Widescreen DVD's for remaining Hammer titles in the Warner Brothers' library

To the Warner Brothers DVD production team and/or Vice-President of Marketing:

As you have probably noticed in movie magazine critiques and various horror film boards on the web, there were certain mistakes made in your productions of the DVD's for the Hammer films "Horror of Dracula" and "The Curse of Frankenstein," although the colour restoration for both movies is magnificent for the most part, and should be applauded. Since I am sure Warner Brothers wishes to supply its customer base with product to the standards they expect - which will increase sales - we the undersigned are submitting the following requests that these films - especially the first two, which are very important in Hammer film history - warrant:

Please ensure that "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" is issued in the Original Aspect Ratio - if the American-release ratio of 1:75 is used, please review the excellent WB widescreen laserdisc so that proper centering is done. A commentary track or featurette should be included as an extra that involves Christopher Lee, Veronica Carlson and Freddie Francis, and producer Aida Young - moderated by a knowledgeable Hammer film historian such as Mark A. Miller, Deborah Del Vecchio, Tim Lucas or Tom Johnson. If actress Barbara Ewing is available, so much the better. If a text-history is issued on the DVD please have it proofread to avoid the factual errors issued on the DVD's of "Horror of Dracula" and "The Curse of Frankenstein." A poster gallery would be appreciated and any interview material used contemporarily with this film would make a strong extra - I recall a 10 minute publicity featurette running for this at the time.

Please ensure that "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed" is issued in the proper OAR. Take the necessary steps such that a commentary track or featurette involving Veronica Carlson and Simon Ward is done, and moderated by a knowledgeable genre film historian (such as the above.) Take care that the same digital remastering effort is put forward on this as the DVD's of HoD and CoF, as the WB widescreen laserdisc suffered slightly from muted colour. A poster gallery and Peter Cushing interviews relating to this film that are in possession of certain writers (see Ted Newsom) should be employed if offered.

Please ensure that any DVD issue of "Taste the Blood of Dracula" uses a full, uncut print rather than the edited television print previously issued on WB's VHS editions. Again, a proper commentary track or featurette involving Mr. Christopher Lee, Linda Hayden and Isla Blair, director Peter Sasdy or producer Aida Young and any others still alive and willing to participate should be done; a biographer such as Jonathan Rigby (author an authorized Christopher Lee screen history) or those writers mentioned above should be employed to moderate-produce. This particular film should be issued in an aspect ratio of no greater than 1:66, so that vital screen information is not lost.

Please ensure that a DVD of "Dracula A.D. 1972" is issued in the proper OAR and a film-historian moderated commentary track, or featurette, utilizing Ms. Stephanie Beacham, Mr. Christopher Lee and Caroline Munro and/or any others that were involved with it and are willing to participate are involved. A stronger effort by WB to present this film will result in better sales than have resulted from the rather lackluster VHS edition.

Fans and critics have praised the cover art used in your DVD issues of "Horror of Dracula," "The Curse of Frankenstein," and "The Mummy," but please let your graphics-art dept's work be proof-checked before going to the manufacturer to avoid the errors done on HoD, and other WB discs, which contained stills of the wrong movie on the back covers. These kind of errors are unprofessional and are beneath such a large company as Warner Brothers.



Sincerely,
The Undersigned