The name Vincent Price will be one that is always equated to the world of horror, though if you truly study the career of the late, great actor, you will find that he did much more than horror. Scaring people though is what he will probably best be known for, and to add some chills and spine tingling into your dark and dreary nights, MGM has put together the Vincent Price MGM Scream Legends Collections.

Many of these films have been released at one time or another by MGM, either as single DVD releases or as a part of their Midnite Movies Double Feature, though you will find one film that hasn’t been released on DVD, at least not in North America, until now as well as bonus material that isn’t otherwise available. The seven movie collection comes in a ThinPak edition box set that has many of Vincent Price’s best know and loved horror films from his impressive and illustrious career.

The first disc brings you Tales of Terror, a film that has a rather impressive ensemble attached to it. Not only do you have Vincent Price starting in three different adaptations of Edgar Allen Poe stories, those being Morella, The Case of M. Valdemar, and The Black Cat, but Roger Corman took on the task of directing the movie. Not only that, Richard Matheson, author of I Am Legend, the book which Night of the Living Dead is loosely based on to some degree, and What Dreams May Come, but also has written scripts for notable television series like the original Star Trek and The Twilight Zone as well as many other films.

If you enjoy Corman and Price’s take on Poe, then you will also enjoy Twice Told Tales which also happens to be based on the works of an author, this time none other than Nathaniel Hawthorne. Price takes on three different roles once again in one movie, this time in the stories Dr. Heidegger's Experiment, Rappaccini's Daughter and finally The House of the Seven Gables.

The second DVD begins with Theater of Blood and features yet another classic performance by Price. In the role of Edward Kendall Sheridan Lionheart, a man who fancies himself as being the greatest Shakespearean living, but that’s not what the critics think. So, the scorned actor decides that it’s time to get a little revenge on those who have no respect for his work, and like most of the films that Price appears in, there is plenty of dark humor that makes the movie fresh, entertaining, and simply fun to watch.

Opposite of Theater of Blood you will find Madhouse, which also stars the late Peter Cushing. The movie itself is actually based on a book, Devilday, and here Price plays an actor who is known for his work in horror films, not much of a stretch of the imagination. However, he suffers a nervous breakdown prior to filming a new televisions show and curiously enough, both cast and crew begin to turn up dead, and in the same fashion as what was seen in the actors old horror films.

Outside of his numerous appearances in movies based on the work of Edgar Allen Poe, many immediately associate Price’s name with none other than The Abominable Dr. Phibes. The film is full of more dark humor and as a bonus, the opposite side includes the sequel; Dr. Phibes Rises Again. There simply no denying the appeal of these films as we follow the good doctor on his journey to eliminate a few people, and in some rather creative ways.

In Price’s long and impressive resume of films and television, there is one that has become somewhat notorious and has yet to be released on DVD. However, Witchfinder General is now available in this collection as well as separately for those who already own all of the films included here. Based on the novel of the same name, this dark and violent film follows Matthew Hopkins; a witch hunter in England as he rides in search of those believed to be witches and will get a confession from them by any means necessary. Witchfinder General was censored in many countries due to the sheer amount of violence that was seen in the movie, though it does pale when compared to films of today, but if you’re looking for that classic, campy Price appeal, you won’t find it here at all.

The set also includes the Disc of Horrors, a collection of bonus material that is extremely informative and well put together. There are two different bonus features. The first, Vincent Prince: Renaissance Man – The Art of Fear looks at the career of Price including his early days in cinema that weren’t geared towards horror and his eventual rise to horror fame. The second feature, Working with Vincent Price, talks with those who knew him, those who worked with him, and will reveal even more about the late actor than you perhaps ever knew before.

Seven Vincent Price films together in one collection is something that any fan of classic horror simply can pass up. While the films may not pack quite the punch that is seen in horror cinema today, they are still classics nonetheless and these select films show exactly why Price became a legend in the industry and why he is so fondly remembered and respected even today. If you’re looking for a way to add a little more screams into your Halloween, this is the set that will do it.

-mike-