In 1958, commercial producer Frank P. Bibas began production on a television anthology series for the legendary Hal Roach Studios centered around classic horror titan Boris Karloff. Predating One Step Beyond, The Twilight Zone, and Thriller, THE VEIL crafted each episode around mysterious and unexplainable phenomena, including time travel, ESP, reincarnation, astral projection, and the supernatural. Despite it being an era ripe with science fiction and horror, the dozen episodes of THE VEIL, all of which featured a top-tier cast and crew, never saw broadcast and then vanished completely for decades.
Featuring Boris Karloff as host (in all but the original version of the pilot) and cast in lead or supporting roles in each episode but one, THE VEIL harnessed in its short time a noteworthy array of talent from both behind and in front of the camera. Writers on the series included Jack Laird (Night Gallery) and Lásló Vadnay (Flesh and Fantasy), and among the directors were Arthur Hiller (The Hospital, Silver Streak), George Waggner (The Wolf Man, TV’s Batman), and Herbert L. Strock (How to Make a Monster, TV’s Science Fiction Theatre). The rotating casts of on-screen talent in THE VEIL included Patrick Macnee (The Howling), Katharine Squire (The Alfred Hitchcock Hour), Torin Thatcher (The Snows of Kilimanjaro), Niall MacGinnis (Island of Terror), Denise Alexander (TV’s Days of our Lives), Whit Bissell (Soylent Green), and the first on-screen appearance of George Hamilton (Love at First Bite). Iconoscope is honored to present the first official Blu-ray release of the complete series, newly scanned in 4k from rare archival film elements and featuring an array of new and archival extras, including some recently rediscovered bonuses.
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Video Quality
The Veil: The Complete Series continues the new Iconoscope line with the Blu-Ray debut of the series, newly scanned and restored in 4K from 16mm and 35mm original archival elements. The individual breakdowns of what sources were used for each episode of the 12 included episodes are included in the booklet, with most of them coming from 35mm archival prints. The series was previously released on DVD in 2009 by Shout! Factory under the title Tales of the Unexplained, but we have never had the opportunity to view that release.
This new Blu-Ray feels like a minor miracle with how pleasing everything appears throughout. It should be pointed out early on that studios often did not preserve their television material with as much care as you would expect, and there are limits to how good these episodes can look when derived from a print. That being said, the level of clarity and detail on this release gives the series a whole new life. The black levels are largely deep and allow for quite a bit more detail to come through. The series struggles to reveal an immense amount of detail in the shadows due to lighting limitations, but there is way less crush than a DVD would have.
The black-and-white photography is firmly defined with little in the way of flickering, outside of fleeting instability from the source. There is a notable amount of discrete facial features on display, unlike some undefined DVD releases we have seen from similar forgotten favorites. There are very subtle details in the production design that are likely visible for the first time from certain text elements to subtle makeup effects. The presentation preserves its filmic look with natural grain resolved very nicely. Iconoscope has done an excellent job with this release, as most of the print damage has been cleaned up with fleeting nicks and scratches along the way. Those who have been waiting for this one to be faithfully preserved on Blu-Ray should be thrilled by this standout set.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray release arrives with DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono tracks that suit the episodes perfectly. There does not appear to be any unexpected damage or age-related wear to the track. There is some light background humming at points, which is to be expected from a series of this vintage. Dialogue comes through clearly with no exchanges hampered by parallel sonic elements. None of the sound effects or the score ever drowns out the dialogue on this release. This is not an action-packed series, but there are environmental details that are active in the speakers. Overall, this is a strong audio presentation that suits the material well. Optional English SDH subtitles are available on the disc.
Special Features
- Audio Commentaries: This release provides four commentary tracks from author and film historian Tom Weaver. These are invaluable listening experiences if you really want to gain some knowledge about this series. They are all located on the first discs.
- Summer Heat
- A Chapter of Genesis
- Vision of Crime
- No Food on the Table
- Bonus Episodes
- The Vestris – Telephone Time Version: The original 30-minute backdoor pilot is provided, which lacks Boris Karloff but has some fun interstitials promoting the telephone company.
- The Vestris – The Veil Version: A 26-minute version of the previous story, now under The Veil branding with Boris Karloff doing the intro and outro. This was previously thought to be lost.
- House of Death: A 26-minute episode of Schlitz Playhouse is provided starring Boris Karloff and directed by William Asher. This is another episode that was believed to be lost. You can also watch this with optional audio commentary from author and historian Amanda Reyes.
- Carrying on the Legacy: A seven-minute audio interview with Sara Karloff, daughter of Boris Karloff. She discusses her efforts to protect the legacy of her father, his work in television, the challenge of working in this medium, and more.
- The 11th Episode: A 20-minute interview with Barbara Bibas Montero, daughter of The Veil creator Frank P. Bibas. She provides great insights into his personal background, his fascination with messages from the other side, adapting various stories, the professional nature of Boris Karloff, and more.
- Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring an essay by author and film historian Tom Weaver is provided that explores the history of the series. You also get a guide to all of the episodes and restoration notes.
Final Thoughts
The Veil does not have the name recognition of some of the most iconic anthology television series to grace our screens, but it is a valuable early iteration of such genre programming that should not be overlooked. As with any anthology series, the quality is variable from episode to episode, but Boris Karloff proves to be a compelling constant through these stories. This series had a far shorter life than it deserved, but it is finally getting the respect it deserves with this latest release. Iconoscope has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and some exceptional supplements. If you love the charming nature of an anthology series, this is worth a spot in your collection. Recommended
The Veil: The Complete Series 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 and Iconoscope have supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
