The Tingler (1959) / Strait-Jacket (1964) - August 21, 2018

[Mystic]

Originally Posted by MAUL xx

Are the indicator releases region locked?

The William Castle set will be Region Free.

[hagios]

Originally Posted by hagios

I wish I would have waited for this set as I have all but The Tingler w/Mill Creek Entertainment

... I'll just get The Tingler separate as I'll not double-dip (maybe b/c of the great special features though I might )!

Went ahead & ordered (I want to watch all those special features ) along w/these:

[Craig Beam]

Cancelled my pre-order for CURSE OF THE DEMON and opted instead for Powerhouse/Indicator's Hallowe'en bundle of said CURSE and the WILLIAM CASTLE set.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by Sinbad75

Funny that as an 8 year old child watching (from behind my hands in front of my eyes) "The Tingler" in my palace of dreams, the Linda Theater in San Diego, the part of the movie that is most imprinted on my memory is the bathtub filled with blood (and what comes out of it!). I have no recollection of that scene being in color despite how vivid it still is in my mind. Could it be that not all prints contained the color segment? Just curious, and can't wait to revisit the film after such a long time.

The Linda Theater in San Diego -- that was in the old Horton Plaza, wasn't it? a grindhouse?

[davegchicago]

Just received m y Strait Jacket blu ray . The extras are great Love the interview with Anne Helm (whom Joan had fired and replaced with Diane Baker) and the interview with the pr man who travelled on the circuit with Joan and Castle, I was very disappointed in the transfer quality The film is very very grainy to the point I cant watch it. The DVD looks better is anyone else having the same feeling about the quality? Interested in hearing what people think about this

[Sinbad75]

Originally Posted by Richard--W

The Linda Theater in San Diego -- that was in the old Horton Plaza, wasn't it? a grindhouse?

God no! It was a small mom & pop theater out in Linda Vista.

LindaMovie.JPGlindavista1003.jpg

[Michael24]

Originally Posted by davegchicago

I was very disappointed in the transfer quality The film is very very grainy to the point I cant watch it. The DVD looks better is anyone else having the same feeling about the quality? Interested in hearing what people think about this

The opposite for me. Haven't watched the whole film yet but popped in the Blu-ray last night to skip around and check it out, and I thought it looked terrific. It's definitely got grain but it isn't distracting to me, whereas I remember the DVD (this is the one I have) looking excessively grainy at times.

[slasherdisc]

Originally Posted by Michael24

The opposite for me. Haven't watched the whole film yet but popped in the Blu-ray last night to skip around and check it out, and I thought it looked terrific. It's definitely got grain but it isn't distracting to me, whereas I remember the DVD (this is the one I have) looking excessively grainy at times.

Looked perfectly fine to me as well!

[spanky87]

Strait-Jacket caps:

[Michael24]

Finally gave this a full watch last night. There were certain shots where it did appear the grain was a lot heavier and stood out more than the rest of the film but it wasn't bad and never reached a distracting level for me. Overall, I think it looks really great and the print is in good condition. Definitely worth picking up if you're a fan.

I really like this movie and while William Castle is best remembered for his deliberately-cheesy movies promoted with crafty gimmicks, I think Strait-Jacket is proof he could make a solid piece of suspense when he felt like it. Does he have any other similar films in his filmography?

Also, it's amusing the screenplay was written by Psycho author Robert Bloch because it reminds me a lot of Psycho II, especially the reveal at the end.

[davegchicago]

It seemed like the graniest moments were the closeups of Crawfiord and I wondered if that was the reason. The non Crawford closeups looked normal and great. And the extras are great especially the new one with Anne Helm. This along was worth the price. I have already ordered the double feature of Strait Jacket with Berserk no harm and its super cheap

[Jack Theakston]

Originally Posted by Sinbad75

Funny that as an 8 year old child watching (from behind my hands in front of my eyes) "The Tingler" in my palace of dreams, the Linda Theater in San Diego, the part of the movie that is most imprinted on my memory is the bathtub filled with blood (and what comes out of it!). I have no recollection of that scene being in color despite how vivid it still is in my mind. Could it be that not all prints contained the color segment? Just curious, and can't wait to revisit the film after such a long time.

All of the prints would have been in color, since the scene is a cut-in on color stock from a color negative.

[Mystic]

Originally Posted by Michael24

Finally gave this a full watch last night. There were certain shots where it did appear the grain was a lot heavier and stood out more than the rest of the film but it wasn't bad and never reached a distracting level for me. Overall, I think it looks really great and the print is in good condition. Definitely worth picking up if you're a fan.

