Film Synopsis
The Old Dark House (1932) follows a group of stranded travelers who seek shelter from a raging storm in a remote Welsh mansion, only to discover its eccentric and deeply unsettling inhabitants. As the night wears on, strange secrets emerge, and the guests find themselves trapped in a house filled with madness, menace, and dark humor. This atmospheric blend of horror, comedy, and Gothic tension remains a classic example of early Universal horror at its most eerie and eccentric.
Critical Perspective
-
Supremely ghoulish and supremely sophisticated, the film is undoubtedly the best British horror film ever made in America.
Jonathan Rigby, English Gothic: Classic Horror Cinema 1897-2015 (Signum Books, 2015)
The Old Dark House 4K UHD, Blu-ray & DVD editions
See which disc extras are included across selected editions.
| Disc Extras | Imprint BD-ALL 4K/AU 2026 | Cohen BD-ALL/US 2017 | Eureka BD-B/UK 2018 | Kino DVD-1/US/OOP 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio Commentary by Dr. Steve Haberman | ||||
| Audio Commentary by Actress Gloria Stuart | ||||
| Audio Commentary by James Whale Biographer James Curtis | ||||
| Audio Commentary by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman | ||||
| The Horror of It All | ||||
| Meet the Femms - Video Essay by David Cairns | ||||
| Daughter of Frankenstein - Interview with Sara Karloff | ||||
| Interview with Curtis Harrington | ||||
| Interview with Actress Gloria Stuart | ||||
| Stills Gallery [Eureka] | ||||
| Stills Gallery [Kino] | ||||
| 2017 US Re-release Theatrical Trailer | ||||
| 2018 UK Re-release Theatrical Trailer |
Edition and Packaging Notes
- Imprint’s 4K UHD is included in the “Directed by James Whale” box set with The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933), Wives Under Suspicion (1938), The Man in the Iron Mask (1939) and Green Hell (1940).
- Cohen’s Blu-ray includes a booklet with interview excerpts with Curtis Harrington conducted by David Del Valle.
- Eureka’s “The Masters of Cinema Series” Blu-ray includes a 44-page booklet with writing by Philip Kemp.
- Kino’s “Special Collector’s Edition” DVD includes a 4-page booklet with writing by James Curtis.
~ Found an error or know of another edition? Submit a correction or release update. ~