Heroes of Horror

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Product Reviews

(5 stars) - Heroes Of Horror
This title is an absolute must for fans of vintage horror. Five fabulous documentaries made in the mid 1990s, one each for Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jnr, Peter Lorre and Vincent Price. Touching input from family members make this release a fitting tribute to five genius actors who brought humanity to the horror genre. Some extras, including interviews and trailers provide the icing on the cake. Tremendous value for money.

(5 stars) - Tragedy and Success for Heroes of Horror
If you're a fan of the horror genre, then you absolutely have to seek out everything with David J. Skal's name on it. Skal, perhaps best known for his chef d'oeuvre, "Hollywood Gothic," is one of the finest commentators to be found on the modern horror scene. David's tastes and observations go beyond film history to the study of what it is in the human psyche that seeks fright as a form of escape.

It this collection, David works with A&E to look at the lives of Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., Peter Lorre and Vincent Price. It's not always a pleasant view.

While each of these icons of cinema horror had their success, for most of them it was a fleeting and seldom satisfying experience. While Boris Karloff and Vincent Price achieved both financial success and celebrity that allowed them to break out of the constraints of their horror roles, others were not as fortunate.

Bela Lugosi, in particular, seems a man cast aside by a Hollywood system that, even today, uses his likeness to make tons and tons of money. Lugosi's tragic story was probably the best kept secret in Tinseltown until (strangely enough) it was revealed as one of the main story lines in "Ed Wood." It's a tragedy made for the screen that Martin Landau earned an Academy Award portraying the life of a man shunned, for the most part, by the Studios that became rich on his talents.

For any fan of the genre, this is a must-have resource. Now, go look-up everything (and anything) else with Skal's name on it.

(5 stars) - great
I just love the old classic movie monsters that a dvd on their history was great.

(5 stars) - Buy This DVD !
If your a fan of classic black & white horror films and more so of the actors whom starred in them this DVD is a must !

A&E originally designed and aired these biographys in October of 1995 . It was a week long halloween special titled , "Tricks & Treat" week . The A&E website doesn't sell these biographys as a DVD , only as VHS . Which is why people should purchase this DVD . The quality is outstanding and far better than the VHS version I taped back then .

All five biographys are complied into two DVD 's , with pro interactive menu's and dolby sound . Each biography starts at the birth of each actor concluding to the very end of their careers . The biography's provide a good timeline of all starring roles and movies of each actor . Interviews of family , friends and co-stars are intermixed , rounding out the biograpghy . Extra's are included with classic movie trailers from each actor and along with some rare interviews .

(5 stars) - Excellent
I highly recommend this DVD set to any fan of classic horror movies or of movie star biographies. This collection compiles the top notch A&E biographies of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., Peter Lorre and Vincent Price. Each one is excellent and informative. While Karloff and Price had fine lives and seemed almost blessed, things did not fare quite so well for Chaney, Lorre and especially Lugosi. These features show some of the sadness of these lives without stooping to tabloid techniques.

In addition to the main features--this very reasonably priced 2 DVD collection features tons of extras including trailers for each of the 5 stars (I love watching trailers and these are all great classic 30s-60s trailers). There is a behind the scenes of Ed Wood featurette and a featurette on Vincent Price's Sears art collection (can you believe Sears once sold fine art?)

Also included are three hard to find Bela Lugosi interviews including the "Ship's Reporter" interview after his 1950's return from England, the interview after his release from the state hospital shortly before his death and the interview conducted at his home in the ealry 1930's.

But the real treasures are the much sought after Bela Lugosi/Boris Karloff Frankenstein vs Dracula ad promo and the "Hollwood on Parade" feature with Lugosi's Dracula biting none other than Betty Boop and informing her that "you have booped your last boop."

If you have any interest in this subject matter at all you simply cannot go wrong with Heroes of Horror. My only complaint is that it should have even more featured stars. I'd love to see an additional collection with Lon Chaney Sr, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and perhaps some great supporting stars like Dwight Frye and Lionel Atwill.

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