Asylum (4K UHD Review)
- Review Date: Jul 25, 2025
- Format: 4K Ultra HD
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Director
Roy Ward BakerRelease Date(s)
1972 (July 29, 2025)Studio(s)
Amicus Productions/Harbor Productions (Severin Films)- Film/Program Grade: B
- Video Grade: B+
- Audio Grade: B-
- Extras Grade: A-
Review
The horror portmanteau, or anthology, wasn’t invented by Amicus Productions, the UK-based film company that produced many horror anthologies from 1962 to 1977 under the care of Milton Subotsky and Max J. Rosenberg, but one could argue that Amicus certainly popularized it. Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, From Beyond the Grave, The House That Dripped Blood, and Torture Garden were all among the company’s most financially successful releases, as was as 1972’s Asylum, which was later re-issued in 1979 by Dynamite Entertainment as House of Crazies.
Dr. Martin (Robert Powell) is a newly-arrived psychiatrist at Dunsmoore Asylum, replacing Dr. Starr, who recently went insane. In order to procure his position as head of the hospital, Rutherford (Patrick Magee), the asylum’s warden, challenges Martin to listen to each patient’s story and discern which of them is Dr. Starr. In Frozen Fear, Walter (Richard Todd) is having an affair behind his wife Ruth’s (Sylvia Sims) back with the much younger Bonnie (Barbara Parkins), but getting rid of Ruth by dismemberment won’t be so easy due to her belief in African magic. In The Weird Tailor, Bruno (Barry Morse) and his wife (Ann Firbank) are impoverished due to a lack of customers. One day a Mr. Smith (Peter Cushing) comes in with a request for a new suit to be made to his exact specifications, unaware of his supernatural intentions. In Lucy Comes to Stay, Barbara (Charlotte Rampling) is brought home by her brother George (James Villiers) after having been put away, but the situation becomes difficult when her friend Lucy (Britt Ekland) appears to help her escape. In Mannequins of Horror, Dr. Byron (Hebert Lom) creates a series of dolls that can be manipulated telepathically, leading to the film’s shocking conclusion. Also among the cast are Megs Jenkins, Frank Forsyth, John Franklyn-Robbins, and Geoffrey Bayldon.
As a long-time fan of Amicus Productions, sorting out favorites is a complex task. In truth, all of their productions are uneven in some way, which is part and parcel to the anthology format. Nonetheless, it’s the variety in the storytelling with an EC Comics energy, in which the horror is often over-the-top and the villains get their just desserts, that make these films so appealing. Asylum, written by Robert Bloch and adapted from stories that were mostly used in other productions, such as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Thriller, is certainly guilty of the inconsitency. Part of that comes down to producer Milton Subotsky’s decision to switch the order of the first two stories, leaving a dip in the pacing during the film’s second story.
Yet despite any and all shortcomings, Asylum is often held up as one of Amicus’ finest efforts, due in no small part to how integrated the wrap-around story is with the various other stories being told. Everything feels more cohesive, especially as the final tale evolves slowly into the main narrative, which is quite uncommon for horror anthologies in general. And like other Amicus productions, Asylum features fun performances from many of Britain’s most valuable players, and a creepy but playful atmosphere.
Asylum was shot by cinematographer Denys N. Coop on 35mm film using Mitchell BNC cameras and spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Severin Films debuts the film on Ultra HD with a 4K scan of the original camera negative, which has been graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10, and presented on a dual-layered BD-66 disc. It’s an improvement over previous presentations in every way, including Severin’s 2017 Blu-ray release that was initially a part of The Amicus Collection, which also featured And Now the Screaming Starts! and The Beast Must Die, all of which were eventually released separately once the Limited Edition boxed set had sold out. Asylum features a very heavy yield of grain, much more than most UHD presentations, and appears uneven in certain spots. However, the bitrate often sits between 90 and 100Mbs, maximizing its potential. Mild speckling and scratches are leftover, but the image is stable. Saturation is improved over the previous Blu-ray, though flesh tones can sometimes run a little hot. The HDR isn’t all that aggressive, but blacks are deep with excellent contrast, getting the most out of the dark interiors of Dunsmoore Asylum and beyond.
