Vincent Price: The Sinister Image

Vincent Price is one of the most beloved stars Hollywood ever saw. His extraordinary career spanned over five decades, and covered every media: film, television, radio, theater. Although best known as a horror movie star, Price's own immeasurable charm and warmth was always reassuring, always compelling. All Day Entertainment pays tribute to this great actor with a deluxe collector's edition DVD celebrating his remarkable accomplishments. The centerpiece of the DVD is a 62 minute interview of Vincent Price conducted in 1987 by film historian David Del Valle. Additionally, this disc features a separate 40 minute audio interview between Del Valle and Price. Also included are two complete TV programs highlighting Vincent Price's television career--"Half Hour to Kill: Freedom to Get Lost" (1958, 30 min.) and "Shindig!: The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot" (1965, 30 min.). "Three Skeleton Key" (1958, 30 min.), a radio drama from the series "Escape," rounds out the collection--truly a Vincent Price fan's dream!

Detalle:

Today, Vincent Price's body of film work is being released on DVD, remastered and now looking more appealing than ever. Since he passed away in 1993, there could be no participation from him on any DVD, but "Vincent Price: The Sinister Image" remedies that by being the ultimate supplement to all other Price features available on the format.

The central attraction on this collection is a 62-minute interview with Price conducted in 1987 by film historian/writer David Del Valle. This was intended as a pilot for a proposed cable TV series called "The Sinister Image," but the show was never broadcast or seen in its entirety until now. The videotaped interview was shot during the time when Price had just done THE WHALES OF AUGUST and was celebrating 50 years in the film business. This was the perfect time for such a career-inclusive interview, as Price was still very active, very happy and content, and was still in good health and physical appearance. If we have to remember Price at the end of his life, seeing him here is a fine image to behold.

At the time of the interview, Del Valle's association with Price had a 20-year history of various meetings and correspondence, and the veteran actor is obviously very comfortable speaking with him. The stage has Del Valle and Price sitting in chairs across from each other with a small table in the middle (much like "The Actor's Studio," which wouldn't make its mark for another decade). A blue ski-colored backdrop with four poster-sized images of Price complete the set. Stills from the various films of topic are shown when appropriate.

Del Valle conducts the interview in a graceful, professional manner, and he effortlessly keeps this historic Q&A session moving along chronologically. The conversation focuses on Price's "fantasy" film credits beginning with Universal Studios efforts like TOWER OF LONDON and THE INVISIBLE MAN RETURNS, to the groundbreaking HOUSE OF WAX, the "Fly" films, and his unforgettable twosome for William Castle (HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL and THE TINGLER). Price then spends a generous amount of time talking about his long association with American International, and Del Valle also asks him about some of the fascinatingly interesting people he worked with (Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone, Peter Lorre, etc.). Price is as charming and distinguished as ever, with his celebrated sense of humor in check, and this interview is a treat from start to finish--truly one for the history books.

If having the definitive Price interview wasn't enough, ALLDAY has also tossed in a lot of other goodies. Most significantly is "The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot" (1965) a special that originally aired as part of the popular "Shindig" variety program. This 30-minute show was produced by AIP to concur with the release of DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI MACHINE. The special is nothing too earth-shattering, but it's a rare 60s time capsule that features Price as Goldfoot, Harvey Lembeck (as his dopey assistant), Susan Hart (as stacked robot Diane again) and Tommy Kirk and Aaron Kincaid in similar roles that Dwayne Hickman and Frankie Avalon played in the feature. There are several musical numbers (the original GOLDFOOT feature had songs that were removed before release), some clumsy comedy antics, and lots of go-go dancing. Taken from a clean 16mm print source, the special has all the original commercials intact--a nice nostalgic touch.

A number of other extras are also on hand. "Half Hour to Kill: Freedom to Get Lost," from 1958, is an episode of an anthology series where Price was the Rod Serling-like host (without cigarette). Occasionally he also acted in the episodes, and here he plays a strange scientist with a murderous history who picks up a woman in a NY subway. The black and white show was transferred from a 16mm print source, and despite some light lines and scratches, looks very sharp. "Escape: Three Skeleton Key" (1950) is a 30-minute radio drama (introduced by Paul Frees) that represents just a small piece of Price's vast work in the medium. Another audio supplement is a delightful 41-minute audio interview with Price conducted by Del Valle in 1988. This interview concentrates on Price's early Hollywood films up until his involvement with William Castle in the late 50s. The icing on the cake is a gallery of over 200 stills (some very rare and never before published) of Price from the Del Valle Archives and other sources. The gallery is accompanied by Ronald Stein's score for THE HAUNTED PALACE.

Last but not least is a very special hidden feature. The extras menu with let you access a lengthy stretch of outtakes from the "Sinister Image" interview. You'll witness Price watching clips of some of his memorable film appearances (not shown onscreen), and it's wonderful to see the twinkle in his eye and the hardy laugh that he reacts with. He and Del Valle also make little comments that are interesting in their own right. This bonus is, like the DVD as a whole, PRICELESS! -George.R.Reis

* 62-minute interview of Vincent Price conducted in 1987 by film historian David Del Valle

* 40-minute audio interview between Del Valle and Price

* Two complete TV programs highlighting Vincent Price's television career--"Half Hour to Kill: Freedom to Get Lost" (1958, 30 min.) and "Shindig!: The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot" (1965, 30 min.)

* "Three Skeleton Key" (1958, 30 min.), a radio drama from the series "Escape"

* Photo Gallery of over 200 rare and never-published stills of Price from the Del Valle Archives