Customer Reviews

The Mystery Collection 10 Movie Pack

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The MYSTERY COLLECTION 10 MOVIE PACK showcases several of mid-20th century Hollywood's better-known actors, in some still well-regarded films. There's even a serial-type mystery here. Highlights include D.O.A., which is the story of a man, given a slow-working poison, who spends his remaining hours trying to determine why he's being murdered. GASLIGHT is a creepy little tale about a killer's obsessed search for a priceless piece of jewelry. FEAR IN THE NIGHT features Star Trek's DeForest Kelley in his first-ever screen appearance.

The seven other movies here are equalling as interesting. Additionally, the DARK CRIMES COLLECTION: 50 Movie Pack contains a handful of these titles plus a lot of other great public domain film noir goodies. Be sure to check this one out, too!

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The following alphabetized program list provides 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings for each film, plus years of release and best-known performers.

(5.6) The Bat (1959) - Vincent Price/Agnes Moorehead/Darla Hood (in support)
(6.1) Blake of Scotland Yard (serial-1937) - Ralph Byrd/Herbert Rawlinson/Joan Barclay
(5.7) Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937) - Ray Milland/Guy Standing
(7.4) D.O.A. (1950) - Edmond O'Brien
(6.7) Fear in The Night (1947) - DeForest Kelley (his film debut)
(7.5) Gaslight ("The Murder In Thornton Square") (1940) - Anton Walbrook
(5.9) The Limping Man (1953) - Lloyd Bridges
(5.7) The Mandarin Mystery (1936) - Eddie Quillan (as Ellery Queen)
(5.2) Shadows On The Stairs (1941) - Frieda Inescort/Paul Cavanagh/Heather Angel
(5.9) A Shriek In The Night (1933) - Ginger Rogers/Lyle Talbot
(6.5) Tomorrow At Seven - Chester Morris/Vivienne Osborne/Frank McHugh

The Mystery Collection is a cinema anthology of eleven mystery movies that have only one thing in common: they are all public domain and as such it is possible for them to be presented in highly affordable collections. I paid $9.98 for my set and that comes down to about a dollar per movie. The way that movie tickets cost nowadays, you really cannot complain about this collection.

An added bonus of this collection is the fact that many of these movies are not available on other public domain collections. An additional bonus is an episode of the Philip Marlowe radio show from 1948. A further bonus is the 1926 silent film classic The Bat. There are precious silent films available on DVD or VHS, so this is a special treat.

Anyways, here is how I rate the movies in The Mystery Collection:


Excellent:

The Bat (1926)

Great:

Gaslight (1940)
Shadows on the Stairs (1941)


Good:

A Shriek in the Night (1933)
Blake of Scotland Yard (1936)
D.O.A. (1949)
The Limping Man (1953)


Average:

Fear in the Night (1947)
The Mandarin Mystery (1937)
Tomorrow at Seven (1933)


Bad:

Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937)