In late nineteenth-century Paris, esteemed surgeon and talented sculptor Dr. Georges Bonnet is hiding an extraordinary secret – many years ago, he discovered the key to eternal life. Despite being 104 years old, he has the appearance of a man in his mid-30s. However, this incredible feat comes at a terrible cost, for every 10 years, Bonnet must undergo a surgery which requires the parathyroid gland of a living victim. When it becomes clear that his old friend and collaborator Professor Ludwig Weiss is no longer capable of conducting the surgery as he had previously, Bonnet kidnaps his old flame Janine Dubois in an attempt to coerce her new love interest Dr. Pierre Gerrard into taking up the task.

A joint venture between Paramount Pictures and Britain’s legendary Hammer Film Productions, who had just scored massive international hits with The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Dracula (1958), 1959’s THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH saw director Terence Fisher return to the helm alongside writer Jimmy Sangster. With performances from Hammer stalwart Christopher Lee and Hazel Court (The Curse of Frankenstein) – whose topless scene fell foul of the UK censors, alongside a few seconds of the film’s fiery climax – Vinegar Syndrome is thrilled to present THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH fully uncut for the first time on home video, newly restored in 4K for its world UHD premiere and stacked with new bonus features.

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Video Quality

Vinegar Syndrome presents The Man Who Could Cheat Death with a top-tier 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR transfer in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the Original 35mm Camera Negative. Beyond the glorious restoration, this release is notable for providing two different versions of the film, the uncut, pre-censorship “clothed” version and the alternate “nude” continental version. It is a bit humorous that the “uncut” version is not the version with an extraneous topless scene, but either way, we are glad the label was finally able to unearth this previously lost version of the film.

The film was previously released on Blu-Ray by Kino Lorber in 2017 from an older master. We have never seen that release, but reports indicate it was a bit underwhelming. Given the marvelous presentation we have at hand with the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release, we can presume it smokes it on every front. The film grain appears perfectly natural and consistent without any signs of unsightly manipulation as everything resolves thoughtfully. Even brighter sequences avoid spiking or other sporadic issues. The movie is suitably textured given the film stock with an abundance of fine detail on display. We didn’t spot any signs of print damage or stray specks throughout this magnificent restoration. The ridges present in the clothing and within the stately production design are a sight to see.

The implementation of Dolby Vision for enhanced color output is gracefully implemented to harness the nuances of the design elements. The film offers a complex color palette that taps into the somewhat exaggerated style of classic Hammer films. Hues are not necessarily garishly vivid, but the accuracy of each shade helps maintain a consistent style. The sickly makeup effects when characters are experiencing dramatic changes from these experiments will linger in your brain. The contrast is another vital element for this film that uses a gothic atmosphere to set a mood. Black levels are deep with nothing in the way of crush present, and highlights are firm with no blooming. When it comes to encoding, we did not spy any digital shortcomings such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. Vinegar Syndrome has ensured that this film is seen in its most inviting form.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of the film comes with the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track which holds up every bit as well as you could want from the material. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being drowned out by the sound effects or music. The neighborhood setting is brought to life with an inviting din of sound that emanates to provide some valuable ambient details. The deliberate collage of sounds in the mix seems purposefully rendered so that nothing ever feels out of place. Music is a noteworthy part of this film’s tone, and the score from Richard Bennett establishes the appropriate mood for this outing that never stumbles in its fidelity. There are a few thrilling moments, but nothing is pushed to the extreme from a sonic perspective. Everything is presented with a straightforward fidelity that never shows signs of strain. This presentation is clear of any hiss or other age-related wear and tear. Vinegar Syndrome has ensured this sounds as good as it possibly can. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Disc One (4K UHD)

Audio Commentary: Critics and authors Stephen Jones and Kim Newman provide a new commentary track that provides great insights into the production of the film, challenges faced along the way with censorship, how this fits into Hammer’s output, details about the shooting locations, the background of the performers, and much more that puts things into context.

Disc Two (Blu-Ray)

Audio Commentary: Critics and authors Stephen Jones and Kim Newman

A Hideous Concoction – Film Historian Jonathan Rigby on The Man Who Could Cheat Death: A nearly 27-minute interview with the film historian who talks about the surging popularity of Hammer Films spurring Hollywood studio interest, the original adaptation of The Man in Half Moon Street, the scale of the production, and more.

The Man Who Could Direct Death – Film Historian Vic Pratt on Director Terence Fisher: A nearly 25-minute interview with the historian in which he discusses the life and career of Terence Fisher and his place at Hammer Films.

Court In Session – Film Historian Melanie Williams on Actress Hazel Court: A 17-minute interview with the historian in which she discusses the career of Hazel Court, the rocky road to stardom, how she thrived in horror, and more.

The Man Who Can Chat Death – An Interview with Uncredited Third Assistant Director Hugh Harlow: A nearly eight-minute interview with the assistant director in which he discusses working with Hammer Films, memories of Terence Fisher, and more.

Alternate Censored Ending (1:09)

Final Thoughts

The Man Who Could Cheat Death is an effectively chilling Hammer horror film that shows the unsettling depths of madness and greed. The whole affair is more reserved than your average modern thriller, but it builds up a nice, creepy ambiance that is fun to experience. The performances have always been one of the secret weapons of Hammer films, and this outing is no exception, even if we would have liked to have seen more from Christopher Lee. If you generally like the output from Hammer, this should suit you well, although there are more viscerally engaging movies for newcomers to the studio. Vinegar Syndrome has delivered a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring multiple cuts of the film with a sensational A/V presentation and a nice assortment of special features. Recommended

The Man Who Could Cheat Death is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Vinegar Syndrome has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.