Universal loves to constantly release home video editions of their most famous classics such as FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA, but they seem to have little interest in their more obscure titles. Thankfully companies like Kino Lorber have taken up the slack. Kino has just put out SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM, a 1933 release that, while not a straight horror film, contains many elements from Universal's better known chillers.
SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM is actually a locked-room murder mystery. Somewhere (apparently) in Europe, Irene von Helldorf (Gloria Stuart) is celebrating her 21st birthday at her family's estate, along with her father (Lionel Atwill) and three of her suitors: Captain Brink (Paul Lukas), Frank (Onslow Stevens), and Thomas (William Janney). During the night the subject of the estate's notorious Blue Room comes up. This room has been locked up for twenty years after it was the scene of three mysterious deaths. The young Thomas decides to show his courage to Irene by volunteering to stay the night in the Blue Room. The next morning, Thomas has disappeared, and it seems that the room has claimed another victim. Another death happens, and a police commissioner (Edward Arnold) is called in to get to the bottom of the matter.
Fans of classic Universal horror of the 30s and 40s will find plenty to enjoy about SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM. The main and end titles use the "Swan Lake" music, there's sets familiar from other Universal thrillers, and the very recognizable spooky wind sound effect used so much by the studio is here. This was Lionel Atwill's first film at Universal, and while he doesn't have as much to do as a film geek would want, it's fun watching him beginning his long association with the company. Gloria Stuart (who looks quite lovely here) of course starred in THE OLD DARK HOUSE and THE INVISIBLE MAN, and Onslow Stevens would years later make an impact as Dr. Edlemann in HOUSE OF DRACULA.
SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM is actually a remake of an earlier German film (it even uses some stock shots from that production). It's not the greatest mystery story in the world, but screenwriter William Hurlbut (another Universal veteran) throws in enough incidents to keep the viewer engaged for the 66-minute running time. Director Kurt Neumann and cinematographer Charles Stumar keep the film from being too static. The cast and production elements make SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM far more diverting than the typical movie mysteries of the period.
The print used for this Region A Blu-ray is very good visually--it's not as brilliant looking as the recent more famous Universal monster title HD releases, but one has to consider that SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM has never had, as far as I know, an official home video release on disc. The main extra is a new audio commentary by Michael Schlesinger. His talk is enjoyable and well-paced, containing facts about the film and good-humored comments on some of the plot details.
SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM has long been considered a somewhat "lost" film in the Universal thriller-mystery canon, and it's great that Kino has put it out on Blu-ray. For fans of Universal that have never seen this picture, it will be a revelation--it's familiar and new at the same time.
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