Righteous Recommendations
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Releases Reviewed:
The Terror offers a surprisingly sparse number of release options compared to so many of these old movies (with a title as generic as “The Terror” it's entirely possible that some of the releases have gotten lost in the myriad of other search results that include the word “terror”). And surprisingly there are actual notable differences between them.
You'll be able to find it in a number of classic movie collections like the Horror Classics 50 pack. There's a stand-alone DVD by Echo Bridge as well as a couple of others. Elvira hosts a double feature. There's even a Blu-ray edition! It is sold by itself or in a 2 pack with Dementia 13. There's also a Blu combo pack.
I'll be comparing a few very different DVD versions. First is the one in the collection of 50 “Horror Classics.”
Video:
1.33: This is the “full-frame” ratio. All of my versions have spots where the original film was apparently damaged causing trouble with the transfer. In this version the bad spots cause the image to become pixelated. The image is very dark which has a positive and a negative. The positive is that the trash in the image is less visible so it actually comes off as looking cleaner, however the darkness also hides details. In one shot there is blood on a door handle which I can't see in this version even when I'm looking for it. Otherwise the image looks grainy and includes a little bit of trash.
Audio:
1.0 mono: The quality is fair though it is certainly dated. There is less white noise in this one than the other (though some remains), but the levels are more muted.
Packaging:
This particular disc is housed in a cardboard sleeve contained in a Velcro-fastened box. You can read about the set as a whole in great detail in the Horror Classics (50 pack) guide.
Extras:
There are no extras of any kind.
Other Editions:
Most of the the other DVD's I found list so little information that I'm not even going to try to speculate on what they might offer. None appear to be anything special with no mention of remastering or extras. Which is not to say that there is nothing special to be found.
The one DVD exception is a Digital Gold release which says it's remastered and offers 5.1 surround sound. It's still 1.33 "full-screen." I could find nothing else on it though and have my doubts as to how good this 5.1 would be.
One other DVD note. I didn't see a listing for it, but I did read a comment that a D-vision release claims to be in widescreen but is actually not so avoid it if you run across it.
Elvira hosts a double feature with “Eeegah!” She offers some skits based on the movies, and the set offers some extras though they don't appear to be related to the movie itself.
The Blu offers a 1.66 widescreen image and 5.1 surround sound. I've read reviews that say the transfer is lacking while others praise it as being a notable upgrade from the previous DVD releases. They all seem to agree that the image is fuzzy at times. Some say the 5.1 surround sound is not worth the effort while others say it sounds fine. A DVD version is included in the package. Neither the listings nor the reviews make any mention of extra features.
The "Ultimate Horror Classics" and "Old Dark House" Blu collections seem to be part of a slowly growing trend (or perhaps attempt at a trend) of using Blu's storage capacity to fit a lot of movies on a single disc. Numerous public domain films (some very common, some fairly rare) reside on a single disc in standard 480i definition (no HD here). The best I can say for these is that they seem to occasionally present the original image ratios and may be very slightly improved quality over some of the cheaper DVD budget packs. Otherwise they offer nothing special aside from being exceptionally self-space friendly. They offer no extras and can be somewhat hard to find.
Final Thoughts:
The cheapest way to own the movie, assuming you would want to own other classic horror films is with a value pack like the 50 Horror Classics. The Platinum Disc DVD does offer a brighter transfer and a couple of extras even though they are really nothing special. Neither transfer is great, but neither is so bad that I couldn't enjoy the movie. The Blu is your best bet as far as quality although it sounds like it's not a completely satisfying offering for HD buffs. You'll drop more money to own that version.
Want to get your hands on something you read about? Click the links below.
Next is the “Chilling” 20 pack:
Video:
1.33: This version has a green tint that I didn't notice as much in my other copies. It is bright which is good for showing off details but also showcases the trash and lines that are present. It's grainy, a little fuzzy, and generally unimpressive.
Audio:
1.0 mono: The audio is marred by crackles and pops along with some softer but persistent white noise. Otherwise it is generally fair aside from being thin.
Packaging:
The disc comes in a paper sleeve that lives in a plastic case. You can get more details about the set as a whole by checking out the Chilling (20 pack) guide.
Extras:
No extras for this one, either.
The Platinum Disc DVD is available by itself or in a box set with Little Shop of Horrors. This is digitally remastered, but don't expect anything too impressive.
Video:
1.33: The ratio is the same as the others. The image is brighter in this transfer which has the opposite trade-off from before: details like the blood on the handle are clearly visible but so is the trash in the picture. It doesn't have the pixelation in the problematic spots. The transfer is closer to the 20 pack version but is marginally cleaner. I do notice the green tint now that I'm looking for it, but it is far less overbearing than the other transfer.
Audio:
1.0 mono: While there is more white noise in the audio than the other transfer, the overall levels are a bit better, and the dialogue is easy to make out.
Packaging:
This is a standard plastic case. If you get the box set you'll get both movies in a larger cardboard box.
The interface graphics are simple but feature a little amusing lead-in animation and a soft loop of the score.
Extras:
-Jack Nicholson Bio: This is a one page bio of Nicholson along with a lengthy filmography.
-Quiz: These multiple choice questions about the movie will score your answers though you get nothing special for completion other than a high score.
