ARNOLD (1973) Movie on DVD

ARNOLD (1973) — DVD | Stella Stevens | Roddy McDowall | Elsa Lanchester | Farley Granger | Rated PG

He’s the most powerful man at the wedding. He’s also the corpse.

If you’ve never heard of Arnold, you’re not alone — and that’s exactly what makes this one such a fantastic find. A glorious nod to the old dark house chillers of Hollywood’s Golden Age, director Georg Fenady delivers a tribute to everything from lush early Hammer horrors to Roger Corman’s colorful cycle of gothic thrillers, with an extra helping of macabre humor filtered through a ’70s drive-in movie sensibility. Vinegar Syndrome

When wealthy, eccentric Lord Arnold Dwellyn dies, his funeral doubles as a wedding — Arnold gets hitched to his mistress Karen, who will inherit his vast estate, provided she agrees to remain in his mansion with Arnold’s corpse by her side. Karen, along with Arnold’s ex-wife, his brother, and several greedy family members, are desperate to get their hands on Arnold’s vast wealth, allegedly including a pile of money hidden somewhere on the grounds. But as each guest attempts to break the conditions of Arnold’s will, the consequences turn lethal — and Karen finds herself caught up in a series of grisly murders. Has Arnold returned from the dead to take revenge on his greedy loved ones, or is there a living, breathing killer lurking around the mansion? Vinegar Syndrome

Arnold may be the most active corpse in the history of movies. He lays in his casket throughout the entire film, and yet his presence dominates the world of the living — his sardonic smile making him look very much alive. His voice, pre-recorded on tape, anticipates every scheme his relatives attempt, with a personalized surprise waiting for each of them. IMDb

The cast is rich with serious Hollywood hams: Elsa Lanchester, Roddy McDowall, Farley Granger, Shani Wallis, Victor Buono as a besotted priest, Jamie Farr, Bernard Fox as a hilariously ineffective constable, and Patric Knowles — all playing it gloriously over the top. Rotten Tomatoes

A cult movie waiting to be discovered — weird, dark, and certainly odd enough to earn that status. It never takes itself too seriously, and that’s precisely what makes it work. IMDb A Bing Crosby Production that slipped through the cracks of time but has quietly earned devoted fans who stumble across it.

Extremely hard to find in a clean, watchable copy — a genuine rarity for collectors of ’70s horror comedy and classic character-actor cinema.

Format: DVD | Color | NTSC | English Genre: Horror / Dark Comedy / Mystery Runtime: 95 minutes | Rated PG Director: Georg Fenady | Studio: Bing Crosby Productions