ANCHOR BAY continues to do some great things with their dvd releases.   "Dracula Prince of Darkness" not only offers an excellent transfer, but extras as well.    Barbara Shelley stars in this really scary take on the "Dracula" legend.   The transfer has some problems with the blacks and grays during night scenes, but overall the picture is great.  The sound is in mono, but offers excellent clarity.  Christopher Lee and most of the starring cast lend audio commentary on an alternate track, really capturing the production difficulties of the film.   There's also a home movie taken on the set and more.  Well worth the SRP price of  $29.98

"Quatermass and the Pit" has always had a cult following.  Now with a sharp looking DVD transfer complete with a new Dolby Digital 5.1 track,  it should bring about many new fans.  While the special effects do feel dated, the story moves along at a tense pace, mostly due to the skillful direction of Roy Ward Baker.  The transfer has the original 1.66:1 ratio and fine contrast. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track offers some great moments, although it's not as active as we had hoped it would be.   In addition to tv spots and a featurette, there's also a great running commentary with the film's director and writer.

Originally titled "Mohammad:Messenger of God", this film became better known for its weird link to a hostage situation in Washington DC than for its epic canvas and wonderful score.  Anthony Quinn stars in this epic-tale about the start of Islam.   While the direction is sluggish at times, most of the 220 minute running time is entertaining.  The production values demand a widescreen and the letterboxed image is perfectly intact.  Fleshtones are generally sharp and the contrast is in fine shape.   The stereo sound offers a few directional effects, but is used mostly in emphasizing the memorable musical score from none other than Maurice Jarre.

ANCHOR BAY has released a great  double feature with "Tombs of the Blind Dead" and "Return of the Blind Dead".  Although we wish and still hope ANCHOR BAY will also release the other two films left from this series relating to the Templar Knights, we agree that these are the best of them.  The horror tales relate to the undead knights returning from their graves after having been executed in the 13th century for their horrible deeds.  While there's great camp at times, the tales unfold with a deliberate seriousness to them for the most part.  The widescreen presentation is excellent, capturing all of the compositions typically lost in late-night television airings.  The dvd transfer looks pretty decent in spite of grain.   The contrast is excellent. The monaural sound has excellent clarity.