Masters of terror Vincent Price and Christopher Lee are both at their spine-chilling best in grisly gothic tale of the macabre The Oblong Box, inspired by an Edgar Allan Poe story and produced and directed by Gordon Hessler (Scream and Scream Again, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad).

Actors and crew that worked on the horror classic Witchfinder General were brought together again for this stylishly shot, fast-paced slice of Grand Guignol from 1969 – featuring customarily powerful performances from its charismatic cast. Released by the BFI – its first time on Blu-ray in the UK – in October, extras include an audio commentary and a new filmed interview with Vincent Price's daughter who discusses her father's career.

In shadow-shrouded Victorian England, Sir Julian Markham (Price) is a landowner hiding a terrible family secret, while Dr Neuhartt (Lee) is a surgeon carrying out dreadful experiments upon stolen cadavers. When their disparate destinies entwine – and a mysterious murderer in a red mask begins a mission of vengeance – a series of brazen, bloody atrocities ensue.

The Oblong Box will be released on Blu-ray by the BFI on 21 October 2024 at the RRP of £19.99.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Audio commentary by film historian Steve Haberman (2015) 
• The Immortal Mr Price (2024, 17 mins): Vincent Price's daughter discusses her father's career and his trips to England in the late 1960s 
• The Bells (1913, 15 mins): Edgar Allan Poe's poignant poem underpins this silent film rarity, which tells a melodramatic tale of love and death 
• Prelude (1927, 7 mins): Rachmaninov's wonderfully disturbing 'Prelude in C-sharp minor' sets the tone for a silent, nightmarish reverie on Poe's The Premature Burial
• The Pit (1962, 27 mins): a strange and experimental gothic short, adapted from Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum 
• Roger Corman on Edgar Allan Poe (2013, 9 mins): the legendary director and producer discusses his Poe adaptations, including The Pit and the Pendulum and The Masque of the Red Death
• Image gallery: original stills and promotional materials 
• Theatrical trailer
• First pressing only: Illustrated booklet with essays by Peter Fuller and Benjamin Halligan: notes on the special features and credits