Paul Leni (The Man Who Laughs) directs one of the most important and influential films in the early history of American genre cinema, which perfected the ‘old dark house’ formula and set the stage for the Universal horror cycle of the 1930s.

Twenty years after the death of millionaire Cyrus West, his surviving relatives are called together in a decaying mansion on the Hudson River. There, they gather to hear West’s lawyer Roger Crosby (Tully Marshall) read his last will and testament and discover that West has left everything to his niece Annabelle (Laura La Plante). That is, at least, on the condition that she is judged to be legally sane. As the family settles in for the evening, tensions rise when they are informed that a murderer nicknamed the Cat has escaped from a nearby asylum and is suspected to be somewhere on the grounds. Crosby soon disappears in mysterious circumstances, which proves to be just the first in a series of horrifying events that will punctuate a long, dark night of terror – during which Annabelle’s sanity will be called into question again and again.

Based upon the 1922 stage production by John Willard, The Cat and the Canary is a perfect blend of horror and black comedy and stands at the apex of a cycle of films adapted from mystery plays throughout the 1920s. It later inspired James Whale’s The Old Dark House and has been remade several times – but never bettered. The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present this cornerstone of horror cinema for the first time ever on Blu-ray from a glorious 4K restoration.

For thoughts on The Cat and the Canary, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/-wxlFGYzfB8?si=yJpO70y06Wiwnsrn&t=625]

Video Quality

The Cat and the Canary makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Eureka Entertainment with a lovely transfer from a 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative supplied by MoMA that is dazzling. This is a truly jaw-dropping presentation for a film over 90 years of age. The gorgeous color-tinted photography shines in high definition with natural grain intact. The transfer shows off a grand amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. Black levels present with some excellent depth with no overwhelming occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts.

There is a significant amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing and within the setting. The contrast is well defined with barely any amount of flicker or specks of damage to the print. There are only a few stray, faint vertical lines that make a quick appearance without ruining the overall aesthetic of the film. Eureka and MoMA have delivered one of the best silent-era features we have ever seen.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray presents the film with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that sounds magnificent. The film is graced with a score from Robert Israel which is quite mysterious and whimsical in its own way. As this is a silent film, the music is the only element to contend with in this track, and it sounds robust and immersive with no clipping or age-related wear and tear. Classic film fans should be beyond pleased with the sound quality of this track, as the score seems to complement the visuals perfectly.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: There are two commentary tracks provided by film historians in which they discuss how the functions as the prototype for a subgenre of movies, the career of director Paul Leni, how this adheres to and differs from the source material, the background of the performers, the visual panache of the feature, and much more that is worth a listen.

- Audio Commentary #1: Author Stephen Jones and author/critic Kim Newman

- Audio Commentary #2: Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby

Mysteries Mean Dark Corners: A 29-minute visual essay by David Cairns & Fiona Watson is provided which explores the origins of the play, how the author worked backward from the ending, how characters subverted what was expected from protagonists, where this fits into the cinema of the time period, the unique camerawork, the background of the performers, and more.

Pamela Hutchinson Interview: A 13-minute interview with the film critic in which she discusses why this film is so iconic and influential, how it broke boundaries, the expressionist tendencies, the themes of the feature, the direction of Paul Leni, and more.

Phuong Le Interview: A nine-minute interview with the film critic in which she dives into the background of the production, the place of Carl Laemmle, the challenges of the shoot, the career of Paul Leni before coming to America, and more.

A Very Eccentric Man: A three-minute excerpt from John Willard’s original play is provided in audio form with stills from the film.

Yeah, A Cat!: A two-minute excerpt from John Willard’s original play is provided in audio form with stills from the film.

Lucky Strike: A 53-second endorsement of the cigarette brand from director Paul Leni.

Booklet: A 35-page booklet is provided featuring new writing on the film by Richard Combs, Craig Ian Mann, and Imogen Sara Smith.

Final Thoughts

The Cat and the Canary is the prototypical “old dark house” film, and it just so happens to be one of the best. The film balances the dark comedy with thrilling developments with expert care that satisfies in the broadest sense. The bold direction from Paul Leni will make all other silent-era films feel drowsy by comparison. This is peak silent cinema. Eureka Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a lovely assortment of special features. We could not be more thrilled that the label is now releasing titles in the United States, and you couldn’t ask for a better start to such a beautiful friendship. Highly Recommended

The Cat and the Canary will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on April 23, 2024.

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

Disclaimer: Eureka Entertainment and MVD Entertainment have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.