 24 hours, he gets more than he bargained for. The grizzly Grisbane clan arrives to celebrate the 40th anniversary of a ghoulish family secret. And their dinner party has murder on the menu. Lightning! Thunder! Torrential rain! Clattering shutters! Creaking doors! A locked attic! A sinister secret! Murder! All the ingredients of the classic “Old Dark House”tale come together in this top-notch horror film by cult filmmaker Pete Walker (House of Whipcord). Co-starring Richard Todd (The Assassin) and Sheila Keith (Frightmare).

For thoughts on House of the Long Shadows, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/xWdeP8yLjmQ?si=Au0MtJC1Pfmv4jZF&t=1997]

Video Quality

This new Blu-Ray from Kino Classics gives House of the Long Shadows an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that gets the job done, but this one could really use a fresh master. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray in 2015 by the label. The new disc is derived from the same master, but this release utilizes a new BD-50 disc instead of the more compressed BD-25 from before. We do not have that disc to compare the two presentations, but the improvements are likely subtle based on similar upgrades from the recent past. The film maintains its natural grain which resolves well without veering into noise.

The colors hold up well with some welcome hues in the costumes and production design. Black levels are a bit more problematic and lack depth, which is especially disappointing since so much of the film is bathed in shadow. The source is stable for most of the runtime with no insurmountable damage to be found in this presentation. At worst, you will spot a low-grade sheen of dirt and specks. The natural look of the feature allows for a good amount of distinct detail to shine through in the production design and clothing. This title is one that we would be thrilled to see on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, but at the very least a new restoration would be nice.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a passable DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in English that delivers a fine if not spectacular listening experience. Dialogue and background noises are balanced favorably with all competing elements for a consistent sonic palette. This track shows very few signs of age-related wear and tear outside of some light background hiss. The track can sound the slightest bit thin when it comes to the accompanying score, but this is not an issue that stands out. The music does not overwhelm the dialogue or other important information. Kino Classics has provided a fine track that could potentially be finessed in the future with a bit more care. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: There are two great commentary tracks provided in which the filmmakers and film historians discuss the release and legacy of the film, how it adapts the classic source material, the background of the performers, the output of Cannon Films, and more that gives invaluable insight into the picture.

- Audio Commentary #1: Author Derek Pykett and Director Pete Walker

- Audio Commentary #2: Film Historian David Del Valle and Editor/Filmmaker Elijah Drenner

House Of The Long Shadows… Revisited – Documentary with Cast and Crew: A terrific 109-minute documentary has been added to this new release which allows the cast and creative team to delve into the creation of this film from all angles.

Peter Walker’s House of Horror – Interview with Director Peter Walker: A 15-minute interview with the director is provided in which he discusses being coaxed out of early retirement to create this film, the creative freedom he had during the production, the pride he has for bringing these horror icons together in a substantial way, and more.

Trailers: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer for House of the Long Shadows is provided here. There are trailers for The Blood Beast Terror, Die Screaming Marianne, House of Whipcord, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Theater of Blood, The Whip and The Body, The Crimson Cult, Dr. Who and the Daleks, The Black Sleep, The Astro-Zombies, and Billy Two Hats.

Final Thoughts

House of the Long Shadows is a pretty decent “old dark house” movie that brings together three horror legends and surprisingly does something significant with such an event. There is a fun blend of spooky exploration and mystery with some lighthearted exchanges and plot developments. The ending slightly undercuts some of what made the film effective prior to this development, but the film remains a fun watch overall. Kino Classics has delivered a Blu-Ray release that shows off a fine A/V presentation and an impressive assortment of special features. There are ways we would want to see this set improved, but the film is worth checking out any way you can. Recommended

House of the Long Shadows is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.