After igniting the screen and skyrocketing to fame with his unforgettably haunting portrayals of The Mummy and Frankenstein, Boris Karloff continued to thrill and frighten moviegoers in an electrifying series of groundbreaking movies. On September 19, 2006, fans of classic horror can see this titan of terror in five tales of the macabre on DVD for the first time with the release of Universal Studios Home Entertainment's "The Boris Karloff Collection." The three-disc collection features the spellbinding Karloff classics "Night Key," "Tower of London," "The Climax," "The Strange Door" and "The Black Castle." This special collector's set, released to coincide with the 75th anniversary of Karloff's masterpiece, "Frankenstein," also features two original trailers from the 1930s and '40s.
Perhaps the most famous horror star in history, Boris Karloff was a pioneer of the genre that continues to shock and fascinate audiences today. A true giant of American cinema, Karloff stars opposite other luminaries of the golden age of horror including Charles Laughton ("The Hunchback of Notre Dame"), Basil Rathbone ("Son of Frankenstein"), Turhan Bey ("The Mummy's Tomb") and Lon Chaney Jr. ("The Wolfman"). "The Boris Karloff Collection" comes in a special three-disc collector's set that is priced at $29.98 SRP.
SYNOPSES
"Night Key"
An aging inventor (Karloff) seeks to guarantee his daughter's future with an ingenious new security system, but instead is trapped into assisting in a crime spree by violent criminals holding his daughter hostage.
"Tower of London"
Karloff stars as Mord, a bloodthirsty executioner for Basil Rathbone's evil King Richard III in this horrifying and true tale of a ruthless royal's rise to power. This murderous pair mercilessly traps, tortures and kills all who stand between Richard and the English throne.
"The Climax"
Karloff terrifies as the mad Dr. Hohner, driven to kill a beautiful opera singer by his insane jealousy. A new soprano with an identical voice is in deadly peril as Hohner plots to silence her forever!
"The Strange Door"
In an unforgettable performance, Karloff plays the servant to an evil French nobleman (Charles Laughton) who plots to free the aristocratic villain's innocent victims from the dungeons of a medieval chateau, only to find himself in mortal danger from the dungeon's deathtrap.
"The Black Castle"
A deadly game of cat-and-mouse unfolds in a mysterious castle in the Black Forest as an English adventurer searches for two lost friends. Karloff, as the castle physician, risks his life to rescue the victims of a mad count in this gripping tale of betrayal and revenge. Lon Chaney, Jr. co-stars as Gargon, the count's mute and menacing servant.
