THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED is one of those films that fits ideally into a bunch of the genre Euro- horror. The troupes that underpin most of these films are here. Sexuality, repression and the old world tradition versus the modern world. Arrow likely delighted when this film however was on offer to release commercially, as it is a little more than all of this. Spain’s first major horror film production, it revels in its visual grandious style of the oeidpal, in a stylish gothic location and seeping with a tale of bloody murder. The story begins with Thérèse (Cristina Galbó). she is the latest in a long line of arrivals to a boarding school in the middle of nowhere. The school is a little different. Its for the wayward girls who do little perveted things. They are over looked every second (literally in the case of showers) by Mme Fourneau (Lilli Palmer). The strict routines are enforced by a click of girls and the whip-hand of the madame. Fourneau’s curious 15-year-old son Louis (John Moulder-Brown) is the only relief for some of the girls. He ignores his mother’s strict orders to get close to the ladies under her ward and sets a chain reaction in effect.

Narciso Ibáñez Serrador directed the masterful WHO CAN KILL A CHILD, a film that must be seen if you have not done so. Dont get me wrong, this film deserves its place but the later, better film, is a masterpiece. Spanish genre cinema writers and theorist are often fixated on the former film though and this removes Serrador brilliant first film, which critic Anna Bogutskaya gets in droves. Her commentary picks the reasons why we should be obsessed by this film and how Serrador creates such a brilliantly atmospheric work. I might disagree with some of the more gushing reflections, as they seem to make more of the film than I did, but on the versions here, you get something new to chew over. The two versions, both in 2K restorations and both benefiting massively from it, has a great version and a more taut version. The longer work, is actually delivered with intellegence and originality. The edited version feels heavier and more obvious. Dr Antonio Lázaro-Reboll explores this in a detacted way but in enough information, that it will make you feel academic in the subject.

• Brand new 2K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films
• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of the 105-minute uncut version titled The Finishing School (La Residencia), and the 94-minute US theatrical version titled The House That Screamed, via seamless branching
• Original lossless English mono audio on both versions, and lossless Spanish audio on the uncut version
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing on both versions, and optional English subtitles for the Spanish audio
• Brand new audio commentary by critic Anna Bogutskaya
• This Boy’s Innocence, a previously unreleased interview with actor John Moulder-Brown
• Archive interview with Mary Maude, from the 2012 edition of the Festival of Fantastic Films
• All About My “Mama”, a brand new interview with Juan Tébar, author of the original story
• The Legacy of Terror, a brand new interview with the director’s son, Alejandro Ibáñez
• Screaming the House Down, a brand new interview with Spanish horror expert Dr Antonio Lázaro-Reboll, discussing the history of the film and its director
• Alternative footage from the original Spanish theatrical version
• Original trailers, TV and radio spots
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Colin Murdoch
• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Shelagh Rowan-Legg and double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Colin Murdoch