I really like this movie and while William Castle is best remembered for his deliberately-cheesy movies promoted with crafty gimmicks, I think Strait-Jacket is proof he could make a solid piece of suspense when he felt like it. Does he have any other similar films in his filmography?

Also, it's amusing the screenplay was written by Psycho author Robert Bloch because it reminds me a lot of Psycho II, especially the reveal at the end.

Castle made one other psychological thriller called "Homicidal", which might interest you.

[Richard--W]

The "grain" is probably no more than a soft focus on aging Joan Crawford. This was not unusual when lighting glamour stars in their senior years. Gauze or vaseline could also be put on the lens to soften the skin but I don't see either used here. The film MAME (1974) starring Lucille Ball was notorious for overdoing the soft focus on her face.

Originally Posted by Michael24

Finally gave this a full watch last night. There were certain shots where it did appear the grain was a lot heavier and stood out more than the rest of the film but it wasn't bad and never reached a distracting level for me. Overall, I think it looks really great and the print is in good condition. Definitely worth picking up if you're a fan.

I really like this movie and while William Castle is best remembered for his deliberately-cheesy movies promoted with crafty gimmicks, I think Strait-Jacket is proof he could make a solid piece of suspense when he felt like it. Does he have any other similar films in his filmography?

Also, it's amusing the screenplay was written by Psycho author Robert Bloch because it reminds me a lot of Psycho II, especially the reveal at the end.

Get the Shout Factory bluray of Castle's THE NIGHT WALKER (1965) starring Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Taylor, also written by Robert Bloch. "Watching THE NIGHT WALKER may force you to dream of secret desires you're ashamed of! Be Warned!" Check out the trailer on amazon it's a hoot. The film is as solid a suspense thriller as STRAIGHT JACKET. Although not directed by Castle, you might also enjoy THE COUCH (1962), a low-budget exploration of a real-life serial killer in downtown Hollywood written by Robert Bloch and based on a story by Blake Edwards (Pink Panther etc). It's on a Warner Archive mod.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by Mystic

Castle made one other psychological thriller called "Homicidal", which might interest you.

I just watched HOMICIDAL (1961) the other night on the Mill Creek double-feature bluray. I'd seen decades ago and didn't remember anything about it. I won't spoil the surprises, but suffice to say there are surprises if you don't know anything about the film in advance. There is a reveal near the end intended to remind you of the reveal at the end of PSYCHO only instead of ending there it continues. I'd have enjoyed the film more if Castle had pushed the boundary of good taste a little further than he does. The story wants to be a roughie but Castle draws the line there.

[AKORIS]

Originally Posted by davegchicago

Just received m y Strait Jacket blu ray . The extras are great Love the interview with Anne Helm (whom Joan had fired and replaced with Diane Baker) and the interview with the pr man who travelled on the circuit with Joan and Castle, I was very disappointed in the transfer quality The film is very very grainy to the point I cant watch it. The DVD looks better is anyone else having the same feeling about the quality? Interested in hearing what people think about this

wondering if you possible have your SHARPNESS setting too high on your TV?

[bigshot]

I've noticed that with grainy films, the double feature encoding on the Mill Creek discs doesn't render it well. The grain clumps up into a swarm of bees. It does help to lower the sharpness a bit.

[Mystic]

Originally Posted by Richard--W

I just watched HOMICIDAL (1961) the other night on the Mill Creek double-feature bluray. I'd seen decades ago and didn't remember anything about it. I won't spoil the surprises, but suffice to say there are surprises if you don't know anything about the film in advance. There is a reveal near the end intended to remind you of the reveal at the end of PSYCHO only instead of ending there it continues. I'd have enjoyed the film more if Castle had pushed the boundary of good taste a little further than he does. The story wants to be a roughie but Castle draws the line there.

I think Castle must have felt he was walking a fine line in terms of good taste, so ultimately, I think he opted to play it safe with some elements of the story that could have been more provocative and startling. But I have to say the overdubbed voice of one of the primary characters takes me out of the movie and weakens the reveal.

[Jobla]

Those who like HOMICIDAL might want to seek the following films:

THE GLASS CAGE (1964)
ANGEL'S FLIGHT (1965)

Those films don't have the same reveal as HOMICIDAL, but they share some strong thematic elements.

Those who like THE COUCH might also like WHO KILLED TEDDY BEAR (1965), which is coming to Blu-ray from Network in the UK next month.

[Member-167298]

I guess Bull Moose isn't going to get this?