Professor Henry Jarrod is the owner and figure sculptor in a wax museum whose specialty is historic figures. When he and his business partner, Matthew Burke quarrel over the choice of exhibits displayed, Burke suggests it would be more profitable to burn down the museum in order to obtain the insurance money. As they fight, the museum burns and Jarrod is left for dead. It’s not until much later at a new museum that the fate of Jarrod and the mystery of how the lifelike waxed figures are created becomes gruesomely evident.
House of Wax is a classic Gothic horror film that at the time of it's original release was a pioneering film using new technology such as stereophonic sound, 3D and some gorgeous special effects for the wax figures and shocking image of the melting face. Vincent Price is at the top if his game as Professor Henry Jarrod and is supported by pitch perfect portrayals by Phyllis Kirk, A young Charles Bronson and Roy Roberts. The costume work , set design and mood of the film are a real treat when compared to the found footage cheapness of horror films of the modern era. So glad that Warner has taken the time to bring this classic back to life. 9/10
House of Wax arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. - Warner has done a tremendous job remastering the film for 3D and 2D viewing. The 3D imagery is used to great effect and is never overly showy , bolstered by some nice depth. Both versions look filmic and have a natural layer of grain that is pleasing to my eye. Colors are beautifully saturated. Black levels are rich. Detail was great for most of the films running time but there were some moments of softness. Great care has gone into this release and it shows on screen. 9/10
Audio is provided by a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. - Dialogue was always crisp and clear. The musical score by David Buttolph has a nice heft to it. Stereo separation was fair but not overly wide or lively. 8/10
* Audio Commentary - We are given insight on the film as well as Vincent Price's career from Constantine Nasr and David Del Valle.
* NEW FEATURE House of Wax: Unlike Anything You've Seen Before (HD, 48min23sec) - This is a wonderful look at the film's production, it's place in history, the career of Vincent Price and there is a ton of information regarding every aspect of the production. We also get the opinions of Martin Scorsese, Wes Craven, Rick Baker, Joe Dante and many more.
* Round-the-Clock Premiere: Coast Hails House of Wax (SD, 2min16sec)
* Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2min5sec)
* Mystery of the Wax Museum - This is the full 1933 feature film that House of Wax was based on.