On Wednesday, Cinedigm announced that The Film Detective, the classic film restoration and streaming company, will release the 1959 horror classic, “The Bat,” on special-edition Blu-ray and DVD on October 25.
Helmed by writer/director Crane Wilbur, “The Bat” tells of a downtrodden country estate that becomes the site of a horrific murder. When a female mystery novelist rents the property in search of a calm environment to write in, she turns from writer to detective as she looks to unmask the violent killer known as “The Bat” for his all-black attire and the way he uses steel claws to rip his victims to shreds.
Vincent Price stars in this horror classic alongside Agnes Moorehead (“Bewitched”) in one of her many commanding, on-screen performances. Other co-stars include Gavin Gordon (“Murder by Invitation”) and Darla Hood of the “Our Gang” comedies in her final film role.
Presented at 1.85:1, this pristine print is beautifully restored from original 35mm archival elements and includes the host of bonus features that label fans have come to expect. Notably, the release includes nine archival radio re-broadcasts featuring the iconic Price in everything from the popular radio drama “Suspense,” to a comedic performance for CBS Radio Workshop in “Speaking of Cinderella.” Presented in partnership with Retro Entertainment.
Other features of the release include:
- A full-color booklet with essay, “The Case of The Forgotten Author,” by professor and film scholar Jason A. Ney
- Full-length commentary track by Jason A. Ney
- All-new, original production, “The Case for Crane Wilbur,” by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures
“The Bat” will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on October 25. Fans can secure a copy now by pre-ordering from Amazon.
