Karloff dares you to see this holocaust of horror!
Film Synopsis
The Man They Could Not Hang (1939) follows a dedicated scientist whose pioneering experiments in restoring life lead to murder charges and a death sentence, only for him to be resurrected and driven by vengeance. As suspicion turns to terror and his calculated retribution spirals through those who convicted him, the boundary between scientific ambition and monstrous obsession blurs. This horror‑science‑fiction thriller blends mad‑scientist paranoia and retribution in a cult classic of B‑movie menace.
The Man They Could Not Hang Blu-ray & DVD editions
See which disc extras are included across selected editions.
| Disc Extras | Mill Creek BD-A/US 2023 | Eureka BD-B/UK 2021 | Mill Creek DVD-1/US/OOP 2015 | Sony DVD-1/US/OOP 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio Commentary by C. Courtney Joyner and Heath Holland | ||||
| Audio Commentary by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman | ||||
| Madness & Mayhem: Columbia Horror in the 1930’s & 1940’s - With C. Courtney Joyner | ||||
| Stills Gallery | ||||
| Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “Birdsong for a Murderer” | ||||
| Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “Death for Sale” | ||||
| Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “The Corridor of Doom” | ||||
| Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “The Wailing Wall” |
Edition and Packaging Notes
- Mill Creek’s Blu-ray is included in the “Thrillers from the Vault” box set with The Black Room (1935), Before I Hang (1940), The Man with Nine Lives (1940), The Devil Commands (1941), The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942), The Return of the Vampire (1943) and Five (1951).
- Eureka’s Blu-ray is included in the “Karloff at Columbia” box set with The Black Room (1935), Before I Hang (1940), The Man with Nine Lives (1940), The Devil Commands (1941) and The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942). It includes a 48-page booklet with writing by Stephen Jacobs (“I End as I Began: ‘The Black Room’” and “Karloff at Columbia: The Mad Doctor Movies”), Jon Towlson (“‘Not Revenge, Retribution’: Karloff at Columbia”) and Craig Ian Mann (“The Duality of Evil: Twin Horrors in ‘The Black Room’”). Reissued without booklet (2022/02/14).
- Mill Creek’s DVD contains no extras. It is included in the “Boris Karloff Collection” box set with The Black Room (1935), Before I Hang (1940), The Man with Nine Lives (1940), The Devil Commands (1941) and The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942).
- Sony’s DVD contains no extras. It is included in the “Icons of Horror Collection: Boris Karloff” box set with The Black Room (1935), Before I Hang (1940) and The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942).
~ Found an error or know of another edition? Submit a correction or release update. ~
Collector’s guide
Compare presentation quality and explore notable disc extras across selected editions.
-
Madness & Mayhem: Columbia Horror in the 1930’s & 1940’s (36:17) -
Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “Birdsong for a Murderer” (Radio Episode, 1952, 21:40) -
Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “Death for Sale” (Radio Episode, 1952, 24:51) -
Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “The Corridor of Doom” (Radio Episode, 1945, 29:15) -
Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “The Wailing Wall” (Radio Episode, 1945, 29:18)
| Editions | |
|---|---|
| Extras | Audio Commentary by C. Courtney Joyner and Heath Holland Mill Creek BD |
| Audio Commentary by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman Eureka BD | |
| Madness & Mayhem: Columbia Horror in the 1930’s & 1940’s - With C. Courtney Joyner Mill Creek BD | |
| Stills Gallery Eureka BD | |
| Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “Birdsong for a Murderer” Eureka BD | |
| Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “Death for Sale” Eureka BD | |
| Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “The Corridor of Doom” Eureka BD | |
| Inner Sanctum Mysteries: “The Wailing Wall” Eureka BD |
Notes
- Eureka’s video file has black screens before and after (1:30, 1:15).