Starring: Robert Alda, Andrea King, Peter Lorre
Director: Robert Florey
Distributed by: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 88 minutes
Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
“The Beast with Five Fingers” was released Christmas Day 1946, which is an interesting choice to release a horror film on the holiday. This is a film that never loses its class. I saw this film originally over 20 years ago and it still is just as entertaining and thrilling as it was the first time. Peter Lorre is amazing in the role and really nails the role. The film has never been been given a proper solo DVD, so thanks to Warner Archive this classic can finally get some well-deserved attention. I would have loved to see them take the Blu-ray route with this title but it is still get to see this film available today.
Official Premise: Film icon Peter Lorre turns in yet another memorable performance in this eerie classic set in a small town in Italy. Hilary Cummins (Lorre), the devoted secretary to wheelchair-bound piano virtuoso Francis Ingram (Victor Francen), has a passion for the occult. Poring through every book on the supernatural he can find in Ingram’s vast library, Hilary begins to imagine strange and terrifying things. But after Ingram’s tragic death, the line between reality and unimaginable terror is blurred as the severed hand from Ingram’s corpse begins killing everyone in the villa! Also starring Robert Alda and Andrea King, The Beast with Five Fingers is filled with wit, thrills and shocking plot twists!
The film is over 65 years old, so the transfer may not look stunning but it definitely looks damn good. The film has been newly remastered and it definitely holds up and is quite sharp. It is presented in full frame with an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The audio track includes is a Dolby Digital track, which works with the eerie score and dialogue very well. There are no special features included additionally. The DVD is currently only available using Warner Archives’ Made-To-Order DVD service aka MOD. So if you are a fan of this film head over to WBShop.com and pick it up before it goes out of print.