Die, Monster, Die! (1965) (blu-ray film review).
“Die, Monster, Die!” is based on an H.P. Lovecraft story, “The Colour Out of Space.”
Scientist Stephen Reinhart (played by Nick Adams) arrives in Arkham to visit his girlfriend, Susan Witley (played by Suzan Farmer), and finds the locals unwilling to help him reach the Witley House. There’s no clear direction to the house, but Reinhart somehow manages to find it, shrouded in mist, surrounded by dead plants, and adorned with a “keep out” sign. Despite the foreboding signs, he enters the building and, finding it initially deserted, meets wheelchair-bound Nahum Witley (played by Boris Karloff), who also tries to persuade him to leave. That changes when Susan appears and introduces Reinhart to her shrouded mother, Letitia (played by Freda Jackson), who blesses their union. They also have a very loyal butler, Merwyn (played by Terrance de Marney).
Later, Nahum reluctantly agrees to let Reinhart stay for a day. During dinner, Merwyn collapses, but Nahum assures everyone he will recover. While Susan tries to persuade her mother to eat, Reinhart stumbles upon a book titled “Cult of the Wild Ones” but is interrupted by Susan’s screams upon a visitor’s arrival. Only then does Susan reveal her fears but refuses to leave the house.
During a late-night investigation of screams, Susan and Reinhart encounter Nahum, who informs them of Merwyn’s death and urges them to leave. Reinhart later witnesses Nahum walking and moving a wheelchair, then burying Merwyn in the greenhouse. Nearly caught, Reinhart escapes to his room and feigns sleep.
In the morning, Reinhart is attacked en route to the village. He visits Dr. Henderson (played by Patrick Magee) to seek information. The doctor’s housekeeper reveals a bit more before sending him on his way.
Back at the Hall, Reinhart discusses his concerns about the locked greenhouse with Susan, who knows another way in. Inside, they find enormous flowering plants. The potting shed emits a strange glow, and they discover bizarre creatures caged within. There are green glowing stones that Reinhart suspects are mutating the plants.
From this point, the story ventures into spoiler territory. It’s important to remember that this film was made in 1965, and what scared audiences then might seem tame now. Nonetheless, watching a Boris Karloff performance is always thrilling and sure to send shivers down your spine.
The audio commentary features William Fowler and Vic Pratt, co-authors of ‘The Bodies Beneath.’ Their insights are entertaining. From my observations, why would a village need a bicycle rental shop? The Witley House has also served as a location for other films, including ‘The Rocky Horror Show.’
There are six extras. ‘A Karloff Conversation’ with Stephen Jacobs and Vic Pratt, lasting 20 minutes, involves a discussion on Karloff’s performance. At 75, Karloff was determined to work until his final days. Jacobs hosts, with Pratt detailing Karloff’s history and noting his non-film work, including voice recordings.
‘Scenes From “Let Me Die A Monster!”’ running 14 minutes, features co-writer Ken Hollings discussing their unmade 1997 film inspired by ‘Die, Monster, Die!’ which would have included actor Nick Adams as a hallucination. Interestingly, it also intended to incorporate Elvis Presley and James Dean, who were friends with Adams. Co-writer David McGillivray shares his perspective on this.
The seven-minute segment ‘Nick Adams and Die, Monster, Die’ has Hollings and McGillivray exploring Nick Adams’ career.
In ‘Sell, Monster, Sell, Fill’, Tony Tweedale, a film unit publicist, spends 12 minutes discussing his experiences not only on this film but also working for Hammer.
‘The Peaches’ (19464), a 16-minute film from the BFI about a smart girl (played by Juliet Harmer) who aspires to be ordinary and her peculiar love of peaches is covered with tongue-in-cheek humour by Peter Ustinov’s audio commentary. Her attempts to dissuade a potential boyfriend (played by Tom Adams) fail miserably. Notably, peaches worldwide were suffering from peach weevil.
‘The Theatrical Trailer’, featuring commentary by Hollings and McGillivray, runs nearly 2 minutes.
‘The Image Gallery’, lasting about 11 minutes, showcases a mix of black and white stills from the film, both from in front of and behind the camera. In those days, film magazines favoured black and white over colour, which justified this choice. This gallery offers a closer look at actress Freda Jackson.
The booklet includes a 9-page appraisal by Stephen Jacobs, drawing on interviews with Karloff, Nick Adams, and Suzan Farmer. Xavier Aldana Reyes devotes 6 pages to a deeper exploration of the Lovecraftian elements. Ken Hollings elaborates on details from the audio commentary about a potential film with Nick Adams, halted by the actor’s untimely death. McGillivray also contributes a piece. The 26-page booklet is filled with various film credits and numerous photos, making it a valuable addition to the film.
As evident, the BFI goes all out with their Blu-ray releases. ‘Die, Monster, Die!’ is seldom seen on TV nowadays, but for fans of Karloff, it remains a must-watch. Viewing it on Blu-ray allows for fresh perspectives, equally enhancing older films. Keep an eye out for the mysterious green stones.
GF Willmetts
July 2024
(pub: BFI, 2024. 1 blu-ray disc 79 minute film and extras with a booklet. Price: £19.99 (UK). ASIN: BFI1520)
cast: Boris Karloff, Nick Adams, Suzan Farmer, Freda Jackson, Terrance de Marney
check out website: https://shop.bfi.org.uk/die-monster-die-blu-ray.html