Audio is presented in English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. The weakest aspect of this release is the audio, which is the same track as the previous Blu-ray. It immediately requires a volume adjustment, but it also sounds aggressively restored, meaning a lot of the original audio’s character is absent. Because of this, there are no leftover instances of hiss, crackle, distortion, or other issues. Once the volume has been fine-tuned, dialogue exchanges are discernible, while sound effects and score have some minor push to them. It’s a perfectly workable track, but it needs a good round of restoration from scratch.
The Severin Films 2-Disc 4K Ultra HD release of Asylum sits in a black Amaray case alongside a 1080p Blu-ray and an insert featuring the House of Crazies theatrical artwork, but with the Asylum title in its place. The Limited Edition available via the Severin Films website features an exclusive slipcover depicting the iconic wrapped-up severed head. An exclusive enamel pin depicting the killer doll is also available. The following extras are included on each disc:
DISC ONE (UHD)
- Audio Commentary with Roy Ward Baker, Neil Binney, and Marcus Hearn
- Theatrical Trailers (HD & Upscaled SD – 2 in all – 1:34 & 1:26)
- TV Spots (HD – 2 in all – 1:03 & :28)
DISC TWO (BD)
- Audio Commentary with Roy Ward Baker, Neil Binney, and Marcus Hearn
- Dr. Martin’s Challenge (HD – 8:17)
- Two’s a Company (HD – 18:18)
- David J. Schow on Robert Bloch (HD – 20:55)
- Fiona Subotsky Remembers Milton Subotsky (HD – 9:38)
- Inside the Fear Factory (Upscaled SD – 20:28)
- Theatrical Trailers (HD & Upscaled SD – 2 in all – 1:34 & 1:26)
- TV Spots (HD – 2 in all – 1:03 & :28)
In the 2003 audio commentary with director Roy Ward Baker and camera operator Neil Binney, moderated by Marcus Hearn, Baker and Binney talk shop while watching the film and share their memories of the production, with Hearn occasionally asking them questions. All three fall into the trap of watching the film for a few stretches, but it’s still quite a good commentary due to the valuable participation of the two men involved. New to this release is Dr. Martin’s Challenge, which features an interview with actor Robert Powell discussing his career up until Asylum, his relationships with the other actors on and off screen, differences from what was filmed and what wound up on screen, and seeing the film today and his thoughts on it. He also gives us a taste of his amazing Michael Caine impression and mentions getting fan mail for Asylum and The Asphyx.
Two’s a Company is a 1972 on-set report by the BBC featuring interviews with producer Milton Subotsky, director Roy Ward Baker, actors Charlotte Rampling, James Villiers, Megs Jenkins, art director Tony Curtis, and production manager Teresa Bolland, all of whom take part in the filming of the Lucy Comes to Stay segment. It also focuses on Subotsky and the way Amicus Productions operates (eagle-eyed viewers can spot a portion of a scene being filmed in which the dialogue was ultimately trimmed out in the final version). David J. Schow on Robert Bloch is an excellent overview of Bloch’s career as well as Schow’s association with the author in his latter years. Fiona Subotsky Remembers Milton Subotsky features Subotsky’s former wife speaking about her husband’s work and private life. Inside the Fear Factory features interviews with producer Max J. Rosenberg, directors Freddie Francis, and Roy Ward Baker about working for Amicus Productions and the films that were made there. Last are two theatrical trailers and two TV spots, presented in separate chapters, the latter of which was included on the previous release as an Easter egg.
The Amicus Collection 2017 boxed set also included a fourth disc entitled The Vault of Amicus, which featured Dr. Terror’s House of Trailers, a trailer compilation with optional commentary by Kim Newman and David Flint), as well as the audio recordings Philip Nutman Interviews Milton Subotsky and Audio Notes of Max J. Rosenberg, none of which are included here. The 2019 and 2020 Region B German Blu-ray releases from X-Rated and VZM also included German language commentary by film historians Gerd Naumann, Bodo Traber, and Matthias Künnecke, and another by film historian Lars Dreyer-Winkelmann, as well as an Advertising Material gallery. The UK Region B Limited Edition Blu-ray release from Second Sight also includes an exclusive 40-page booklet containing essays by Allan Bryce, Jon Towlson, and Kat Ellinger. There’s also a Trailers from Hell commentary by Edgar Wright still available on Youtube, just to cover all the bases.
For fans of Amicus and horror anthologies in general, Asylum is an essential watch. Severin’s debut UHD, while not perfect on all sides, is still a large step up from previous releases.
- Tim Salmons
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